The Bay Area Premiere of big bursts onto the stage September 3 - October 8, 1999 at the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. Based on the 1987 hit movie starring Tom Hanks, big, the musical with lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr., music by David Shire and book by John Weidman opened in New York on April 28, 1996. The show received five Tony Award nominations. An all-new version with a revised score was created for the National Tour in 1997 and a third version toured in 1998. The Diablo Light Opera Company is performing this third version with additional music from the original through special arrangement with the composers. The director/choreographer, Terry J. Barto is also consulting with lyricist, Richard Maltby, Jr. about the origin and concept of the original production. The music director and conductor is Cheryl Yee Glass who recently teamed with director Barto on the artistically acclaimed Kismet. The vocal director for this vibrant and contemporary score is Ken Abrams. The producer is Betty Harwood who obtained the National Touring set designed by James Kronzer and the original Broadway costumes designed by William Ivey Long. Both set and costumes were rented from NETworks. Additional set pieces were designed by J. Clay James and Audrey Pratt coordinated the costumes. Included in this set is the original "Zoltar", the mysterious arcade machine and the "piano" on which Josh and Mr. MacMillan dance.

The musical tells the story of two New Jersey boys, twelve year old Josh Baskin (Marshall Johnson) and his best friend, Billy Kopecki (Mark Mendelson). Adolescent Josh finds himself tongue-tied when he is near pretty Cynthia Benson (Camy McGath) and when the three kids meet at a carnival, Josh is not allowed on a ride because he is too small. Crushed and embarrassed, he rushes blindly into a mechanical fortuneteller that for a quarter, grants his wish to be big. He wakes up the next morning in a grown man's body and his mother (Maureen Moore) mistakes him for a kidnapper. Big Josh (Patrick Michael Dukeman) runs away to New York and meets George MacMillan (Joel Fleisher) who gives him a job at MacMillan's Toys, where his innocence wins the heart of an executive named Susan (Jennifer Moore). The story continues as Josh tries his best to be a grown-up and deal with romance, office politics and Paul Seymour (Chuck Dresel), Susan's former boy friend. Also included in this stellar cast are Donna Turner, Jeff Seaberg, Kristina Ashoo, Christopher Olson, Lexie Lazear and Eric Neiman.

big is a brand new energetic, tuneful and touching musical guaranteed to appeal to the whole family as ten kids dance and sing throughout the show among mountains of toys courtesy of FAO Schwartz in San Francisco. This production was also funded in part by Diablo Regional Arts Association.

Regular ticket prices are $23.00. Student, senior and group tickets are $20.00. Student rush tickets for $10.00 go on sale 15 minutes before show time, subject to availability. Call the theater box office at 925 943-7469 for reservations.