‘big’ Doings

“big,” the smaller, touring version of Broadway’s “Big,” opened Tuesday at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

The mini-musical, based on the 1988 movie starring Tom Hanks, revolves around Josh Baskin, a boy who wants to grow up. He does--overnight--then lands a kid’s dream gig as a toy executive.

Within minutes of the final curtain, a group of theater-supporters hit Planet Hollywood in Santa Ana for the post-performance cast party. While dining on fried chicken and vegetables cut like Ruffles potato chips (no dinky corn cobs, a Josh favorite, were in sight), they gabbed about the show.

The response? Many critics may not like it--including New York reviewers who slammed the Broadway version--but lots of these folks did.

Mary Ann Casey of Orange was one. She attended with friends, saying, “We really enjoyed the musical because we have 12-year-old sons and we could identify with a lot of the things that went on.”

She also liked the party. “I’ve never been to Planet Hollywood, but from what I see, my kids would really enjoy it here.”

The cast turnout, including both stars and tech folk, was big. But at midnight, many slipped out of the restaurant to catch a bus back to their hotel.

“big” plays in Costa Mesa through Sunday.

* GETTING ADJUSTED

Reworked musical makes fixes but cheapens product. Weekend Calendar, Page 70