Andrew Lippa and I did an interview for Big Fish about our collaboration. We recorded it in the lobby of the Oriental Theater while the show was playing, so in the background you can hear Kate Baldwin singing “I Don’t Need a Roof” from the second act.
Broadway
A city born of fire
Episode - 83
Writer Derek Haas (Wanted, 3:10 to Yuma) joins John and Craig to discuss gay slurs, refrigerator logic and his TV show, Chicago Fire.
In addition to writing for big and small screens, the extraordinarily prolific Haas writes books, including The Right Hand and The Silver Bear. He also created the short story site Popcorn Fiction.
LINKS:
* [Derek Haas](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0351929/) on IMDb
* [Chicago Fire](http://www.nbc.com/chicago-fire/) on NBC
* [Popcorn Fiction](http://www.mulhollandbooks.com/popcornfiction/index.html)
* [The Right Hand](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0316198463/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) on Amazon
* Deadline’s coverage of [Amy Pascal’s speech](http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/amy-pascal-asks-hollywood-to-eliminate-gay-slurs-stereotypes-from-movies/) at the LA Gay & Lesbian Center gala
* [Fridge Logic](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FridgeLogic) on TV Tropes
* [Hands on a Hard Body](http://www.handsonahardbody.com/) and [The Book of Mormon](http://www.bookofmormonbroadway.com/home.php) on Broadway
* Lifehacker Australia on [using multiple audio inputs and outputs in OSX](http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2012/08/how-to-use-multiple-audio-inputs-and-outputs-in-mac-os-x/)
* The life-saving [Animal Specialty Group](http://www.asgvets.com/)
* [Chicago City Pass](http://www.citypass.com/chicago) is worthwhile
* OUTRO: [I’m on Fire](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvksSDzslCw) acoustic cover by ilikegtar
You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_83.m4a).
**UPDATE** 4-4-13: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-83-a-city-born-of-fire-transcript).
Big Fish Rush
Big Fish starts previews in Chicago tomorrow, April 2nd. Eep.
A bunch of readers asked about rush tickets, so I asked our general manager, who asked Broadway in Chicago, who consulted the great oracle of all things ticket-related. Here’s the official word:
> **$25 Student/Senior/Military/Industry Rush Tickets**
> A limited number of rush tickets will be available for all performances. Tickets will be available at the Oriental Theatre box office on the day of the performance only. Limit of 2 tickets per valid ID. Cash or Credit.
As I’ve said before, if you’re coming, let me know [on Twitter](http://twitter.com/johnaugust) or by [email](mailto:ask@johnaugust.com). Tell me your dates/times/seat numbers, and if I can I will stop by and say hi.
Tech Starts, Time Stops
I’m in Chicago, where it’s the first day of tech rehearsal for Big Fish. Lights, sound, sets, props, costumes, VFX — everything has to be painstakingly tweaked and coordinated. In film terms, it’s like production and post-production happening simultaneously.
In other words, it takes a while.
Quite fittingly for a day of slow motion, EW.com has the [exclusive first listen](http://popwatch.ew.com/2013/03/18/listen-to-a-song-from-new-big-fish-musical-exclusive/) at a song from our show: Time Stops. It’s a duet between Norbert Leo Butz (as Edward Bloom) and Kate Baldwin (Sandra), written by Andrew Lippa.
If you’re familiar with the movie, you can probably guess where this song takes place, but I won’t spoil how it actually emerges in the scene. Suffice to say we’ll be spending many hours of tech getting it just right.