Charlie Smith
As soon as one meets Charlie Smith, it is immediately evident why he has been cast as Josh Baskin in Northern Light Theatre Company’s latest production, Big –The Musical. Smith is bubbly, extremely personable and instantly likable, just as the character should be.
The musical is based on the 1988 movie, Big, that starred Tom Hanks in the role of Josh, with music by David Shire, lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr and a book by John Weidman. The story concerns 13 year old Josh who wants nothing more than to be big, so that he is taken notice of. After having encountered a mysterious fortune telling machine, ‘Zoltar Speaks’ that instructs him to make a wish, Josh wishes he was big – only to wake up the next morning to discover that not only has he grown but is now an adult (but still with a teenagers emotion and urges).
Barossa’s Charlie Smith is fairly new to the Adelaide theatre scene, but has worked twice with Adelaide Youth Theatre (Annie, Disney’s Beauty And The Beast: in which he played the Beast), and once before with Northern Light in this year’s first production Happy Days where he had the cameo role of James Dean.
“I was so impressed with the Company’s professionalism and the happy family feel they presented, that I knew I just had to work with them again” says Smith.
A ‘big’ challenge for Charlie is to play a 13 year old as a 30 year old man. He laughs and says “I’m 23, and as my friends say, I’m in touch with my youth, so the hardest part will probably be to play a 30 year old.
Kate Hodges (Susan) and Charlie Smith (Josh)
“I have great memories of being 13.”
Charlie is working very closely with young Jack Raft, who plays Josh at the age of 13. “We get on very well and spend a lot of time together work shopping so that we adopt the same physical aspects of the character” Charlie says.
Another exciting element of working on this musical, aside from the great cast, is that Charlie gets to work with Director David Gauci. “David just reeks professionalism. He is so gentle and personable, and gives the actor so much feedback” enthuses Charlie.
When asked if we get to see the famous dancing on a giant toy keyboard scene, Charlie cheekily answers, “You’ll have to buy a ticket to find out. But I will say that you won’t be disappointed.” So I guess that we should take Charlie’s advice and buy that ticket to Northern Light’s Big –The Musical.
Big: The Musical runs October 9 to 24 at 8:00pm with matinee performances on October 17 and 24 at 2:00pm at the Shedley Theatre, Elizabeth. Tickets can be purchased online at www.northernlight.org.au or via phone on 8281 5026 or 8262 7713. Tickets are also available through BASS.
Interview by Brian Godfrey
Twitter: @briangods
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