The Husky Huddle
This is the 'Husky Huddle,' the podcast that brings you closer to the heart of Olean City School education. Whether you're a parent, student, teacher, or a proud member of our community, this podcast is dedicated to providing insightful conversations, expert advice, and a closer look at what makes our district truly exceptional.
The Husky Huddle
Celebrating Big Fish And The Students Who Bring It To Life
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Big-hearted storytelling meets teenage grit in our deep dive with director Lisa Kranz as we bring Big Fish to the Olean High School stage. We open up about why this modern musical felt right for our program this year. Beyond the spectacle, we lean into what the show does best: a father and son wrestling with truth, memory, and empathy, and a community rallying to turn tall tales into living theater.
We walk through the selection process, from balancing last year’s classic whimsy with a contemporary tone to choosing a title that hasn’t been overdone locally. Lisa shares how auditions in November set the cast, how December shaped the full show, and how January becomes a clinic in cleaning vocals, tightening choreography, and sharpening scenes. You’ll hear the candid reality of student life—varsity sports, DECA, jobs, and rehearsals—and what it takes to coordinate a cast that wants to excel everywhere at once. Then we get practical: teaching a giant to move on stilts, planning safe and effective special effects, and leaning on community partners for costumes, props, and expertise.
Underneath the craft lives the why. Theater builds confidence, public speaking, teamwork, time management, and resilience. Students learn to listen, to take direction, to lead peers, and to try the ridiculous—like dancing with a broom—until it becomes joy. Big Fish offers big visuals and bigger feelings, and we hope audiences leave moved, entertained, and a little more open to the stories of the people they love. Join us at Olean High School on January 30 and 31, 2026, at 7 pm. Grab your tickets online or at the door and be part of a night where imagination and heart share the spotlight. If you enjoy the show, subscribe, share this episode, and leave a review so more neighbors find their way to the auditorium.
Meet Director Lisa Kronz
SPEAKER_01So, welcome to the Husky Huddle. We're very excited to have Lisa Kronz here. She's going to tell us about the new upcoming high school musical that is really, really exciting. She's going to share some really important information that everybody should know as they're starting to plan to come and see our big high school performance. And so before we get into the big, big news, for listeners who may not know you yet, can you please tell us a little bit about your role at the Oleanne City School District and how long you've been teaching music here?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so this is my ninth year at the Onlean City School District. When I came here, I started teaching band uh both at the high school and in fifth grade. And then uh five years ago during the pandemic, I took over the drama program here. So I started directing the high school's musical.
Why Choose Big Fish
SPEAKER_01Oh, awesome. So what made you excited to bring our big musical, which is going to be drum roll? I don't have way to do a drum, but drumroll, big fish, to the only end stage this year.
SPEAKER_00Well, each time we do a musical with these kids, they get so invested and so excited, excited. So it's a joy just to see them participating. But Big Fish specifically seemed like a really good show for our kids this year. We have a really cool problem that most schools wish they had, where we have an abundance of um male identifying performers, and usually musicals are scraping by, but we have so many. And so finding a show that really showcased all of them was really fun to search for.
SPEAKER_01Oh, that's awesome. That's wonderful. And that's very, very good that we have such interest within our student body to be in the musical. That's wonderful. So, for anybody who doesn't know about the musical Fake Fish, how would you describe the story and its themes in a spoiler-free way?
Story And Themes Overview
SPEAKER_00Okay, yes. Um, so it's based on a book, which then Tim Burton made a movie about, which then the musical was written about the movie, and it's about the story of Edward Bloom, who is this uh fantastic, exciting person who tells these stories about his fantastic and exciting life to his son Will, who just doesn't seem to understand or care. So it's about the two of them trying to understand each other better and build a better relationship. We see Will as he's becoming a father himself and trying to figure out where his father's role is in that and how to relate to him.
SPEAKER_01Oh, that's great. So it's it's more of a bit, it's a story where it's relatable across generations, definitely. Wonderful. So students can enjoy it, but also their parents, and if you're bringing family members, they can all find something to relate.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. There's a little bit for everybody in there.
Picking The Right Show
SPEAKER_01Wonderful. Okay. So why did you think I think you've kind of already talked about um why big fish is a good choice for our district, but why is it a good choice for a high school musical?
SPEAKER_00Oh, when picking a show, it's it's it's a long process that I get to discuss with our vocal director, Caroline Bremner. And uh finding something that hasn't been done in the area recently, finding something that balances what we've done in the past, whereas Wizard of Oz was a classical musical and a little bit more whimsical. This one has some more serious storylines and it's a very modern show. So trying to balance that and then picking what our kids would fit in, what we think the community would enjoy. There's a lot that goes into that choice.
SPEAKER_01How long does it take for you guys to make that selection of a musical for the year?
SPEAKER_00There's been years where one of us had been like, let's do little women, perfect. And then there's like this past year, I think we went back and forth for like a month. What about this? What about that? How would this sound? And it takes a while.
Lessons For Students And Families
SPEAKER_01Wow, wow, it's a lot more involved than I knew. So yeah, that's interesting to hear. So are there any messages or lessons in the show that you think will really stand out, especially for students or families?
SPEAKER_00Yes, it's it's really important to me when picking a show to have something that has a positive message that kids can take away with it. And this one really teaches about learning to see things from everyone else's perspective. Um, you know, the saying reality is everyone owns, everyone's perception is their own reality. And I think this show shows that you have to look at it through someone else's eyes to really understand them. There's also a lot of messages about love and forgiveness and caring for others. And I think it's it's a great thing to discuss with the kids as we're putting the show together.
Rehearsals And Scheduling Juggle
SPEAKER_01Wonderful. So, speaking about putting this show together, what has your rehearsal process been like so far? And how are your students responding to the show?
SPEAKER_00It has been wild. So we started back in November with auditions. We casted before Thanksgiving break. And then as soon as we came back, we dove right in. We learned the whole show in uh November and December. And then we're back now. And because we had two weeks off, we are reviewing and remembering and cleaning and drilling. Um, and the kids have been doing a great job picking it up, but with every year, the big struggle is scheduling. So these kids are starring in the musical, but they're also on the varsity cheer team and they have part-time jobs and they're in DECA and all these incredible things. So sharing the kids and working with them and their crazy schedules is always a wild ride. Yeah, I'll bet. I'll bet.
Technical Bits: Stilts And Effects
SPEAKER_01So have you had any challenges other than the students' really, really big busy schedules? Have you had any musical or technical challenges that you guys have had over to overcome as you've been planning for the musical?
SPEAKER_00Nothing specifically comes to mind as like a major challenge, but there's always the little stuff. Like we have a kid, he plays a giant in the show, and getting him up on stilts. It's a challenge. Yes.
SPEAKER_01I can't wait to see this. Yes.
SPEAKER_00Um, we're it's gonna uh some special effects figuring out how those are gonna happen. And yeah, and so it's all the little stuff, but it's like uh a fun problem solving game each time.
SPEAKER_01That's great, that's great to hear. And um, how does participating in a product in a production like this help our students grow beyond just singing and acting?
SPEAKER_00I love this question because it does help them singing and acting and dancing. You gotta do all three at the same time, and that's not easy. It is not uh but beyond that, it personally helps kids with their confidence, it helps them public speaking, being able to say something out loud for an entire auditorium to hear. That's a skill that you gotta practice. Yeah. Um, it teaches them the stories of forgiveness and love. But my favorite part is the community that it builds and gives the students. These kids get so close during the shows. We rehearse together two and a half hours every day, and then they tell me, Oh, we had a movie night this weekend. I was like, You guys aren't sick of each other yet? That's great. Oh, and so they they they build a really sweet musical family where they they bond and they make connections that last, and our alumni they come back and they help with shows and they watch shows, and it's it's a long-lasting uh musical family.
SPEAKER_01That I love that. Have you seen any of your students step out of their comfort zones during this process?
Community Support Matters
SPEAKER_00Absolutely, absolutely. Uh, some of the kids I only meet them once they audition. So I get that like 10-second snippet of them. Um, and so they're usually very quiet when we first start, but seeing them share who they are through this rehearsal process is such a joy. And and sometimes I ask them to do very silly things and their willingness to just, okay, I'll try something new. You want me to dance with a broom? Okay, here we go.
SPEAKER_01That's wonderful. So, how important is our community and the support of our community in making a production like Big Bitch successful?
SPEAKER_00It is so important, specifically within the school community. There are countless people who help me make this happen when it comes to uh purchasing the rights to a show and the offices and and athletics, sharing the space and the countless teachers who volunteer and help and assist. That is huge. And then even outside of that, there's a lot of places that hang up our posters and share on their social media what's going on. Um, some organizations donate materials and costume pieces. Uh, the the community theater donates pieces and uh terrible. It's the support is huge and it means so much.
What Audiences Will Feel
SPEAKER_01Oh, that's wonderful to hear. So um when it what do you hope that audiences feel when they leave the beer after watching you all perform big fish?
SPEAKER_00I remember when I saw the show for the first time, I left emotional. It really pulled at my heart. And so I hope it it reaches everybody emotionally, and I also hope they they enjoy it. There's a lot of big flashy moments in this, and I hope they they have fun watching it.
Dates, Tickets, And Thanks
SPEAKER_01Okay, that's wonderful. Is there anything else you'd like listeners to know before they come see the show? But also please tell us exactly what dates and times that we can come and enjoy.
SPEAKER_00Um, just I would like to say thank you to everyone who makes this possible. There are countless people who are working so hard to allow these students to shine on stage, and I am just so grateful for them. I would name them all, but we'd be here another hour. Um Big Fish School Edition is in the Oleanne High School Auditorium on January 30th and 31st at 7 o'clock p.m. Tickets are on sale online. You could check the Facebook page for the school district or for boosters. You can also scan a QR code on any poster you see around town, or you can buy tickets at the door.$10 for adults,$7 for students at the door.
SPEAKER_01That's wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. So you heard it here. We're gonna have big bit available for anyone and everybody to come see January 30th and January 31st at OEN High School at 7 p.m. And we will be so excited to see you here to witness the wonderful hard work that all of our students and our teams have put together. And we'd love to have you come see the hard work of our students on our wonderful stage here at OEAN High School. Thank you so much for coming on to Husky Huddle and thank you for having me. And thank you so much, and I hope you all come see Big Fit. Thank you.