Petaluman brings flair to stage in ‘Big Fish’

Petaluman Larry Williams has been active in the Bay Area theater scene since the late 1970s, and he’s spent more than three decades building a repertoire of skills in improv, comedy, scriptwriting and acting.

The 55-year-old will be showcasing his expertise in an upcoming role in the North Bay premiere of the Broadway musical “Big Fish,” which hits the stage for a three-week stint at Rohnert Park’s Spreckel’s Performing Arts Center beginning Aug. 12.

The stage adaption of “Big Fish,” based on the best-selling novel by Daniel Wallace and the fantastical 2003 film directed by Tim Burton, spins the tale of a young man who’s trying to mend a relationship with his estranged father, chronicling his attempts to separate fact from fiction as his father recounts his life story in a series of tall tales from his deathbed.

Packed with vibrant imagery, the stories range a childhood encounter with a witch, a journey to an otherworldly town and a love story that’s sparked under a circus tent, with Williams depicting the dynamic ringleader, Amos Calloway.

Williams said he was attracted to the comic nature of the role, but was also enticed by a cryptic aspect that’s interwoven into his character’s narrative.

“Amos has a secret,” he said. “I don’t want to give it away - I want people to see what it is. When he exposes the secret, it’s just such a great moment in the show.”

His upcoming Spreckles performance is among the more than 30 productions Williams has been involved in on stages in venues across Sonoma County, including plays such as “The Wizard of Oz,” “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “The Producers” at Santa Rosa’s Sixth Street Playhouse and Sebastopol’s Main Stage West, though he’s yet to play a part with Petaluma’s Cinnabar Theater. He’s also performed stand up comedy and improv shows in venues in Sonoma and Marin counties and San Francisco, and is involved in improve groups across the Bay Area.

Williams’ longstanding career kicked off in Novato when he was attending the Indian Valley campus at College of Marin as a young adult, where he met a teacher who helped him transcend the taboo he felt surrounded the world of acting and theater, he said.

From there, he begin performing stand-up, improv and sketch comedy, and he now uses his base of knowledge to teach improv classes at schools and playhouses across the county. Referencing his own theatrical awakening, Williams said he enjoys giving back by helping his students, who range in age from 6-year-olds to adults, unlock their potential.

“It’s fun to work with people at different levels and watch them grow and learn things,” he said.

Williams, who also holds a day job as a director of technical services at Sonoma-based Peterson Mechanical Inc., said it’s can be difficult to balance his time, but he said the fulfillment he gets from being on stage makes it worthwhile.

“It’s working with a group of people to put something together and meeting different people all the time,” he said. “I’ve always felt like it’s something that I love to do, and I really enjoy presenting myself and feeling like I’m leaving this world for another world. Being able to do that and have other people go ‘Wow, that’s incredible” – it’s such a great feeling.”

His wife of 28 years, Kim Williams, is also deeply involved in local theater, and the duo have an upcoming performance together, he said. The couple, who moved to Petaluma two decades ago, have raised two children who graduated from Casa Grande High School, and have pursued careers in music, with their son’s band “Osito” regularly playing at Petaluma and Penngrove venues, he said.

He’s also written several scripts, including “The Game Show” and “Trailer Trash: The Musical” which have been featured in Marin and Sonoma County venues, directed several shows, including “Buddy, The Buddy Holly Story” at Sixth Street and was recently recognized with an award for fight choreography, he said.

He said he’s appreciated the venue that Petaluma had provided for his family.

“We like the small town, big town feel,” he said. “That’s the kind of atmosphere we like, and we like the direction it’s going.”

(Contact Hannah Beausang at hannah.beausang@arguscourier.com.)