Eastern Hancock Drama Club is presenting “James and The Giant Peach” Friday, April 14, through Sunday, April 16 at the EH auditorium. Shows are at 7 p.m. except Sunday, at 2 p.m. Cost is $12 at the door. The play is based on the book by Roald Dahl.
CHARLOTTESVILLE — Who doesn’t like the tale of a peach in dire need?
The Eastern Hancock Drama Club is hoping everyone will check in for a fun adventure when the young actors perform three shows of “James and The Giant Peach” this weekend.
The show is based on the book by Roald Dahl and features Eastern Hancock middle and high school students. The shows will be presented on campus in the Eastern Hancock Auditorium at 7 p.m. Friday, April 14 and Saturday, April 15 and then again during a matinee show at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 16.
Tickets cost $12, but all of the proceeds go back into the district’s drama club to help fund future shows. The show and students are under the tutelage of Eastern Hancock Drama directors Corey Yeaman and Andy Sparks.
“One of the things about this show that hits home with a lot of the kids is that sense of belonging,” Yeaman said. “It’s about James trying to find his place in the world after a tragic event and find friendship and acceptance, and that’s the main theme of the show — being accepted.”
The musical is for anyone who has ever wanted to escape, plus it reveals and shows the wickedness of some, the goodness of others, and the indecision of many when faced with crises as James tries to get the peach out of danger.
From a wise old-green-grasshopper and a pessimistic earthworm to James’ mean aunt Spiker and cruel aunt Sponge, everyone of all ages should enjoy the performances.
“The show is going to be amazing,” Sparks said. “With the number of kids that we had and the amount of parts, this show was a good fit for us.”
Sparks noted Yeaman came up with the idea of tackling James and the Giant Peach, and she’s glad he did because she said the students are loving the story and have had a good time working hard to create a set and get their performances down pat.
“This show has given us the opportunity to include several kids who have always been in the ensemble to be in more significant roles,” Sparks said. “And, they are stepping up and doing a fabulous job.”
The only seniors in the show, Abby Waterman and Kayla Jackson, get to play mean ole aunt Spiker and cruel ole aunt Sponge, who get what’s coming to them in the end. Both seniors say with this being their final show, they really want to have a stellar performance.
“This is the last hurrah for us so we want to make it the best,” Abby said. “With the characters it is a bit of a challenge because of their accents, but other than that, this has been a lot of fun.”
For Kayla, she’s enjoyed working with the cast and watching this show come together, plus there has been the added bonus of working with a close friend.
“It has been so much fun working with everyone and working with Abby, my best friend, that has been everything to me my senior year,” Kayla said.
Abby noted the show really is a classic with the book having come out decades ago she said many people grew up reading it and then watching the movie which came out a few years ago.
“I think this show is going to be so much fun for everyone of all ages,” Abby said.
Sparks said the students are going to put on a good show because the students are really getting into their characters.
“The effort is really there,” Sparks said. “We think everyone is going to love it, and I think it’s going to be really good.”
Yeaman liked the musical and selected it for the kids because it’s fairly new, created after 2010, but he also appreciated the fact most of the characters by the end find their place and learn to accept others.
“For a lot of theater kids, this is a place they feel most accepted and to be able to perform a show they can latch onto through the songs is just so great,” Yeaman said.
The show does have one adult who is performing. Coy Hutcherson, who has performed with the CrazyLake Acting Company in Greenfield, as well as other community theaters. Hutcherson plays Ladahlord, who is somewhat of the narrator for the show, Sparks said.
