It's that time of year again! Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach will be The Connection Theatre's fifth show since we opened in 2020. Since then, we have acquired two directors, three stage managers, over 25 actors, 5 technicians, two technical directors, two costume designers, 4 properties masters, and a whole community who look forward to our shows.
After Reunited Shorts closed, our board discussed wanting another family friendly musical just in time for the school year to settle into their routines. Director and Founder Heather Hodge wanted a literary classic to keep the kids engaged in reading. James and the Giant Peach had all the significance of being a classic children's novel while being fantastical and extraordinary enough for the stage. We scheduled it the weekend before Halloween in the interest of having a fun and educational autumn activity for the family without fear of scaring our younger audience members.
From the audition process through each and every rehearsal, we've continued to watch our cast bloom and grow tremendously! Everyone has worked so diligently to bring their A-game and to rise to new heights for the success of their characters. Each cast member has been challenged in some way shape or form to tap into new skillsets for this show; whether that be varying emotional depths, higher and lower vocal ranges, or allowing themselves to pull into more energy to give themselves an extra dose of extravagance.
Putting in two days a week of rehearsals, countless hours of home practice and line memorization, and doing community events, they're prepared to make this show remarkable.