ZACH Theatre’s James & the Giant Peach debuted this weekend and is another fantastic children’s show based on the classic novel, James & the Giant Peach. It’s showing February 19, 2016 thru April 10, 2016 on the Kleberg Stage.
When I was a child, I read the Roald Dahl classic James & the Giant Peach and was mesmerized by the story of the little boy who befriends a set of giant insects he meets along his journey in a giant peach. It was a fantastic story, one I always remembered and had the pleasure of reading to all 3 of my children. Most recently, my 6 year old.
This past week, the ZACH Theatre opened the family musical, James & the Giant Peach on the Kleberg Stage. I was thrilled to hear it was coming when it was announced and made sure to read the story to my youngest before I took him to see it.
The story is so incredible that I was finding it hard to believe they could actually transfer it to the stage without losing some of the magic. They delivered….and then some!
In the story, James discovers a magic potion, which helps to grow a peach the size of a large house, and a group of merry (most of them) insects who James befriends along their journey across the sea. Sounds incredible, right? It was.
Once again, the amazing cast & production crew at ZACH Theatre have crafted a terrific family show. James & the Giant Peach is funny and poignant and tells a fantastic story of family & how it can come in all shapes & sizes. This show is perfect for all ages – my husband and I laughed our way through it while my son was mesmerized throughout the whole show.
I am always amazed at how they can bring to life these classic children’s stories through music, sets, and costumes. And of course the talent. Everyone in the cast deserves to be recognized, as they all played multiple parts. As my son enjoyed the insects’ multiple personalities, my husband & I thought the Aunts, Spiker & Sponge, played by Amber Quick and comedian Kim Stacy, were hysterical. And the young man who played James Henry Trotter, alternating by actors Chris Carpenter and Diego Rodriguez, stood his own amongst the cast full of adults.
I love the Family Musical series that ZACH Theatre brings to the Austin area. It’s with ferric shows like this that they help teach Austin’s younger generation to appreciate theater in a fun & creative way. I fully recommend seeing James & the Giant Peach this spring with your whole family.
James & the Giant Peach is now playing on weekends on ZACH’s Kleberg Stage. Performances are at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on select Saturdays and 2 p.m. on select Sundays. This show is perfect for ages 5 and up. There will be an Autism- Friendly Performance on Saturday, March 7, 2015 at 2 p.m.
Additionally, there will be 2 special performances:
Autism/Sensory-Friendly Performance – Saturday, February 27 at 11 a.m.
Sign Interpreted Performance – Saturday, March 26 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $25 and are available online at www.zachtheatre.org, by phone at 512-476-0541 x1, or in person at the ZACH Theatre Box Office, in the Topfer Theatre, 202 South Lamar Blvd.
