playbill vip

The musical you are here to see today has by far been my favorite show to direct yet. James and the Giant Peach the Musical Jr. still being a remark-u-lous-ly recent release to the MTI collection has us at Stage Dreams Youth Theater fan-tas-ma-rifically excited to present it! The script takes Roald Dahl’s classic story James and the Giant Peach and pumps it full of a certain Vaudevillian energy. That essence of energy is absolutely electric and the life that it brings to this tale is simply incredible. Mr. Dahl’s acclaimed book was released in 1961 so this story is not particularly new however this musical has found a way to bring a brand new life to its telling. We have happily embraced the spirit of both the old and new elements of this production and the outcome has been a total blast to put together.

While there is a great deal happening in this show, the main message is a beautiful one: Let magic guide you home. Before we meet James he never had any reason to believe in magic and even after he loses everything he cares for, his life goes on. His misery only seems to grow until an odd man named Ladahlord comes through and changes the entire course of his life. He gives James the option of deciding to believe in magic or to continue his life as is. “What’s it gonna be? Victim? Or hero?” James chooses to be the hero; to believe in magic and let it take him on journey to find a new home. This is the power we all have in our lives. We can let ourselves be pushed around by our metaphorical Aunt Spiker and Aunt Sponge and let “The Rhino” win or we can take charge and believe in something more. We can believe in a future where we not only survive but thrive and let that vision of a better tomorrow carry us forward. That faith is what gives us home in the end.

I would first like to thank all of the members of the cast who worked so hard to accomplish the vision of this production. Their creativity, diligence, and passion are truly what has made this show so incredibly special. I would also like to thank the friends and family of our cast who have supported them in their pursuit of the arts. Without you, none of this would be at all possible. Thank you for continuing to support the arts, this community, and these young actors. Enjoy the show!

Always,

Jonathan James Hansen