CLC Theatre to present ‘James and the Giant Peach’

Christopher Welsh as James Henry Trotter, left, Becky Swan as Aunt Spiker, center, and Ela Winnett as Aunt Sponge, right, rehearse a scene in the College of Lake County children’s theater production of “James and the Giant Peach.” (Courtesy of the College of Lake County)

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One of the world’s most beloved children’s stories, “James and the Giant Peach” by Roald Dahl, will be staged by the College of Lake County Theatre department Sept. 29 through Oct. 2.

Dahl’s fantasy adventure for children was dramatized by Richard R. George and is directed by Alicia Hall.

In the play, when James accidentally drops some magic crystals by an old peach tree, strange things start to happen. The peach at the top of the tree begins to grow, and before long it’s as big as a house. Then James discovers a secret entranceway into the fruit, and when he crawls inside, he meets a bunch of oversized friends: Grasshopper, Centipede, Ladybug and more.

After years of feeling like an outsider in the home of his two aunts, James has finally found a place where he belongs. But with a snip of the stem, the peach starts rolling away and the adventure begins.

According to Director Alicia Hall, Dahl wrote the story when his young son was holding on dearly to his life.

“Writing ‘James and the Giant Peach’ gave Dahl a way to create something fantastical and beautiful out of the great pain he was experiencing,” Hall said.

“This same transformation of pain into something wondrous is at the heart of this lovely play. Through James, we get to see his warmth, resilience, incredible imagination and resourcefulness lift him and his newfound family out of what looks to be an inescapable darkness into a world full of wonder and adventure.

“And with the love and support of his new, although quite different kind of family, we see that James has the chance to follow his heart and his dreams.”

Two daytime performances geared to school groups will take place at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, and Friday, Sept. 30. Weekend shows for the public will be presented at 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, all in the Mainstage Theatre.

The show is especially suited for children in prekindergarten through fourth grade.

Tickets are $8 for general admission, $6 for school groups of 10 or more (in advance, includes JLC $2 facility fee). For tickets or more information, call (847) 543-2300 or visit www.clcillinois.edu/tickets. There are no reserved seats for this production. Visit jlc.clcillinois.edu/schoolgroups for group reservations.

The box office is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 60 minutes before each performance at 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake.

The James Lumber Center is ADA compliant.