Tryon Summer Youth Theater program to debut next production on Thursday

TRYON — Thanks to the efforts of a group of young thespians, visitors to the Tryon Fine Arts Center will soon get the chance to witness a show featuring a giant peach, some giant insects — and a lot of giant entertainment.

The Tryon Summer Youth Theater program will debut its production of the musical “James and the Giant Peach” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, with encore performances taking place at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and at 3 p.m. Sunday. The shows will take place at the Tryon Fine Arts Center, located at 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon.

The musical — written by Timothy Allen McDonald and scored by the Tony Award winning duo of Justin Paul and Benj Pasek — is a stage adaptation of Roald Dahl’s children’s book of the same name.

The story focuses on James (played by 9-year-old Roman Darity), a young child who is sent to live with his cruel aunts Spiker (played by Maggie Collins) and Sponge (played by Faith Augustine) after the death of his parents. When the mysterious Ladahlord (played by Cash McFarlane) gives the orphan a magical potion, the child accidently spills the concoction on an old tree, which magically sprouts a gigantic peach.

Fed up with being treated like a slave by his aunts, James decides to escape inside the massive fruit alongside five insects who were also transformed by the potion, who use the peach to travel across the Atlantic Ocean.

“It’s really a story about discovery,” said director Chris Tinkler. “It’s about learning you can be braver than you think you can, and about finding your true family — even if it’s not the family you are born into.”

“James and the Giant Peach” is the Tryon Little Theater’s latest annual summer youth production, which gives local children and teenagers the chance to perform in a show with high-quality production levels — at no cost to parents — Tinkler said.

A group of 22 young actors and actresses have spent the past two months practicing to bring the show to life, memorizing their lines as well as the lyrics and choreography for the show’s 14 musical numbers, the director said.

While several cast members have participated in previous summer youth productions, for many, “James and the Giant Peach” marks their first experience working in live theater, Tinkler said. While the production will teach them plenty about the stage, the experience will also give them a chance to learn practical skills, like public speaking and thinking on their feet.

“It’s less about theater and more about life experience,” Tinkler said. “They can take the things they are learning and apply them to other aspects in life.”

The show should delight audiences as well, especially the cast’s parents and other family members, Tinkler said.

“The music is spectacular, the kids are amazing and it’s a great way to support your community,” he said.

For more information or to purchase tickets, people may visit tltinfo.org or tryonarts.org.