A giant success

By Melissa Piche Times Contributor

The Youth Theatre Company is taking audiences on a magical journey across the ocean in a giant peach, a bit of a scaled-back version of one, with their first-ever musical production James and the Giant Peach. Full of charm, talent and a distinctly Canadian twist, the show is proving to be a milestone for the budding theatre group.

“We went through many, many, many musicals,” said Chelsea Hall, president of the association and one of the show’s producers. “We knew we wanted to do a musical and then we came across this musical. It had great roles for youth, teens, and adults and we really fell in love with the music. It was a no-brainer.”

Adapted from Roald Dahl’s beloved tale, this version has been reimagined with a local flair. “The story itself is set in London originally, but we’ve brought it over to Canada,” said Hall with a smile. “We’ve added our own little spin.”

The ensemble cast of 25 ranging from young newcomers to seasoned teen performers has embraced the quirky personalities of the insect characters who join James on his adventure. 

“Our cast has really dove into it and brought their own flair,” said Hall. “The energy is amazing.” 

One of the production’s biggest challenges was to find space for the play. Strathmore’s lack of a formal performance theatre meant the team had to get creative. 

“The peach is supposed to be giant, but we’ve had to scale things down,” said Hall. “We’d love to go bigger, but we have to work with what we have. That’s been our main challenge, figuring out how make the show elements work in the space we have.”

The show marks a significant first: the group’s debut into musical theatre. 

“This is our first musical as our own company and we’ve had to dive into so many aspects; musical direction, choreography, multiple costume changes,” she said. “It’s been exciting and such a learning experience.”

Guiding them through this adventure is Lynn Elkin, a co-founder of the group and seasoned director. 

“This is her 26th musical,” Hall noted. “She directed our last show, Alice in Winterland, so it was also a no-brainer to have her on board again.”

Hall herself takes on the colourful role of Ladybug in addition to producing. 

“She’s such a fun character,” she beamed. “And our costumes are so much fun – I’m really looking forward to dressing up like one.”

At the heart of the story is James himself, played by 12-year-old Damien Fitzsimmons, a Grade 7 student at George Freeman School. Though this is only his second performance with the group having played Lemothy the Lemming in Alice in Winterland, Fitzsimmons is taking center stage with confidence and excitement.

“My favourite part is whenever I get to show the audience what we’ve been working on all this time.” Fitzsimmons said. 

He also gets to sing throughout the performance although he admits keeping track of all the lines and songs is a big challenge.

As Strathmore continues to grow as a hub for the arts, productions like James and the Giant Peach, highlight the passion and creativity thriving in the community. 

“It would be amazing to one day have a community theatre space,” said Hall. “It would definitely be a great addition to the town.”

Until then, audiences can expect plenty of heart, imagination and musical magic as the Youth Theatre Company of Strathmore take flight inside their not-so-giant peach.

Performances run May 9, 10, 16 and 17 at 7 p.m., May 10, 11, 17 and 18 at 2 p.m. at the Hope Community Church. Tickets can be purchased by visiting their website (www.youththeatrecompany.ca).