BLINN-BRENHAM THEATRE ARTS PROGRAM TO STAGE ‘JAMES & THE GIANT PEACH’ FEB. 20-23

  

The classic children’s story “James and the Giant Peach” will be the next Blinn College Theatre Arts Program production as it continues its 2024-25 Brenham Campus season.

The play will be staged at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Feb. 20 and 21, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 22 and 23, at the Dr. W.W. O’Donnell Performing Arts Center at 600 Blinn Boulevard. Preview performances for area schools will be at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Feb. 20 and 21.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for Blinn students and children, available online at www.blinn.edu/boxoffice, by calling 979-830-4024, or emailing boxoffice@blinn.edu.

“James and the Giant Peach” also will be Blinn’s entry for this year’s Texas Community College Speech and Theatre Association Play Festival (TCCSTA). Blinn is hosting the festival Feb. 25-28 at the O’Donnell Center, with seven other Texas community colleges expected to take part.

“James and the Giant Peach” is based on the book by Roald Dahl.

“The production has a peach of massive proportions, a miserable boy, insect friends, and an epic journey,” said Theatre Arts Professor Brad Nies, who is directing the play. “This amazing adventure of James Henry Totter, a wise old grasshopper, a kindly ladybug, a pessimistic earthworm, a motherly spider, and a wise-cracking centipede will fulfill the fantasy of anyone who ever dreamed of escape.”

Nies said the TCCSTA Festival is an opportunity for Blinn students to perform for their peers.

“Attending this prestigious festival offers our students a weekend where they can perform for a theatre-educated audience and observe plays produced by other community colleges in Texas,” he said. “Our students learn production quality and are given the opportunity to present their technical work for the other schools’ directors and university professors.”

Jennifer Patrick, Theatre Arts Instructor, will be costume, makeup, and hair designer for the show. Kevin Patrick, Technical Theatre Arts Professor, will be technical director.

Cast members are Jaden Mertz, James; Aiden Johnson, Old Green Grasshopper; Aliana Hernandez, Miss Spider; Keylan Richardson, Centipede; Ilaria Calarco, Ladybug; Ace Burns, Earthworm; Paige Stewart, Aunt Spiker; Steven Houlihan, Aunt Sponge; Ryle King, Mrs. Totter/Reporter; and Michael Silgero, Mr. Trotter/Old Man.

Members of the production team are William Stiles and Ayla Witt, Assistant Stage Managers; Eric Cruz, scenery/properties; Hernandez, wig stylist; Ryan Kendall, lights; Clem Schroeder, sound; and Ana Soto, student makeup designer.

The final production will be “God’s Favorite,” 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, May 1 and 2, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4.

Blinn is also reviving its Ten-Minute Play Festival on Friday, March 28, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, March 29, at 2 p.m. Area high school students will submit original 10-minute plays designed to inspire, enlighten, and entertain audiences.

Blinn’s Theatre Arts Program cultivates a quality educational foundation of study, application, and experience through a wide range of performance, technical, and production studies. Its Associate of Arts degree plan integrates artistic, technical, and academic disciplines of theatre from the classroom to the stage. Students can audition for a variety of performances related to drama and theatre, and are prepared to transfer to four-year colleges and universities. For more information, visit www.blinn.edu/theatre.

(Story courtesy Blinn Information)