By John Behn
Imagine yourself waking up one morning to find a huge peach in your backyard that is the size of your house. Upon investigation, you find that the peach is inhabited by a group of anthropomorphic insects that are all too ready to help you escape your horrible situation and lead you on a wild adventure toward a new life.
“James and the Giant Peach,” a lovable story written by Ronald Dahl and adapted by David Wood, is a story of a boy, a peach and a bunch of talkative insects. The production will be coming to life on the Utah State University Eastern stage at the Geary Event Center on its Price campus starting April 8 through April 10 and continuing April 14 through April 17. Doors open at 7 p.m. and curtain time is 7:30 p.m. COVID-19 safety protocols will be in effect to include social distancing and the wearing of masks. Tickets can be purchased online at Eventbrite.com.
This delightful family-oriented production is being directed by Dr. Corey Ewan, who grew up in East Carbon, attended the College of Eastern Utah and went on to obtain a doctorate degree from Brigham Young University. Dr. Ewan has directed and acted in over 20 years of local productions and has several credits in other productions around the state and on screen.
The set has been artfully designed by USU Eastern technical associate professor Brent Innes. Innes obtained an undergraduate degree from Utah State University in lighting and design and went on to acquire a Master of Fine Arts degree in technical direction and production. Innes also boasts a much-coveted pyrotechnical theatrical license. Having this license allows USU-Eastern to put on productions that allow the use of stage firearms and other pyrotechnical effects.
The costumes for the production were designed by Hogji Joy Zhu, a MFA graduate in costume design from Utah State University, who is currently working for the Hale Theatre in Draper. The costumes are being realized and adapted by Ellie DeMie, department seamstress and costume shop supervisor.
The cast and crew for this production are made up of students at USU Eastern who have come from many high schools around the state. Members of the cast include Taylor Karns, a sophomore from Timpanogos High School, who plays both James in the show but also designed the sound for the show; Trinalee Hatch, a sophomore from Uintah and Carbon High Schools; freshman Sami Foster from Dixie High School; Jensen Ottesen and Emma Bowers from Stansbury High School; and Hunter Peterson from Gunnison High School.
Sophomores Aubrey Jorgensen from North Sevier and Carbon High School’s Scyler Smith round out the cast of bugs and nasty ants. Freshmen Patrick Paulk from Carbon and Danielle Simmons from Emery each play several roles in the play. The crew includes freshmen Ben Peterson and Kyra Waechtler from Green Canyon High School and sophomore Hailey Haymond from Copper Hills High School.
Kyaera Price is the stage manager for this production and comes from Monticello and Carbon High School. Maxwell Otteson, a freshman from Stansbury, is the assistant stage manager.
Please make a note in your calendar to join us for an evening of fun-filled, family entertainment.