JAMES, a new play with music
Donation protected
"Marvelous things will start happening to you, fabulous, unbelievable things!"
I never knew what I was getting myself into when one day I picked up "James and the Giant Peach" by Mr. Roald Dahl (my favorite book as a child) and said, "This could be cool as a play." I read through the book several times, each go-around finding something new, something terrifying, something hilarious that I hadn't seen when I was a little boy. I was beginning to actually understand the novel, to empathize with Dahl's characters, to see the story's complexity. I was seeing a new play.
Everyone knows the story of James Henry Trotter (and if you don't, I'll give you a hint: small peach becomes big peach.) It seems so embedded in our culture, our children's culture, that we as adults seem to have forgotten what the book is really about: a lesson that anything is entirely possible when you are surrounded by those who love you, when you possess a boundless imagination, and when you've got your hands on a little magic. That doesn't seem strictly applicable to children, now does it?
Two years of writing and rewriting, of bouncing ideas off of my partner-in-crime, Matt Gronert, will culminate this June in a production with the Ocean Township High School Spartan Players. This year, I was lucky enough to trailblaze a new student-directing program for the Spartan Players drama club, and "JAMES" will become the first entirely student-directed, written, composed, and designed piece to be produced with the company. We're making history, folks!
"A little magic can take you a long way."
Now here's where you come in. Since this is an additional production being tacked on to the Spartan Players' already-existing fall and spring shows, we have little to no funding to make this production happen. And as you know, that just doesn't gel with a story as magical as this one.
Your generous contributions will help us bring to life a world where peaches can grow to enormous proportions, insects can become best friends, and seagulls can be the only engine you need. With your help, we will be able to create stunning sets, costumes, and lighting effects; we will also be able to thoroughly market and publicize the production, pay for the adaptational rights to Roald Dahl's novel, and a possible facility rental fee.
In addition, we are committed to making this show free to the public, with donations accepted in lieu of an admission charge.
Any contribution is greatly appreciated and accepted. We hope to see you in June for this unforgettable adventure!
- Lucas A. DeGirolamo, director and adaptor
I never knew what I was getting myself into when one day I picked up "James and the Giant Peach" by Mr. Roald Dahl (my favorite book as a child) and said, "This could be cool as a play." I read through the book several times, each go-around finding something new, something terrifying, something hilarious that I hadn't seen when I was a little boy. I was beginning to actually understand the novel, to empathize with Dahl's characters, to see the story's complexity. I was seeing a new play.
Everyone knows the story of James Henry Trotter (and if you don't, I'll give you a hint: small peach becomes big peach.) It seems so embedded in our culture, our children's culture, that we as adults seem to have forgotten what the book is really about: a lesson that anything is entirely possible when you are surrounded by those who love you, when you possess a boundless imagination, and when you've got your hands on a little magic. That doesn't seem strictly applicable to children, now does it?
Two years of writing and rewriting, of bouncing ideas off of my partner-in-crime, Matt Gronert, will culminate this June in a production with the Ocean Township High School Spartan Players. This year, I was lucky enough to trailblaze a new student-directing program for the Spartan Players drama club, and "JAMES" will become the first entirely student-directed, written, composed, and designed piece to be produced with the company. We're making history, folks!
"A little magic can take you a long way."
Now here's where you come in. Since this is an additional production being tacked on to the Spartan Players' already-existing fall and spring shows, we have little to no funding to make this production happen. And as you know, that just doesn't gel with a story as magical as this one.
Your generous contributions will help us bring to life a world where peaches can grow to enormous proportions, insects can become best friends, and seagulls can be the only engine you need. With your help, we will be able to create stunning sets, costumes, and lighting effects; we will also be able to thoroughly market and publicize the production, pay for the adaptational rights to Roald Dahl's novel, and a possible facility rental fee.
In addition, we are committed to making this show free to the public, with donations accepted in lieu of an admission charge.
Any contribution is greatly appreciated and accepted. We hope to see you in June for this unforgettable adventure!
- Lucas A. DeGirolamo, director and adaptor
Organizer and beneficiary
Lucas Angelo DeGirolamo
Organizer
Oakhurst, NJ
Patricia Talerico
Beneficiary
