James and the Giant Peach
at Upper Dublin High School

Reviewed on April 14, 2018

Lea Harlev
Archmere Academy
Submitted for publication to Philadelphia Inquirer - 1

On Saturday April 14th, the Upper Dublin Theatre Department wowed audiences with their whimsical performance of "James and the Giant Peach".

Based on Roald Dahl's 1961 children's novel, this musical brings to life a story of an English orphan who uses magic to escape from his evil aunts and discovers a whole new family along the way. The lively score was composed by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who more recently composed the now famous musical, "Dear Evan Hansen.

Bailey Rifkin as the protagonist, James, demonstrated tremendous skill onstage. Rifkin fully committed to her role as an English boy, consistently speaking and singing in a youthful British accent and displaying boyish mannerisms. Rifkin's vocals and character choices culminated in her impressive solo, "Middle of a Moment." Playing the kooky and enchanting narrator, Ladahlord, Charlie Rudalavage did an exceptional job. His clear, powerful vocals combined with his confidence onstage kept the show moving and the audience engaged.

Leading the ensemble of insects were Samuel Caplan as Grasshopper and Anastasia Weggel as Ladybug. Weggel's performance, in particular, was stunning. From her physical choices to her gorgeous vocals, Weggel demonstrated poise and maturity well beyond her years. Possibly the most entertaining part of the production was the comical dynamic between James' aunts, Spiker and Sponge, played by Sam Spirt and Zoe Halperin. Together, Spirt and Halperin constantly had the audiences in stitches with their unapologetically eccentric characters. From their introductory number, "Property of Spiker and Sponge" to their sweet, sisterly duet "I Got You," Spirt and Halperin completely embraced their outrageous characters and added an invaluable, amusing element to the show.

The ensemble was extremely energetic whenever they performed, creating a large, robust sound and an enthusiastic presence onstage. Specifically, the Dance Ensemble stood out, adding fascinating movement and visual intrigue to the show.

The technical elements of Upper Dublin's production were equally impressive. The pit orchestra (excluding the conductor and the pianist) was composed entirely of students, and the sound created by the student musicians was on par with a professional orchestra. Throughout the show, the crew needed to carry out many set changes involving a handful of large, intricate set pieces. With 199 cues throughout the performance, the crew did a phenomenal job; every set change was practically silent and unbelievably fast. Although 26 body microphones had to be skillfully balanced in this production, the execution of sound did leave something to be desired as there were moments in multiple songs where individual actors and ensembles could not be heard over the orchestra.

Overall, Upper Dublin's tantalizing performance of "James and the Giant Peach" taught audience members to embrace love and support wherever they may find it.

Laura Dibble
Jenkintown MS/HS
Submitted for publication to Philadelphia Inquirer - 2

James and the Giant Peach - a large peach, personified insects, a small boy, and some horrendous aunts. Upper Dublin High School expertly performed Roald Dahl's classic story and brought the whimsical character of James to life.

Premiering in 2010, the show is based on the well-known book by Roald Dahl of the same name. Written by Justin Paul, Benj Pasek, and Timothy Allen McDonald, it follows a young, orphaned British boy who is forced to live with his cruel aunts. He (somewhat accidentally) casts some magic upon a peach tree on their property, and it grows into a giant peach, which the aunts take advantage of for money until the peach rolls away with James and many friendly insects inside.

The rich characterization and powerful vocal performances carried the beautiful show by Upper Dublin. Everyone was committed to their characters and accents, and the songs sold the audience on their characters.

Bailey Rifkin, who played James, had adorable charm and a voice perfectly suited for her role. She made the audience fall in love with her wonder and curious expression. The narrator of the story, Ladahlord (an anagram for Roald Dahl), utilized a fantastic voice and hilarious expressions, notably in "I Got You" and "Right Before Your Eyes". Finally, the awful aunts were played by amazing actresses. Spiker (Sam Spirt) and Sponge (Zoe Halperin) were incredibly eccentric but ridiculous. Everything from their costumes to their goofy choreography was designed exactly to their characters.

The Insect Family was a crowd favorite, and each actor was completely devoted to their role. Although there were a few issues with diction, their charisma and depictions were all perfectly lovable. Each had different personalities, but one that stuck out was the Earthworm (Kira Ariyamitr) for her constant awkwardness and fear/blindness. They all charmed the audience in songs like "Floatin' Along" and "Plump and Juicy".

The orchestra was incredibly vibrant and talented, but occasionally they were too loud for the actor's voices. The sets were beautifully designed, and each prop was made with careful attention and craftsmanship.

All in all, "James and the Giant Peach" was an excellent show put on by Upper Dublin - they filled our evening with joy and laughter.

Caroline Borio
Plymouth Whitemarsh High School
Submitted for publication to GPC Website Review 3

Upper Dublin High School's production of "James and the Giant Peach" was a musical full of stellar performances that developed a story of friendship and family "Right Before Your Eyes." Complete with zany characters and upbeat music, this was not a show to miss.

With music by the iconic duo, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, "James and the Giant Peach" is filled with lively music that is sure to have the audience dancing along. Combined with the bizarre Roald Dahl tale penned in 1961, this musical tells the story of an orphaned boy who is sent to live with his cruel Aunts. With the help of some magic, James ends up on an adventure involving a giant peach, human-sized insects, and the Atlantic Ocean, discovering the meaning of family along the way.

A larger than life show such as this one requires exceptional amounts of energy from the entire production team. The cast kept up their energy from start to finish, and had strong connections and relationships with each other. A surprisingly emotional show, the cast proved they were a family offstage while also providing the audience with the theme of love and family throughout.

The title character of the show, played by Bailey Rifkin, led the quirky group of insects and was a standout performance. Through her portrayal of the song "Middle of a Moment," Rifkin displayed clean vocals that showcased her stunning high belt. She performed effortlessly and illustrated James' backstory throughout every scene and song. Additionally, Anastasia Weggel, playing the maternal role of the Ladybug, had some of the strongest vocals in the show with a sweet vibrato that lent itself perfectly to the role.

Obnoxious Aunts, Spiker and Sponge provided both roles of antagonist and comedic relief. Played by Sam Spirt and Zoe Halperin, these characters performed two breathtaking numbers, "Spiker and Sponge," and "I Got You." Spirt and Halperin had incredible chemistry and the relationship between the two roles had the audience laughing out loud.

Many unique technical aspects of the show brought the story to life. The one that strikes the audience from the very beginning is the orchestra. With 34 student performers in the pit, they executed the score flawlessly. However, one issue was that the pit was often so loud the audience was unable to hear soloists over them, losing a lot of important or funny lines. That being said, props and set were a strong aspect using posters that showed the location of each scene and a rotating platform for the giant peach.

Upper Dublin's James and the Giant Peach was a heartfelt show leaves the audience with important messages and songs that will be stuck in their heads for weeks to come.

Mohamad Eisa
Friends Select School
Submitted for publication to GPC Website Review 4

The students of Upper Dublin High School presented a delightfully cheerful and mesmerizingly colorful rendition of James and the Giant Peach.

Based on Roald Dahl's children's book by the same name, the musical revolves around an orphaned boy named James who moves to live with his last remaining family members, two horribly abusive aunts named Spiker and Sponge. The story takes a turn for the mystical when a peculiar stranger offers James the ability to cast one magical spell, and James agrees, creating a strong potion which he accidentally spills on the old peach tree in his aunts' yard.

The comedic chemistry and insane level of energy brought on by Sam Spirt and Lauren Taylor (Spiker & Sponge) made the first few minutes of the show enough to set a high standard for what's to follow. Through every single moment they had on stage, their well-rehearsed movements were always tempered by a natural feel stemming from their own enjoyment of the performance.

Bailey Rifkin (James) and Charlie Rudalavage (Ladahlord) each demonstrated great ability to perform challenging solo segments, as well as work in unison with other cast members in lively ensembles. They both earned their spots as pillars of the show not only for their parts, but for the passion they showed with every note they sang.

Be it the insect family, the seagulls, the contractors, or even the two cops, every single ensemble added a memorable and unique flavor to the show. The dance numbers were energetic and fluid, and the singing was coherent and fairly fruity.

The set all of this was taking place on was of undeniable quality and creative originality. The peach tree was presented by a large set of blocks, which made for easy manipulation and change of its size and place. A large moon shone above the stage, providing eerie lighting, and emphasizing the passing of time with its cycles. The use of glow in the dark effects during dimly lit scenes was a wonderful idea on paper, however the large size of the stage in contrast to how small the luminescent objects were left something to be desired.

This show was backed up by one of the most lively pit bands to ever grace a high school production, which amplified the already impressive quality of what was taking place on stage.

All in all, Upper Dublin High School's production of James and the Giant Peach was a near-profesional display that will not one that will be forgotten soon.