RESOURCE GUIDE
About the Play
In the wake of a terrible family tragedy, James Henry Trotter, our story’s hero, is sent to live with his cruel aunts in a “ramshackle house, on the top of a high hill.” Then, after a sudden encounter with a mysterious old man, everything in James’ world is magically transformed. With the support of an unexpected group of new friends, James escapes his horrible aunts and embarks on a grand journey, filled with harrowing obstacles and miraculous victories. At its heart, James and the Giant Peach is a tale of creativity, wonder, and resilience – a story about all that becomes possible when we act together instead of alone.
Characters
JAMES HENRY TROTTER: our young hero
The insects:
OLD-GREEN-GRASSHOPPER
MISS SPIDER
CENTIPEDE
LADYBIRD
EARTHWORM
Other characters:
NEW YORK TOUR GUIDE
MR. TROTTER
MRS. TROTTER
RHINOCEROS
AUNT SPONGE
AUNT SPIKER
OLD MAN
TV REPORTER
CAPTAIN OF THE QUEEN MARY
FIRST OFFICER
SECONDOFFICER
About the Playwright
David Wood is a British playwright, author, and actor. He is well-known for his children's classics and The Times newspaper labeled him 'the National Children's Dramatist.’ He started his career as an actor, featuring in films such as If (1968) and Acres High (1976).
In 1979, he founded the touring children's company, Whirlgig Theatre, with John Gould. He has written and adapted several play/musical plays for children. Among his adaptations are numerous Roald Dahl stories. In 2017 he received the JM Barrie Award for a lifetime’s contribution to children’s arts.
About the Author
Considered one of the most successful and beloved children’s authors of all time, Roald Dahl wrote 19 books for young people over the course of his life. His action-packed tales feature memorable and often magical characters and powerfully reflect children’s capacity for imagination and wonder.
Dahl was born in Llandaff, Wales, on September 13, 1916. His early life was difficult. When he was only 3, his sister and father died. Soon after, the family moved to Kent, England. When World War II began in 1939, Dahl joined the British Royal Air Force. He was seriously injured during a crash landing. Dahl’s first writings were about his experiences in the military. His first children’s book, The Gremlins, was published in 1943. It is about mythical creatures who make fighter planes crash.
After he became a father, Dahl started making up bedtime stories for his children. In 1961 he published James and the Giant Peach. It was followed in 1964 by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. His later children’s books included Danny, the Champion of the World (1975), The BFG (1982), and Matilda (1988).
Pre-Show Activities
Name + Adjective + Gesture
The main character of James and the Giant Peach, James Henry Trotter, is a brave, creative, and resourceful young person. Through this activity, you can invite your students to begin to embody these same characteristics. Start by inviting students to join you in a standing circle. Then, ask them to think of an adjective to describe something they really like about themselves – for example, “courageous” or “kind.” You’re welcome to provide students a predetermined list of adjectives, too, if that supports their decision-making. Once all students have identified an adjective, ask them to create a simple gesture or movement that shows that adjective with their bodies – a young person might embody the adjective kind, for example, by positioning their arms in a large circle, in front of their body, as if going in for a hug. Once all students have selected their adjective as well as created and rehearsed their movement, invite them to share, one-by-one with the rest of the circle. Ask students to say their name, share their adjective, and then perform their gesture, modeling as necessary with an example of your own. After each student shares, you can encourage the others to repeat back their classmates’ Name + Adjective + Movement. After all students have shared, ask the following reflection questions: Was it easy or hard to think of an adjective for yourself? Why? What do bravery and creativity mean to you?
This Is Not A...
Throughout James and the Giant Peach, James and his new-found Insect friends use their imaginations to solve problems and go on marvelous adventures. This activity invites students to tap the power of their own imaginations to bring new possibilities and stories to life. Begin by holding up a roll of tape (or similar everyday item). Share with students that the goal of the game is to transform the tape roll into something it is not. For example, you can model: “This is not a roll of tape, this is my red, shiny apple” (pantomiming biting into the apple and then making a face of satisfaction). “Yum!” Ask students to describe what you did. Reference the performance skills that actors use to transform an object including: the voice, expressive face and body, descriptive language, etc. Explain that each person in the circle will take a turn. They will say: “This is not a roll of tape. This is a…” as they use the context clues of their performance and their words to transform the object into something new. Pass the roll of tape around the circle so that each student gets a chance to transform it into something new. After all students have gotten a turn, you can invite them to reflect on the following questions: Which object transformations do you remember most? Why? What skills did you use to be successful in this activity? Where in your own life do you use your imagination?
Discussion Questions
Invite students to discuss the following questions together as a class -- it’s ok if these questions lead to questions of their own!
How do you use your imagination? Where do you see magic in the world around you?
When faced with a challenge, how do you use your skills to get through it?
Post-Show Activities
People, Shelter, Storm
Throughout James and the Giant Peach, James and his friends work as a team to surmount incredible challenges. This activity invites students to collaboratively solve problems like James and his friends in a fun, physical, and playful way. Begin by asking students to get into groups of three. (It’s fine if there needs to be a group of two for number’s sake). Introduce the activity: In your group of three, two people represent a “shelter” (they face each other and raise their arms so that their palms meet to form an angled roof) and one person represents “people” standing underneath/inside the two person “shelter.” When I call out “people,” the person in the center of each group will leave their shelters and run to a different “shelter” pair, while all the “shelter” pairs stay in place. Practice calling “people” a few times. Next, when I call out “shelter,” the students making a shelter will break apart, the people stay in place, and the shelters must find a new person to make a shelter over. Explain that shelters can and should separate. They don’t need to travel together to find a new person. Try “shelter” once or twice, making new shelters around the space. Introduce the final cue. When I call out “storm,” everyone moves and makes a new group of three. Once directions are understood, the game begins. Alternate between calling out “people,” “shelter,” and “storm” in random order. After playing for a little while, ask students to reflect: What did you notice about yourself as you participated in this activity? What did you notice about the group? What strategies did you use to find a new trio? Where did you see James and his friends using similar strategies or skills in the play?
Tour of a Place
In the play, we see James and his friends make a beloved home for themselves in the stone of a giant peach. This activity invites students to think about a space in which they, too, feel a sense of home or belonging and to share about that place with a peer. To begin, pair students off into partners. Invite everyone to close their eyes and think of a physical place (a room, a building, a playground, a park) that is special to them or where they feel at home. Ask students to picture their place in great detail, down to the color of the curtains or the texture of the grass. After a few moments, have everyone open their eyes. Each person then takes their partner for a five minute guided “tour” of that place – actually walking through the space you are in, but describing the physical details of the place in their mind’s eye in absolute detail. The key is to only describe the physical layout without sharing stories that happened in that space. The person receiving the tour can ask questions and the guide can respond briefly, but the focus should be on the tour itself. After 5-10 minutes, ask partners to switch roles and do a second tour. In reflecting with students at the end of the activity, you can ask the following: What was it like to give a tour? To go on a tour? What was challenging about this activity? What might our special/home places have in common with the home that James and his friends make for themselves inside the Giant Peach?
Discussion Questions
What do you think Roald Dahl, wanted young people to take away from this story? What do you think James might do next with his life in New York City?
Design Your Own Peach Craft!
In the play, James and his new friends invent a clever way to lift the peach out of the ocean and escape the swarm of sharks before journeying to New York City. How else could you find a way to lift and transport the giant peach? What would your invention look like? What materials would it be made of? Draw it out in the space below and then write about why you chose this particular invention.
Decorate Your Own Peach Stone!
Throughout the play, we see glimpses of the home that James and his friends make for themselves inside the stone of the giant peach. If you were to live inside the Giant Peach stone, how might you decorate it? How would you transform it into a comfortable home? Sketch out your ideas in the space below and then describe what you chose to include and why.
What Comes Next?
At the end of the play, we see James happily re-settled in New York City. Where do you think James’ story might go from here? What adventures might he go on next? Write a brief story describing the next chapter in James’ life. Be sure to include details about key moments or events, settings, and other characters.
Learn More
Scan the QR code below to visit our event page and get a behindthe-scenes glimpse into the process of bringing this play to life!
Resources, TEKS, & the Team
Additional Resources for DramaBased Instructional Strategies
Drama-Based Pedagogy, UT Austin: https://dbp.theatredance.utexas.edu/
Lessons and Activities, Lincoln Center:
https://www.kennedycenter.org/education/resources-foreducators/classroom-resources/lessonsand-activities/
Connections to TEKS
Name + Adjective + Gesture: Grade 3-5 Positive Character Traits (3) Students are expected to develop an awareness of self-identity as well as recognize multiple perspectives, differences, diversity, biases, and the social and cultural context in which they live.
This Is Not A, People, Shelter, Storm, and Tour of a Place: Grade 3-5 Positive Character Traits (3) Caring. The student understands how personal actions and interpersonal skills demonstrate characteristics of caring. The student is expected to: (B) identify and practice interpersonal skills, including showing consideration and compassion through listening, sharing, and cooperating with others
Discussion Questions: Grade 3 Theatre (5) Critical evaluation and response. The student responds to and evaluates theatre and theatrical performances. The student is expected to: (B) discuss and evaluate simple dramatic activities and performances; and (C) discuss the use of music, movement, and visual components in dramatic activities and performances
Cast (in alphabetical order)
Earthworm...Connor Burk
Ladybird...Taylor Dees
Old Man/Mr. Trotter...Oren Ederi
James Henry Trotter...Trevor Gatabaki Grasshopper...Dominic Gross
Tour Guide/Student...Eian Johnson
Student/Shark/Seagull...Markus Lee
Centipede...Eli Leva
Miss Spider...Ola Mbonu
Aunt Spiker...Sereniti Patterson
Aunt Sponge...Ella Scorseby
News Reporter/Student...Belen Tamez
Captain/Student...Immanuel Thomas
Creative Team
Rodolfo Robles Cruz...Director
Ishu Kumar...Assistant Director
Annie Clepper...Assistant Director
Julia Levington...Scenic Designer
Leah Austin...Scenic Designer
Katie Concannon...Costume Designer
Zachary Young...Lighting Designer
AJ Hurtado...IM Designer
Demian Chavez...Music Director
Olivia Longoria...Sound Designer
Angel Blanco...Choreographer
Walker Zupan...Dramaturg
Breanna Pruitt...Stage Manager
Nicole Chacko...Assistant Stage Manager
Sarah Apple...Assistant Stage Manager
Bridgette Clifford...Charge Artist