Roald Dahl’s James & the Giant Peach Audition Page

(Scroll down for Audition Sides and Songs)

Auditions: May 18 from 10:00 – 1:00pm OR May 19 from 5:00 – 8:00pm

Casting Students Ages: 7-15

Rehearsals from: July 1-July 29

Performances: Thursday, July 31 at 7pm, Friday, August 1 at 7pm and Saturday, August 2 at 2pm and 7pm

SYNOPSIS:

Based on one of Roald Dahl’s most poignantly quirky stories, Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach JR. is a brand new take on this “masterpeach” of a tale. Featuring a wickedly tuneful score and a witty and charming book, this adventurous musical about courage and self-discovery is destined to be a classic.

When James is sent by his conniving aunts to chop down their old fruit tree, he discovers a magic potion that grows a tremendous peach, rolls into the ocean and launches a journey of enormous proportions. James befriends a collection of singing insects that ride the giant piece of fruit across the ocean, facing hunger, sharks and plenty of disagreements along the way

CHARACTERS:

James- James is the hero of our story, on an epic quest to find a family of his own and gain confidence in himself.
Vocal Range
G#3 – E5

Ladahlord- Ladahlord is a mysterious character who seems to have a hand in the magical things that are happening. Though he may seem a bit off, he carefully watches over James, making sure James moves towards to a better life. Ladahlord also serves as a guiding narrator throughout the story.
Vocal Range
G3 – Gb5

Centipede- Centipede may be a bit of grouch, but he is ever-loyal to the pack, and by the end of the story, he’s won over by James. James sees Centipede as that cranky uncle with a heart of gold.
Vocal Range
G3 – F#5

Grasshopper- Grasshopper, the leader of the Insects, is ever the optimist and assumes a paternal role in James’ life.
Vocal Range
A3 – F#5

Earthworm- Earthworm is a gentle spirit, although he can be a bit of a coward. Luckily, he gains enough courage to save the day by baiting some gullible seagulls. Earthworm looks at James as a brother figure.
Vocal Range
B3 – A5

Spider- Spider is a clever creature who becomes  a fun-loving older sister to James.
Vocal Range
B3 – C5

Ladybug- Ladybug immediately takes on a doting, maternal role in James’ life. T
Vocal Range
A3 – D5

Spiker & Sponge- Spiker and Sponge are the sort of aunts (or monsters) that you fear ever being stuck with. They take James into their home but only so that he can be their own personal servant. Spiker is the brains of the operation, and Sponge is more concerned with finding something to eat.
Vocal Range
F3 – E5

Matron Nurse- The Matron Nurse runs the Painswick Orphanage, and you definitely get a sense she hasn’t had a vacation in years.

Ensemble: Angry Crow, Vagrants, Sharks, Seagulls, Reporters, New Yorkers, Zoo Crowd, Farm Animals, Willy Wonka & Oompa Loompas, Hollywood Agents, Billy & Bobby Cop, Ladies, Cruise Ensemble, Garden Chorus

AUDITION SIDES

(MAKE YOURSELF FAMILIAR WITH THESE SIDES FOR AUDITION DAY!)

SIDE 1- CENTIPEDE, SPIDER, EARTHWORM, LADYBUG, JAMES

(CENTIPEDE crosses into the scene. He’s not feeling well. )

CENTIPEDE

Hey! Is anyone else feeling a little burpie in the intestines?

SPIDER

You probably ate too much peach.

CENTIPEDE

It’s these waves, they’re making me feel-oh, oh, no! Oh, no!

SPIDER

Are you alright?

(CENTIPEDE vomits off the back of the peach.)

CENTIPEDE

(wiping his mouth)

That’s much better.

(spotting something in the ocean)

Look! Over there! It’s a sea monster! It’s a sea monster!

EARTHWORM

What is that? WHAT IS THAT?!

JAMES

They’re sharks!

INSECTS

Sharks?!

JAMES

There are hundreds of them! And they’re coming this way!

(The SHARKS ram the peach.)

ALL

Whoah!

EARTHWORM

What do they want? WHAT DO THEY WANT?

JAMES

I think they’re eating the peach.

EARTHWORM

But, they’ll sink the ship!

LADYBUG

We must do something!

CENTIPEDE

I’m not feeling so well! Oh, no! Oh, oh, no!

(CENTIPEDE vomits again.  The sound of thousands of seagulls swarming is heard.)

SPIDER

(peering overboard)

You must see this! There are thousands of seagulls eating Centipede’s vomit!

CENTIPEDE

Shoo! Shoo! Stupid seagulls!

EARTHWORM

Seagulls!? I’m terrified of seagulls!

JAMES

Hold on everyone! The sharks are coming back!

(The SHARKS ram into the peach, sending everyone flying.)

INSECTS, JAMES

Whoah!

LADYBUG

Is there nothing we can do?

JAMES

There is something!

EARTHWORM

Tell us!

JAMES

If an aeroplane can take to the sky, why can’t a peach?

CENTIPEDE

Because an aeroplane has engines and wings!

JAMES

And so do we.

LADYBUG

The seagulls!

JAMES

Exactly! They can be our engines and our wings!

CENTIPEDE

How’s that gonna work?!

JAMES

Spider, is your web strong?

SPIDER

The strongest in the world.

JAMES

And can you make lots of it?

SPIDER

I can spin all the web you need!

JAMES

Perfect! We’ ll loop Spider’s web around the seagulls’ necks, and then we’ll tie the other end to the stem of the peach.

CENTIPEDE

And how are you going to get those seagulls down here?

JAMES

Bait!

(The INSECTS look pointedly at EARTHWORM.)

EARTHWORM

I find that term incredibly insensitive.

JAMES

But you are the biggest, juiciest earthworm in the entire world.

EARTHWORM

I am not about to be pecked to death by a flock of seagulls.

JAMES

I won’t let them touch you, Earthworm. I promise.

EARTHWORM

Fine… I’ll do it. For you, James.

JAMES

Thank you, Earthworm. Action stations everyone! We’ve not a moment to lose!

CENTIPEDE

This is never gonna work!

SIDE 2-JAMES, LADAHLORD

JAMES

(staring at LADAHLORD and afraid)

Who are you?

LADAHLORD

Unimportant ! Who. Are. You? James Henry Trotter!

(LADAHLORD stands and begins to cross slowly towards JAMES.)

JAMES

If you come any closer, I’ll scream for my aunts.

LADAHLORD

And what makes you think those two hideous creatures would come running to your rescue?

JAMES

They’re my family.

LADAHLORD

Ha! Says who?

JAMES

That’s what I’ve been told.

LADAHLORD

Ah! But do YOU think so?

JAMES

I… ? I…

LADAHLORD

(passionately with enthusiasm)

And there it is ! The very first primordial ooze of an inkling that has the potential to lead to so many other fan-tas-ma-rific things! Ha! James! That bag, right over there, contains something remark-u-lous! Are you willing to reach into the great unknown and find out what’s inside?

JAMES

I… I don’t know.

LADAHLORD

Come on, James ! Only you have the power to change the course of your wretched little life. What’s it gonna be? Victim? Or hero?

(JAMES looks at LADAHLORD and then at the bag. And then JAMES thrusts his hand deep inside the bag.)

LADAHLORD

(screaming at the top of his lungs)

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

JAMES

(screaming in reaction)

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

( JAMES removes a dusty old book from the bag.)

It’s okay! It’s okay! It’s just a book! Why were you screaming?

LADAHLORD

To get your undivided attention.

(whispering)

What’s inside the book, James?

JAMES

(reading)

It’s full of recipes… with very strange ingredients.

LADAHLORD

Not recipes! No! Potions, tonics, spells! Now, you must pick a spell from the book, devour the potion, and fabulous, unbelievable things will happen to you!

SIDE 3- LADYBUG, EARTHWORM, SPIDER, CENTIPEDE, GRASSHOPPER, JAMES

LADYBUG

It feels quite wonderful to be free of that wretched hillside.

EARTHWORM

And Spiker and Sponge.

SPIDER

Did you know they killed my fiancé?

LADYBUG

No!

SPIDER

Yes! And then the gigantic one… she ate him.

LADYBUG

Horrible!

(CENTIPEDE snores loudly.)

EARTHWORM

(afraid)

What was that?! What WAS THAT?!

JAMES

It was just Centipede snoring.

CENTIPEDE

(waking)

What? What’s going on? Why did the human say my name?

SPIDER

Tell them what happened to you, Centipede.

CENTIPEDE

Blah, who cares.

SPIDER

We’re sharing!

CENTIPEDE

Fine! My family was in the sock and shoe racket. We’re pretty famous in the bug world. Til Spiker and Sponge sprayed everyone with insecticide in the great raid of fifty-nine.

LADYBUG

Those two monsters hated everything. Even ladybugs. Who doesn’t like ladybugs?

GRASSHOPPER

I like ladybugs.

(Awkward silence as LADYBUG and GRASSHOPPER share coy glances.)

JAMES

(a realization)

Spiker and Sponge were horrible to everyone.

CENTIPEDE

Spiker and Sponge were no different than any of you humans.

GRASSHOPPER

Centipede, James is one of us.

CENTIPEDE

That is a human boy. His kind pulls off our legs, or burns us with magnifying glasses! He is NOT one of us! He will NEVER be one of us!

(CENTIPEDE climbs up to the crows nest, alone.)

LADYBUG

Ignore him, James. His type are pests.

CENTIPEDE

(calling from the ladder)

And your type are snobs!

LADYBUG

James, you haven’t said anything about your parents. Where are they?

GRASSHOPPER

They must be very worried about you.

(JAMES becomes silent, staring at the ground. SPIDER, LADYBUG and GRASSHOPPER sense something is very wrong.)

SPIDER

James, it’s alright. You can tell us.

JAMES

My parents were in a horrible accident, and now they’re… gone.

SIDE 4- MATRON NURSE, JAMES

MATRON NURSE

(entering)

James Henry Trotter! Get up! Get up at once!

JAMES

But why?

MATRON NURSE

(dry, cold and uncaring)

You’re leaving the orphanage, effective immediately.

(The MATRON NURSE spits a loogie into her hand, rubs her hands together and then attempts to calm JAMES wild hair with her hands and fresh loogie gel.)

JAMES

But where am I to go?

MATRON NURSE

They’ve found family to take you in.

JAMES

But, I don’t have any family.

MATRON NURSE

You’ve got two aunts. They live in Dover.

(The MATRON NURSE puts a tie around JAMESneck.)

JAMES

Dover? But, that’s where I lived with my Mum and Dad

MATRON NURSE

(impatiently)

And now it’s where you’re gonna live with your aunties. Pack your things in ‘ere.

(The MATRON NURSE hands JAMES a small suitcase.)

JAMES

Yes, Mum.

(JAMES folds his fathers glasses inside his mother’s scarf carefully, and places them inside the suitcase.)

MATRON NURSE

(picking up the scarf and glasses)

That’s all you’ve got? No clothes? No toothbrush?

JAMES

(taking the glasses and scarf back)

These belonged to my parents and they are the most important things in the entire world to me.

MATRON NURSE

The most important thing from here on is your aunties. You do everything they ask of you. Don’t talk back, or be a nuisance. You can’t ever come back here James. You’ve got a family to take care of you now.

JAMES

Yes, Mum.

MATRON NURSE

Come along. We’re gonna have to ‘urry if we’re gonna make the train to Dover.

SIDE 5-SPIKER, SPONGE, JAMES

SPIKER

Nothin’ more to do now but count our money.

SPONGE

How many contracts do you think we signed?

SPIKER

Hundreds my dear. Maybe thousands. And them contracts pay us big time money in advance. All we’ve gotta do is deliver that peach.

JAMES

Do you think we could move to the seashore? Or maybe take a trip?

(SPONGE and SPIKER look incredulously at JAMES.)

SPONGE

We ain’t doin’ nothin’.

JAMES

But, it was me that made the peach grow.

SPONGE

Liar.

JAMES

But, I did make the peach grow.

SPONGE

You couldn’t make my toenails grow.

JAMES

But-

SPIKER

(smiling broadly)

James, my dear, dear foolish boy. Raise your right hand and repeat after me: I, James whatever Trotter, am a worthless, lying little boy. And nobody will ever be interested in anything I have to say. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever, ever, ever.

SPONGE

So keep your comments and your clever little lies to yourself.

SPIKER

Hey Sponge, what do you think of my new scarf?

(SPIKER holds the scarf that was Jamesmothers high in the air.)

SPONGE

It’s not nearly as lovely as my new glasses!

(SPONGE holds Jamesfathers glasses high in the air.)

SPIKER

Oh, dear. Look what I’ve done.

SPIKER holds up the scarf and then tears it in half.

JAMES