Oregon State University students will be given the chance to not only revisit a childhood story, but to be a part of it.

Auditions for “James and the Giant Peach”, one of three main stage productions put on by Oregon State University’s theatre department, will start off the season’s theme of “Devising Our Dreams: Metamorphosis”.  Auditions will be held on Oct. 3rd and 4th at 6:30 p.m. in the Withycombe Hall Main Stage.

The production will be a theatrical adaptation of the children’s story originally written by Roald Dahl but with some fun changes: the audience is a part of the story. The audience members are the tourists who have come to see James and his insect-friends living in their peach home, located in Central Park. James and his friends recount their journey to New York City through storytelling, puppetry and live action.

When asked why they chose “James and the Giant Peach”, theatre coordinator, Elizabeth Helman, said that they knew they wanted children’s shows, making this Roald Dahl classic a great pick.

“It’s magical and whimsical and fun,” Helman said. “It also offers some really cool opportunities for our designers. This is a recognizable and endearing story that college students remember fondly and can share with kids and families.”

Auditions are open to any and all theatre enthusiasts, including staff, faculty, students and any other community members. However, there are other opportunities to get involved with this production.

“The theatre is always looking for people to get involved in all aspects of the production process as well as understudying jobs,” shared Tinamarie Ivey, the guest director from Linn Benton Community College.

These jobs include running crew, stage manager, dresser, technicians and costume design. “The department offers courses and training in all these areas and more,” Ivey said.

For those auditioning on Oct. 3rd and 4th, preparation and collaboration are recommended, according to Ivey.  

“Come prepared to have fun, take direction and to work collaboratively with fellow actors,” Ivey said.

The show will take place on Nov. 3rd through 5th and 12th through 13th at 7:30 p.m. in the Withycombe Hall Main Stage theatre. Tickets will be available for purchase online or at the box office during the week of the performance. The OSU theatre department also offers a season ticket package, which includes tickets to all five productions during the year.

For more information on auditions or other ways to get involved, go to the OSU Theatre website.