Reed Intermediate School’s musical James and the Giant Peach Jr is set to be staged next weekend, May 3 and 4, at the school, 3 Trades Lane, and Director Twyla Hafermann says the students have been working hard.

“It has been an amazing experience working with the Reed Students, and [I am] so proud of all their hard work,” Ms Hafermann said this week. “The music is intricate and most of the musical numbers are huge productions in themselves and the students are attacking them to the fullest.”

The musical is based on Roald Dahl’s book James and the Giant Peach.

The musical will be staged for audiences Friday, May 3, at 7 pm and Saturday, May 4, at 6 pm at the school, 3 Trades Lane. All tickets are $10 and will be available for purchase at the door. Tickets are also be available to purchase online at [naviga:u]showtix4u.com[/naviga:u] by searching for Reed Intermediate School Drama Club.

Stacey Coelho is the musical’s choreographer, and Sue Vogelmann is the musical director. There are more than 70 students participating in the cast and over 65 in the crew, which Ms Hafermann said was open to all students who wanted to be a part of the cast or crew.

Being part of Reed’s musical, Ms Hafermann said in an e-mail, “is an experience that offers something for everyone. Whether that is building stage presence, confidence, teamwork, or making new friendships. Each individual, whether their part is large or small, is important to the success of the show. Students take their final bow knowing they were part of something great.”

Some of the Newtown Middle School’s Drama Club students are helping backstage with costume changes, and the technical aspects of the performance will be run by some of the Newtown High School’s theater students under Miles Dievert’s stage management, according to Ms Hafermann.