Page 8 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024 ‘The Young Company Winter Festival 2024’ unveils a spectacular lineup of family-friendly productions at Greater Boston Stage Company P repare to be enthralled as Greater Boston Stage Company proudly presents The Young Company Winter Festival 2024, an extraordinary event that seamlessly blends the boundless creativity of budding young artists in grades 4-12 with the expertise of their professional teams. This season’s festival promises to deliver jaw-dropping storytelling at its absolute fi nest, featuring three captivating productions that will transport audiences into worlds of magic, whimsy and heart. Join us in February for “Honk! JR.,” “James and the Giant Peach” and “The Prom: School Edition.” “Honk! JR.” is a heartwarming celebration of being diff erent that is sure to delight audiences of all ages with its sparkling wit, unique charm and memorable score. Witty and hilarious, but also deeply moving, “Honk! JR.” will treat your audiences to equal amounts of laughter and tears. Ugly looks quite a bit different from his darling duckling brothers and sisters. The other animals on the farm are quick to notice and point this out, despite his mother’s protective fl apping. Feeling rather foul about himself, the little fowl fi nds himself on an adventure of self-discovery, all the while unknowingly outwitting a very hungry Cat. Along the way, Ugly meets a whole fl ock of unique characters and fi nds out that being diff erent is not a bad thing to be. Performed by Young Company student actors in grades 4-6; music by George Stiles; book and Lyrics by Anthony Dewey; based on Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Ugly Duckling;” directed/ choreographed by Sara Coombs; assistant directed by Devon Whitney; stage managed by Anna Fialho; music directed by Carrie Tully; costume design by E. Rosser. • Feb. 9 at 5:30 p.m. • Feb. 10 at 12:00 p.m. • Feb. 11 at 12:00 p.m. Roald Dahl’s “James and the Giant Peach” is now a musical for the whole family to enjoy! Featuring a wickedly tuneful score by the Tony Award-nominated team of Pasek and Paul (“Dogfi ght” and “A Christmas Story: The Musical”) and a curiously quirky book by Timothy Allen McDonald (“Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka,” “The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley”), critics rave: James and the Giant Peach is a “masterpeach!” When James is sent by his conniving aunts to chop down their old fruit tree, he discovers a magic potion that results in a tremendous peach… and launches a “HONK! JR.” “JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH” “THE PROM” journey of enormous proportions. Suddenly, James fi nds himself in the center of the gigantic peach, among human-sized insects with equally oversized personalities, but after it falls from the tree and rolls into the ocean, the group faces hunger, sharks and plenty of disagreements. Thanks to James’ quick wit and creative thinking, the residents learn to live and work together as a family. The dangerous voyage is a success, but the adventure takes a whole new twist once they land on the Empire State Building. Performed by Young Company student actors in grades 7-9; book by Timothy Allen McDonald; music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul; directed by Daniel Begin; choreographed by Autumn Blazon-Brown; stage managed by Demi DiCarlo; music directed by Jordan Oczkowski; costume design by E. Rosser. • Feb. 9 at 8:00 p.m. • Feb. 10 at 4:30 p.m. • Feb. 11 at 4:30 p.m. “The Prom”: Four eccentric Broadway stars are in desperate need of a new stage. So, when they hear that trouble is brewing around a small-town prom, they know that it’s time to put a spotlight on the issue…and themselves. The town’s parents want to keep the high school dance on the straight and narrow — but when one student just wants to bring her girlfriend to prom, the entire town has a date with destiny. On a mission to transform lives, Broadway’s brassiest join forces with a courageous girl and the town’s citizens, and the result is love that brings them all together. Winner of the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical, “The Prom: School Edition” expertly captures all the humor and heart of a classic musical comedy with a message that resonates with audiences now more than ever. Performed by Young Company student actors in grades 1012; book and Lyrics by Chad Beguelin; book by Bob Martin; music by Matthew Sklar; directed by Alyssa Burke; choreographed by Sydney Grant; stage managed by Sarah Simon; music directed by Bethany Aiken; costume design by Rebecca Glick. • Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m. • Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. • Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m. All tickets are $25. For more information or to purchase tickets, call the Box Offi ce at 781-2792200 or visit www.greaterbostonstage.org. Group sales are also available. Please contact Director of Marketing and Public Relations Bryan Miner at bryan@greaterbostonstage.org or 781-279-7885 x107 for more information. About the Young Company: This program helps the next generation become better artists, better audience members and better people through dramatic education. Through artistic training and performance opportunities, the Young Company at Greater Boston Stage Company develops life skills, such as confi dence, self-discipline and collaboration, to inspire and prepare young actors for future creative engagement and success. Process-oriented programming pushes students to the next level by working with exceptional Boston teaching artists and theatre professionals. Students are also provided with opportunities to work on Mainstage productions side-by-side with professionals. The Young Company lives by the idea that good theatre makes good people. About Greater Boston Stage Company: The Company brings vibrant professional theatre and dramatic education beyond the boundaries of Boston, featuring world and regional premieres alongside fresh interpretations of familiar work. Within this setting, the Company uniquely fosters the artists of tomorrow by providing ongoing performance and employment opportunities to current and former students. Now in its 24th season of live theatre in Stoneham, Mass., Greater Boston Stage Company produces fi ve Mainstage shows, presents a series of Special Events and runs year-round classes, lessons and fully staged productions through the Young Company for students in grades 1-12. Box Offi ce: 781-279-2200 Box Office hours: Tuesdays through Fridays, noon to 4 p.m. Location: 395 Main St., Stoneham, Mass. Website: www.greaterbostonstage.org
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