‘James and The Giant Peach’ Ends A Fun Filled Run at Phantom Projects – Review

The Phantom Projects Theatre run of ‘James and the Giant Peach‘ Ends a Family Fun Filled Run to Packed Houses and School Field Trips.

(lt to rt) Grasshopper (Nick Cooper), James (Sophia Blake) and Spider (Via Forman) in, ‘James and the Giant Peach‘ at The Phantom Projects Theatre in La Habra, CA.

If you grew up reading ‘James and the Giant Peach‘, you’ll be thrilled to know that the musical version of Roald Dahl’s classic story is just as charming and fun as you’d hope, especially the version put on by The Phantom Projects Theatre. Although the run has ended, the praise for the performance must be given. Witha run time of about an hour and a half, this adaptation brings the whimsical adventure of a boy inside a giant peach to life with catchy songs, colorful visuals, and performances that had both kids and adults grinning from ear to ear.

The musical sticks pretty close to Dahl’s original plot. James, a lonely orphan, ends up on a crazy journey inside a giant peach, escaping his cruel aunts and finding friendship with a group of quirky insects. The story is all about courage, kindness, and finding family in the most unexpected places—timeless themes that really hit home, especially for younger audiences. Though the musical has to condense some parts of the book, it captures all the magic and heart you remember from the original. There’s plenty of excitement, but also moments that make you reflect on the importance of friendship and believing in yourself.

The cast really brings this story to life. Sophia Blake, who played James nails the role—he’s sweet and relatable, and you can’t help but root for him. But it’s the insect characters who steal the show! From the wise Old Green Grasshopper (Nick Cooper) to the playful Ladybird (Katie Hamilton), as each one brought their own quirky personality adding so much humor and charm to the adventure. The aunts, Aunt Spiker (Tanya Raisa) and Aunt Sponge (Jenny Formica), are wonderfully exaggerated and provide just the right amount of comic evil making you love to boo them. They might make you laugh with their antics, but they also serve as a great contrast to the warmth of  James’ new-found family, especially Spider (Via Forman) and Centipede (Brandon Crockett). However, the true scene stealer of the ensemble cast was Earthworm (Derrick Johnson), his nebbish behavior and facial expressions, made him a standout performer.

(lt to rt) Aunt Spiker (Tanya Raisa), James (Sophia Blake) and Aunt Sponge (Jenny Formica) in, ‘James and the Giant Peach‘ at The Phantom Projects Theatre in La Habra, CA.

As Johnson was this production’s scene stealer, Formica was the showstopper of the main cast. Her dancing ability and slowly going through the split made my knees hurt just watching her. Add Ladahlord (Mary DeLan), who has an uncanny resemblance to a certain confectioner,  and we hope Phantom Projects brings it back soon!

The pacing of ‘James and the Giant Peach‘ is spot on. The 90-minute runtime is just right for keeping the energy up without dragging on too long. The songs and scenes flow smoothly from one to the next, making sure there’s never a dull moment. It’s the kind of show that keeps both kids and adults engaged, with enough variety to keep everyone entertained.

Although ‘James and the Giant Peach‘ ended its run at The Phantom Projects Theatre that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be ready for their next performance in ‘Be More Chill‘, for the slightly older kids.

Catch our interview with The Phantom Projects Theatre founder Steve Cisneros via ‘Steve Cisneros Founder of Phantom Projects Theatre Group Talks Live Performances in OC‘.

To purchase tickets for The Phantom Projects Theatre next show ‘Be More Chill’ running from April 11 through 20, 2025, visit: https://thephantomprojectstheatre.com/chill/.

Phantom Projects Theatre Group is located at:
311 South Euclid St.
La Habra, CA 90631