Children's Playhouse of Maryland to Present JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH

Children's Playhouse of Maryland, Inc. opens its spring season with the musical "James and the Giant Peach, Jr." Performances will be given on weekends March 5 through March 20 in the Lecture Hall of the Administration Building at CCBC Essex, 7201 Rossville Blvd. The ensemble cast includes 25 student actors from Baltimore City, Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Howard counties. Tickets are $10 each with special group rates available. Contact the CCBC Box Office at 443-840-2787 (ARTS) or go to the CPM website, www.cpmarts.org, for tickets and information.

A special sensory friendly performance will be given March 19 at 4:30 p.m. Sensory friendly performances are designed to create a performing arts experience that is welcoming to families with children with autism or other sensory sensitivities.

Accommodations for this performance include:

· shortened running time

· lower sound levels

· designated quiet area within the theatre

· house lights on in the theatre during the entire performance

· talking, sounds and standing will be allowed during the performance

· special areas outside of the theatre will be available for breaks

· an option to enter the theatre and see your seats prior to the performance.

"Our goal is to bring the joy of theatre to autistic children and others with special needs. We feel it will benefit our student actors as well as our audience," remarks CPM Executive Director Diane Smith. CPM expects a smaller audience for this performance which will allow for more space between the seats, another attractive accommodation for those with autism or special sensory needs.

CPM will also continue to offer American Sign Language-interpreted performances (*) this spring. For "James and the Giant Peach, Jr." the 1 p.m. performances on March 19 and 20 will be signed by students in the Interpreter Preparation program at CCBC Catonsville.

This musical version of Dahl's "James and the Giant Peach" tells the story of a lonely orphan, living with two horrid aunts. James makes friends with human-like bugs (spider, earthworm, centipede, etc.) who live inside a giant peach. These friends help him accomplish his wish to journey to New York City.

Featured performers are Zachary Byrd of Arbutus, Md. as James, Emily Ricci of Nottingham, Md. as Auntie Sponge, Kathryn Schudel of Towson, Md. as Auntie Spiker, Jocelyn Castillo of Pasadena, Md. as Earthworm, Sam Patterson of Towson, Md. as Ladahlord, Jared Davis of Gwynn Oak, Md. as Grasshopper, Jacqueline Hicks of Baltimore, Md. as Centipede, Gwen Lowell of Baltimore, Md. as Spider and Anderson Gray of Parkville, Md. as Lady Bug.

The ensemble cast members are: Elliott Whitman and Emily Davis of Baltimore, Md., Addison Malkowski of Dundalk, Md., Sofia Alvarez of Ellicott City, Md., Kiara Burke and M'Kaila Brown of Essex, Md., Melody Blahut of Middle River, Md., Addison Barry of Nottingham, Md., Allyson Gray of Parkville, Md., Brooke Marriott of Perry Hall, Md., Amy and Sophie Claudio of Rosedale, Md., Molly Foggo of Timonium, Md., and Anna Bartel, Katie Doyle and Ryan Macsherry of Towson, Md.

Liz Boyer Hunnicutt directs with musical direction by Chris Rose and choreography by James Hunnicutt.

"James and the Giant Peach, Jr." is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). Based on the book "James and the Giant Peach" by Roald Dahl, the musical book by Timothy Allen McDonald and music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.