JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, ALICE BY HEART and More Set for Beck Center For The Arts 2025–2026 Youth Theater Season

Beck Center for the Arts has announced its 2025–2026 Youth Theater Season. The lineup features four productions that highlight comedy, mystery, fantasy, and poignant storytelling, offering opportunities for students and entertainment for audiences of all ages.

Associate Director of Theater Education Sarah Clare said, “We are simply agog with the exciting challenges and stories that we are bringing to the stage this year. Every season, we try to find stories that can expand our students’ experiences and theatrical knowledge while providing a safe place for performers and audiences alike. This season has something for everyone—a chance to laugh, to cry, to reflect, and to play—literally!”

The season opens with BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE, written by Todd Wallinger and directed by Russel Stich, running October 24–26, 2025, with a student matinee October 23. A farcical show-within-a-show, the piece follows young performers trying to save their Broadway dreams before the wrecking ball arrives.

In December, HOLY MOTHER OF BINGO! by Patrick Walsh, directed by Kierstan Conway, runs December 12–21, 2025, with a student matinee December 18. This interactive murder mystery puts the audience right in the middle of a bingo-night-gone-wrong, with suspects, prizes, and plenty of laughter.

The season continues in March with ROALD DAHL’S JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, featuring words and music by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul and direction by Patrick Ciamacco. Performances run March 20–29, 2026, with a student matinee March 26. The whimsical musical, based on Roald Dahl’s beloved story, celebrates friendship, imagination, and adventure.

The season closes in May with ALICE BY HEART, with book by Steven Sater and Jessie Nelson, music by Duncan Sheik, and lyrics by Sater. Directed and choreographed by Sarah Clare, with music direction by Heidi Herczeg, performances run May 1–10, 2026, with a student matinee May 7. This moving musical, set during the London Blitz, explores love, loss, and resilience through the lens of Alice in Wonderland.

Beck Center’s Youth Theater alumni include Michael Chernus (Orange Is the New Black), Dee Hoty (three-time Tony nominee), Isabela Merced (Superman; Dora and the Lost City of Gold), Rory O’Malley (Hamilton; Tony nominee, The Book of Mormon), and Daniel Reichard (Drama Desk nominee, Jersey Boys).