Photos by Ginna Young

Aunts Spiker (left, Nadacia Mayer) and Sponge (Jozlynn Messenger) are dismayed to learn they have been given care of their young nephew, James, in the Cadott Community School District’s presentation of James and the Giant Peach. The student musical was presented to the public Oct. 11-13, directed by Terra Larsen.

Although he started out as a timid, scared creature, Earthworm (Garrett Nerdrum) reached down deep and pulled out his courage – and a cabana outfit, as he enticed seagulls to carry the peach into the air.

Convinced it’s the only option to save them from sharks and starvation by using Earthworm (far left, Garrett Nerdrum), the crew of unlikely friends, left to right, Spider (Haley Bollom), Grasshopper (David Pagel), Ladybug (Kali Matott), Centipede (Shelby Gunem) and James Henry Trotter (Mustanna Green), talk the timid earthdweller into being bait for a flock of seagulls. Once the seagulls have been captured, the group is sure the winged creatures will carry them to safety, while still in the giant peach.

While some members of the group didn’t believe they would make it, the large peach pulled by seagulls arrived in New York City, only to be greeted by a near collision with an airplane, as narrated by Ladahlord (left, Alissa Bejin). Ladahlord was instrumental throughout the story, giving James magic and pointing characters to the paths she wanted them to follow.

Grasshopper (David Pagel) attempts to cheer up his comrades with some music, while the giant peach floats across the Atlantic Ocean.

As the pessimist of the band of friends, Centipede (Shelby Gunem) dances to her own beat, instilling the thought that they might not make it to land on the over-sized peach and that you can never, ever trust a human.

On its way to the sea, carrying James and his friends, the monstrous-sized peach smashed right through a familiar factory, where one Oopma-Loompa (Colt Fox) was at first surprised to see the fruit bearing down on him, before running for his life in the candy factory.

(To the left) James Henry Trotter (Mustanna Green) tries to make the best of his time with his mean aunts, before being given magic with which to escape. Although it didn’t go quite as planned, a giant peach springs to life, which carries James and his likewise magicallyeffected insect friends away from the nasty aunts.

Matron Nurse (Tarynn Donahue) thinks young orphaned James Henry Trotter will be happy with his aunts, after the boy lost his parents to a charging rhino. Unfortunately for James, the cruel aunts only see him as slave labor, taking advantage of the kindly youth to do their bidding.