Isabel Knier, left, Claire Cooke, Maeve Doody and Josh Czuba perform “Property of Spiker and Sponge” in the Bravo Performing Arts Academy staging of “James and the Giant Peach Jr., at Brooks Middle School in Oak Park. (DAVID PIERINI/Staff Photographer)
Cast members “circled up” to wish each other well before going on stage for the Friday matinee. (DAVID PIERINI/Staff Photographer)
Costume designer and stylist Lisa Morrow fastened a hat to the wig of Claire Cooke, who was appropriately aged with makeup for her role as Sponge, one of James’ wicked aunts. (DAVID PIERINI/Staff Photographer)
James, played by Armando Carlo, meets and befriends the insects living in the giant peach. (DAVID PIERINI/Staff Photographer)
Tait Ferguson, right, uses his billy club to bop fellow bobby cop Spencer Reisig while they waited their turn for a sound check. (DAVID PIERINI/Staff Photographer)
Actors, including Sophie Shaw, angled for whatever section of mirror they could to apply stage makeup an hour before curtain for BRAVO’s “James and the Giant Peach Jr.” at Brooks Middle School.
How do you get a giant peach in Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School?
You grow it, of course.
And in the process, another generation of Bravo Performing Arts Academy nurtures their singing and acting chops before our eyes in a production of “James and the Giant Peach Jr.”
The summer acting program staged “Peach” and “High School Musical 2 Jr.,” last week.
The summer program offers intense training in the arts by teaching and staging full musicals in 20 days or less.
