‘The BFG’ at CTC

Youth Theatre presenting tale about the Big, Friendly Giant

Sixteen young actors from the Chattanooga Theatre Centre’s Youth Theatre will bring the beloved children’s book, “The BFG” to life in performances Friday, April 7, through Saturday, April 15.

“The BFG” — or Big, Friendly Giant — is based on the book by Roald Dahl, adapted for stage by David Wood.

The story is about a young, orphaned girl, Sophie, who lives in an orphanage run by the cantankerous Mrs. Clonkers. One night, Sophie sees a large person blowing through a trumpet-like object into a bedroom window down the street. She is discovered by that mysterious person, the BFG.

He explains that he blows bottled dreams into the bedrooms of children, while other giants eat humans, mostly children. Because the BFG refuses to eat people, he lives on a vegetable known as a snozzcumber. The BFG and Sophie team up to save the children of England from child-eating giants Bloodbottler, Fleshlumpeater, Bonecruncher, Meatdripper, Childchewer, and Gizzardgulper.

An animated television adaptation of “The BFG” was made in 1989. A live-action film directed by Steven Spielberg was released last summer.

Creating a giant was just a matter of perspective to director Scott Dunlap, who is also director of the Youth Theatre.

“People talked about putting the giant on stilts, and I’d say there is a more obvious answer: Shrink everybody else,” he says.

So Sophie is played by a doll, manipulated and voiced by youth actors. The not-sofriendly giants are portrayed with headpieces worn by the actors.

“The actors put them on in front of us, so we see them transform. Part of this is to help younger children attending the show not be scared,” Dunlap explains, recommending the show for first-graders and older.

To allow audience members to become immersed in the production, “The BFG” has been moved to the theater’s Mainstage. Giant Country will take place out among the audience. Risers have been moved from the Circle onto the stage, where guests may sit to watch the action onstage while seeing into the wings to watch behind-the-scenes activity.

“It’s one way to say we know it’s not real,” explains Dunlap. “Parents know their children, and if their child is willing to believe there is a giant who eats kids, then this is not the story for them. But people who have seen the movie or read the book will enjoy it.”

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Sophie, played by Alex Loyd, left, learns where dreams are kept from The BFG, played by Bradley Owens in the Bucket Cast. The show has been double-cast with Acadia Phillips playing Sophie and Aaron Slack as The BFG in the Wormwood Cast.