Renegade Theatre Experiment Presents Roald Dahl's Classic Tale 'The BFG'

San José, CA (PRWEB) October 5, 2005

Renegade Theatre Experiment (RTE) continues its creatively thrilling season with the company's first foray into family entertainment. But fear not! Fun for the whole family need not spell a sacrifice of "renegade" edge…RTE proudly presents The BFG, a beloved work by Roald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). The renegade author was defined by his penchant for demented stories aimed not only at adults but also, most enduringly, to an ever-growing growing audience of children.

Dahl's The BFG, adapted for the stage by David Wood, exposes children to a world of friendly and not-so-friendly giants. Late one night, a giant snatches young Sophie from her bed, but he's not like the Fleshlumpeater or Bonecruncher giants who like to eat human beans. Luckily for Sophie, this is the Big Friendly Giant, and together they start a magical journey that involves snozzcumbers, whizzpopping, and all things that are scrumdiddlyumptious!

Artistic director Sean Murphy directs The BFG, partly to fulfill his long-held desire for a "renegade" children's show. Murphy was particularly attracted to "the wonderfully warped words of Roald Dahl, who creates these vivid worlds where things are not always safe and people are not always nice, but our protagonists always triumph over the grotesque."

Kids and adults alike will respond to Dahl's central theme of wanting to "fit in" to society. As Murphy explains, the story can also be viewed as a socio-political allegory of the culture of fear: "The humans in this play, including Sophie, have a certain arrogance about them. They believe they know everything and when something differs from their reality than it is clearly wrong and should be feared."

Roald Dahl was born in Wales of Norwegian parents. He spent his childhood in England and, at age 18, went to work for the Shell Oil Company in Africa. When World War II broke out, he joined the Royal Air Force and became a fighter pilot. At the age of 26 he moved to Washington, D.C., and it was there he began to write. His first short story, which recounted his adventures in the war, was bought by The Saturday Evening Post, and so began a long and illustrious career.

After establishing himself as a writer for adults, Dahl began writing children's stories in the early 1960s while living in England with his family. His first stories were written as entertainment for his own children, to whom many of his books are dedicated. Roald Dahl is now considered one of the most beloved storytellers of our time. Although he passed away in 1990, his popularity continues to increase as his fantastic novels, including JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, MATILDA, THE BFG and CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, delight an ever-growing legion of fans.

RTE's production of THE BFG previews on November 3, and runs November 4-6, 10-13, 17-20, 25-26. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening performances begin at 8:00pm. Saturday and Sunday matinees start at 2pm. All performances take place at the historic Hoover Theatre in San José.

Tickets for THE BFG are $18.00 General Admission (Thursdays and matinees) and $20.00 General Admission (Fridays and Saturdays). Students and teachers, seniors, and Theatre Bay Area members qualify for discount tickets ($13/$15) with valid ID. Tickets for children 12 years old and under are $10 at all performances.

The Renegade Theatre Experiment (RTE) was founded in 2001 to bring edgy and entertaining new shows to the San José theatre community.

PUBLICITY PHOTOS: http://www.renegadetheatre.com/press
CONTACT: Whitney Stebbins

(408) 351-4440

wstebbins@renegadetheatre.com

AN INVITATION TO THE MEDIA

Renegade Theatre Experiment proudly invites you

to attend our preview performance of

THE BFG.

Roald Dahl's THE BFG

Adapted for the Stage by David Wood

November 3, 2005

Historic Hoover Theatre

1635 Park Avenue

San Jose, CA 95126

8:00 PM

This is a public preview with a paying audience.

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