What do you get when a boy on a quest adds a little bit of magic to a peach and a bunch of unknowing insects?

Why, “James and the Giant Peach Jr.”¸ of course.

Based on the book, “James and the Giant Peach,” by Roald Dahl, this delightfully funny family musical will be performed this weekend by Orefield Middle School Theater.

The storyline takes a young boy and his new-found insect friends on a remarkable voyage.

According to eighth grader, Aaron Finkle, who plays the role of James, his character is conflicted because his parents died when he was just a little kid and he feels it’s his fault.

“He is sad and depressed throughout the whole show and just really wants a family,” Finkle said. “He is hopeful when he is sent to his aunts’ house, but they turn out to be horrible people.

“Then, he finds this peach and a funny looking dude, Ladahlord, and the peach crew.

He just goes inside because he’s a curious little kid and he finds all of these insects and they sort of become his family.”

Finkle has been cast in multiple roles at Orefield Middle School and he has also performed with Muhlenberg College as well as a summer theater in Maine, where he visits his grandparents.

Another eighth grade veteran of the OMS stage, Akaash Kapoor, plays Ladahlord, a charismatic and mysterious character who also serves as a narrator throughout the play.

Kapoor is performing in his 15th play, many of them at OMS.

“My character in this play acts as the narrator throughout the show, but he is also active in the story,” Kapoor said. “I like doing narrative characters because you get to tell the story through your own words.”

Kapoor says this is one of the more challenging roles he has played.

“There is a lot of singing and dancing and a lot of action going on everywhere,” he said.

A great deal of the play’s action stems from James’ attempt to escape his maniacal and monstrous Aunt Spiker and Aunt Sponge.

Aunt Sponge is played by eighth grader Natalie St. Hill, who was most recently seen as Ms. Griswald in “15 Reasons Not To Be In a Play.”

She has wanted to perform for years since hearing her young cousin sing at Moravian College Vespers.

“I remember turning to my mom and saying to her, I want to do that, I want to sing.”

“In the beginning it was really challenging because I’ve never played a villain,” she said. It’s not my nature.

My nature is like bubblegum and lollipops.”

The other half of the mean aunt team is Aunt Spiker played by Jessica Guziak.

An eighth grader who has performed in multiple shows, Guziak remembers wanting to act since the first grade when her teacher gave her a classroom role.

“I realized the people were really listening to what I was saying,” said Guziak. “I liked that.

“My character just cares about herself and her money. She’s the brains for the two of them. She thinks of the ideas and Sponge just kind of follows along.

“I feel like this is a role where some of the story line is based off what the villain does.”

While fleeing from his aunts, James enters the giant peach to meet a variety of human-sized insects with very large personalities.

The maternal Ladybug, played by Abigail Hill, an eighth grader, the spunky Spider, portrayed by Emily Babinchak, a seventh grader, the gentle Earthworm, played by Robert Moore, a seventh grader, the grandfather-like Centipede, played by Cameron Courter, a seventh grader, and their optimistic leader Grasshopper, played by Carter Sachse, a seventh grader, take young James under their wings.

Returning to direct at Orefield Middle School is Jessica O’Brien, who challenged OMS students last fall with the production “15 Reasons Not To Be In A Play.”

“We are one of the first companies in the country to produce this new version of ‘James and the Giant Peach Jr.,’” said O’Brien. “I think it has become one of my favorite junior shows.

“It’s brilliantly written with magic, puppetry and special effects that teach students far beyond the triple threat skills (acting, singing, dancing).”

O’Brien is aided by assistant director, Chas Broadbent, a seventh grader.

Michelle French, a Parkland High School senior is the light designer. She is assisted by sixth grader Emma Saylor.

Erich Joella, musical director, prepared the actors and ensemble for the many musical numbers that keep this production entertaining from beginning to end.

The show will be performed at 7 p.m. March 10, 11 and 12, and at 2 p.m. March 12 in the Orefield Middle School auditorium.

Tickets are $5 and may be purchased at the door.