GTA opens with 'James and the Giant Peach'

As the Gainesville Theatre Alliance (GTA) prepares to launch its 2026-27 season, familiar faces will help bring to life "James and the Giant Peach," set for Oct. 2-4 at Brenau University's Pearce Auditorium in Gainesville, Georgia.

Emma Hoffbauer, a 2017 University of North Georgia (UNG) graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre, will serve as scenic designer a year after holding the same position for "Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook." Cory Phelps, new director of Brenau's Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in acting program and an assistant professor of theatre, will direct "James and the Giant Peach" after guest-directing "Junie B. Jones" a year ago.

Nearly a decade after her time as a student with UNG and GTA, returning for opportunities like this makes for easy decisions.

"I am very happy to be back. There was no question, given the opportunity, that I would do this," Hoffbauer said. "Some of the faculty and students have changed, but the heart of GTA is still the same. The people care about the same things. There's always been something special about GTA."

Zechariah Pierce, GTA artistic director, is grateful to have Hoffbauer back mentoring GTA students for a second fall in a row.

"It's lovely seeing those graduates go out and be successful in their careers and then come back. They make us proud by showcasing who our students really are when they graduate," Pierce said.

Show times for "James and the Giant Peach" are:

• Friday, Oct. 2: 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 3: 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 4: 2:30 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased on the GTA tickets webpage.

Abigail Taylor, a sophomore from Clarkesville, Georgia, pursuing a B.F.A. in theatre arts with a concentration in acting, said this will be the third time she has been in a theatre iteration of "James and the Giant Peach," though it is the first with GTA. This will be her first time playing Ladybug. She is thankful to learn from the accomplished theatre professionals who serve as GTA faculty members.

"A lot of the professors are from this area. They've gone off to be professionals in many places," Taylor said. "They have perspectives of bringing back these phenomenal careers they can reflect on."

JC Montoya, a senior from Gainesville, Georgia, pursuing a B.F.A. in theatre arts with a concentration in acting, will play Centipede in GTA's opening play this fall. He was previously a cast member in "Into the Woods" in the spring. Montoya knows he is in the right place to set him up for a career in theatre.

"The professors are invested in us. They genuinely care about not just your education, but also you as a person. They want to see you succeed and help you reach your goals and dreams. It's awesome having a support system like that," Montoya said. "They give me the confidence that no matter where I go, I will be able to be a good actor."

GTA is an intercollegiate theatre program committed to enriching individual students and the local community through an excellent tradition of collaborative theatre. It includes students from UNG and Brenau.

Season passes are available for all four 2026-27, with a variety of options ranging from three shows (starting at $50) to four shows (starting at $62) to a six-ticket flex pass that can be used at any show ($120). All options are available on the GTA tickets webpage.