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SHARING STORIES AND CREATING PARTNERSHIPS SINCE 1983
THE INCREDIBLE BOOK EATING BOY
Inspired by the book The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers
Produced by Alliance Theatre
From Atlanta, Georgia




Henry hates reading books. Because books are so full of... words! Annoying, complicated, indecipherable words! Then one day he discovers the most amazing alternative to reading - eating the books whole. By chowing down, chomping, and literally digesting the contents of whole libraries, Henry gets smarter, and smarter and smarter... until his tummy doesn't feel so good! How is he going to get through 3rd Grade?
A story about literally biting off more than you can chew, this new musical celebrates the joy of reading and the insatiable appetite for knowledge. Inspired by award-winning children's book author Oliver Jeffers' hilarious book, The Incredible Book Eating Boy promises to leave you full!
Resources
About the Company
Best for: Grades K-5th (Ages 5-10 years)
Audience Size: Medium & Large Venues
Please contact us to watch a full length archival recording.
Listen to the music!
Curriculum Connections
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Fine Arts: Performance, Sound Design, Music and Composition
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Language Arts: Reading, Writing, Storytelling, Character, Adaptations, Creative Writing
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Emotional/Social Development: Self Awareness, Self Management, Identifying Emotions, Empathy, Respect for Others, Perspective-Taking, Relationship Skills, Social Engagement, Relationship-building, Teamwork, Ethical Responsibility
Outreach & Workshops
“Relaxed” or “Sensory Friendly” Performances
This performance is also available as a “sensory friendly” or “relaxed” performance if arranged with the company in advance and with specific direction as to what adjustments are necessary for your venue.
Minimum Tech Requirements
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Load In Time: 6 hours (if lighting pre rig is done)
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Crew Needs: 2 technicians for load-in, focus, sound establishment, and load-out. 1 additional sound technician to operate radio mics.
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Min. Stage Size: 20’ width x 20’ depth x 16’ height, 6ft wing space required.
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Sound Needs: 3 wireless mics
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Load Out Time: 1 hour
Artistic Team
Book by Madhuri Shekar
Music by Christian Magby
Lyrics by Christian Albright
Directed by Jamil Jude
Inspired by the book The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers
Produced by Alliance Theatre
Touring Company TBA
Critical Acclaim
"Plenty to chew on in Alliance’s “Incredible Book Eating Boy” premiere - this production’s acting, direction and set design all operate at a high professional standard… it’s certainly enjoyable and thoughtful enough for adults accompanying their kiddos. " - ArtsAtl review.
See the full article here.
Company Background
The Alliance Theatre is Atlanta’s national theater, expanding hearts and minds onstage and off. Founded in 1968, the Alliance Theatre is the leading producing theater in the Southeast, reaching more than 165,000 patrons annually. The Alliance delivers powerful programming that challenges adult and youth audiences to think critically and care deeply. Under the leadership of Susan V. Booth, the Jennings Hertz Artistic Director, the Alliance Theatre received the Regional Theatre Tony Award® in recognition of sustained excellence in programming, education and community engagement.
Known for its exemplary artistic standards and national role in creating significant theatrical works, the Alliance has premiered more than 100 original productions, professionally launching important American musicals with a strong track record of Broadway, touring and subsequent productions, including the Tony Award winners The Color Purple, based on the novel by Alice Walker; Aida by Elton John and Tim Rice; and Alfred Uhry’s The Last Night of Ballyhoo. Recent musical premieres include Sister Act: The Musical, Twyla Tharp’s Come Fly Away, Bring It On: The Musical, Stephen King and John Mellencamp’s Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, Harmony - A New Musical by Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman, Tuck Everlasting, Born for This: The BeBe Winans Story, The Prom and, most recently, Janece Shaffer and Kristian Bush’s Troubadour.
The Alliance also creates and nurtures the careers of emerging writers through the Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, producing the world premiere for the competition winner as part of the regular season. The Alliance is deeply committed to Atlanta artists, showcasing locally based artists on a nationally watched stage, and sustaining Atlanta’s artistic community through the Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab, providing developmental support and production resources for an annual roster of locally sourced performance projects.
The Alliance’s dedication to providing access to the arts is reflected in its commitment to creating new work for all ages, and to bringing that work into classrooms and communities across Atlanta and throughout the region. More than 80,000 students each year experience age-specific professional performances and participate in acting classes, drama camps and in-school initiatives through the Alliance Theatre Acting Program and Education Department. The Alliance’s groundbreaking Kathy and Ken Bernhardt Theatre for the Very Young performances offer professionally produced, fully interactive theater for infants and toddlers; the Palefsky Collision Project invites high school artists to create and perform new civic-minded theater based on a classic text; and community acting classes and skill-building workshops engage professional artists, young actors, business leaders and curious learners of all ages. Twice recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for leadership in arts education, the Alliance Theatre Institute equips classroom teachers with theatrical techniques that link directly to school curriculum and have been empirically proven to improve student learning.
For more information, please visit the company’s website.
Gallery of Past Productions



