The Roald Dahl Story Company today announces the full cast for the wickedly funny family musical based on Roald Dahl’s The Enormous Crocodile. Following the all-ages, smash-hit productions in the UK, Minneapolis and Los Angeles, the production runs at the historic Studebaker Theater in the Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave, in partnership with the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, from January 29 to February 21, 2026.
Following performances in the UK, Chelsea Da Silva will play The Enormous Crocodile with Precious Abimbola as Trunky the Elephant, Jordan Eskeisa as Humpy Rumpy the Hippopotamus, Ciara Hudson as Roly Poly Bird, Marienella Phillips is featured as Muggle Wump the Monkey and René Francalanza as Swing.
Tickets, $20-$54 for children and $30-$68 for adults, are currently on sale. Kicking off the Chicago premiere during the final week of the Chicago International Puppet Theatre Festival, tickets for the first week of performances, January 29- February 1, 2026, will be available through the festival box office at https://chicagopuppetfest.org/event/the-enormous-crocodile/. The production will continue through February 21, and those tickets will be available at enormouscrocodilemusical.com/chicago
Tuesday-Thursday morning performances, reserved entirely for student audiences, are available at a subsidized ticket price. Requests can be submitted here: https://bit.ly/crocodilematinees or at crocodile@pemberleyproductions.com
Group discounts of 20% for all performances are available by contacting crocodile@pemberleyproductions.com
‘For my lunch today I would like… a nice juicy little child!’
The Enormous Crocodile is weaving his way through the jungle with his tummy rumbling … Only the other jungle creatures can foil his secret plans and clever tricks, but they’re going to have to find a large amount of courage to stop this greedy brute. From Trunky the Elephant to Muggle Wump the Monkey, get to know the menagerie of creative puppets in the U.S. premiere tour of this smash U.K.-hit production. You’ll go from the jungle into outer space and back again, just in time for a wild dance party!
This mischievous musical based on Roald Dahl’s snappy book has toe-tapping tunes by Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab, a rib-tickling book and lyrics by Suhayla El-Bushra, and additional music and lyrics by Tom Brady. Developed and directed by Emily Lim, it features a menagerie of puppets by co-director and puppetry designer Toby Olié, with set and costume design by Fly Davis, puppetry co-designed and supervised by Daisy Beattie, casting by Annelie Powell, choreography by Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu, lighting design by Jessica Hung Han Yun and sound design by Tom Gibbons.
Originally co-produced by Roald Dahl Story Company, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre and Leeds Playhouse.
The Enormous Crocodile the Musical was developed by Roald Dahl Story Company, Emily Lim, Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab, Suhayla El-Bushra and Tom Brady.
The creative team for The Roald Dahl Story Company’s production of The Enormous Crocodile the Musical includes Suhayla El-Bushra (bookwriter and lyricist), Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab (composer and additional lyrics), Tom Brady (additional music and lyrics, orchestrations, arrangements and music supervisor), Emily Lim (direction and development), Toby Olié (co-director and puppetry designer), Fly Davis (set and costume designer), Daisy Beattie (puppetry co-designer and supervisor), Tim Blazdell (digital designer and production draughting), Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu (choreographer), Jessica Hung Han Yun (lighting designer), Tom Gibbons (sound designer), Phij Adams (music technology and ableton programmer), Gabriel Margolis (musical director), Annelie Powell CDG (casting director), Aundrea Fudge (voice coach), Tina Thomas (singing coach), Ann Barnard (copyist), Tash Holway (associate director), Blythe Stewart (associate director), Michael Jean-Marain (associate puppetry director), Lucy Adams (associate lighting designer), Johnny Edwards (associate sound designer), Shanelle Clemenson (associate choreographer), Màth Roberts (music associate), Rebecca Gunstone (costume supervisor), Bethan Owens (wigs hair and make-up supervisor), and Gabriella Shimeld-Fenn (casting associate).
ABOUT THE CAST
The Enormous Crocodile marks Chelsea Da Silva’s (The Enormous Crocodile) professional theatre debut. Chelsea trained at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts and her credits whilst training include Cinderella, Grease and Cabaret.
Precious Abimbola’s (Trunky the Elephant) performance credits include Little Shop of Horrors at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre and Summer Revels at the Cork Opera House, as well as The 170th Cork Opera House Gala and the Cork Opera House Christmas Concert 2024. Whilst training, Precious’s stage credits include 9 to 5: The Musical, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and featured soloist roles in Steppin’ Out and The Wizard and I: Liz Callaway in Concert.
Jordan Eskeisa’s (Humpy Rumpy the Hippopotamus), (they/he) stage credits include Jesus Christ Superstar at The Watermill, Just My Imagination in the West End and on an International Tour, and Dick Whittington at The New Wolsey Theatre.
Ciara Hudson’s (Roly Poly Bird) stage credits include the 10th Anniversary Concert of Made in Dagenham at the London Palladium. Ciara’s credits whilst training include Constellations, Anything Goes, The Children’s Hour, Princess Phyllida’s Fortnight, Nine, Orphans, and The Comedy of Errors.
Marienella Phillips’s (Muggle Wump the Monkey) theatre credits include Hamlet: Hail to the Thief and Love’s Labour's Lost, both for the RSC, Henry V at the Donmar Warehouse and for National Theatre Live, The King & I in the West End and on a UK Tour, A Christmas Carol at the Lowry and Hope Mill Theatre, and The Fabulist at Charing Cross Theatre. Her opera credits include Dead Man Walking and Shoemaker for the Welsh National Opera, and Hansel & Gretel and Don José for Longborough Festival Opera.
René Francalanza (Swing) is an actor-musician and 2025 musical theatre graduate from Trinity Laban. René’s credits include High School Musical, Urinetown and The Wedding Singer, and her band credits include Iolanthe, The Addams Family and Beauty and the Beast.
About Roald Dahl Story Company
The Roald Dahl Story Company (RDSC) is the home of Roald Dahl’s much-loved stories and characters. With over 300 million books sold globally and translated into 68 languages, our stories have entertained generations of kids and adults with their unique mix of mischief, dark humor and irreverence.
Together with our parent company Netflix, and united by our love of these great stories, we’re working with some of the world’s best storytellers and creative minds to bring them to life in bold new ways that will surprise and delight existing and new fans. This includes animated and live action films and series, publishing, theatre, immersive experiences, games, consumer products, brand partnerships, and more.
About the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival
Two weeks every January, Chicago turns into the “Puppetry Capitol of the World” when the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival returns with its annual, 12-day winter flurry of more than 100 puppet shows and events featuring artists from around the globe.
The festival was originally founded in 2015 as a project of Artistic Director and Founder Blair Thomas’s puppet theater company. Since then, the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival has introduced audiences to artists from Belgium, Chile, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Mexico, Norway, Puerto Rico, Poland, Scotland and South Africa, as well as the U.S. and Chicago, with the goal of promoting peace, equality, and justice on a global scale. Already the largest of its kind in North America, last year’s 7th Chicago Puppet Festival attracted a record 22,000+ audience members who enjoyed a wildly entertaining and eclectic array of traditional and contemporary puppet styles from around the world at dozens of theaters and community spaces throughout the city.
From January 29-February 1, The Enormous Crocodile will be one of the highlights of the 8th Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, January 21- February 1, 2026. Stay tuned for the full 2026 Festival line-up, including even more performances by puppet artists from around the world, the U.S. and Chicago. This year’s festival will also present 22 puppetry workshops, four symposium panels, three book talks, free exhibitions, late-night puppet cabarets, and the always popular Free Neighborhood Tour. Tickets go on sale later this fall. For more, visit chicagopuppetfest.org.
Follow the festival on Facebook, Instagram or Vimeo, hashtag #ChiPuppetFest. Sign up for the Puppet Festival’s e-news to receive first alerts of festival news, ticket on-sales, added special events and festival merch.
FACT SHEET
The Roald Dahl Story Company’s production of
The Enormous Crocodile
The Musical
Book and Lyrics by Suhayla El-Bushra
Music by Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab
Additional Music and Lyrics from Tom Brady
Directed and developed by Emily Lim, it features a menagerie of puppets by co-director and puppetry designer Toby Olié, with set and costume design by Fly Davis and puppetry co-designed and supervised by Daisy Beattie.
Location: The Studebaker Theater in the Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave. in Chicago
Dates: January 29 to February 21, 2026.
Tickets: https://chicagopuppetfest.org/event/the-enormous-crocodile/ (for performances January 29-February 1, 2026)
enormouscrocodilemusical.com/chicago (for performances February 2-February 21, 2026)
Recommended for all ages.
Running time: 60 minutes
The Enormous Crocodile was originally co-produced by Roald Dahl Story Company, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and Leeds Playhouse. The Enormous Crocodile musical was developed by Roald Dahl Story Company, Emily Lim, Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab, Suhayla El-Bushra, and Tom Brady.
US Tour General Management
Doreen Sayegh for Pemberley Productions
Rosie Bross-Rice, Associate
Jimmy Yandoli, Associate
Creative Team
Bookwriter and Lyricist | Suhayla El-Bushra
Composer and Additional Lyrics | Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab
Additional Music and Lyrics, Orchestrations, Arrangements and Music Supervisor | Tom Brady
Direction and Development | Emily Lim
Co-Director and Puppetry Designer | Toby Olié
Set and Costume Designer | Fly Davis
Puppetry Co-Designer and Supervisor | Daisy Beattie
Digital Designer and Production Draughting | Tim Blazdell
Choreographer | Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu
Lighting Designer | Jessica Hung Han Yun
Sound Designer | Tom Gibbons
Music Technology and Ableton Programmer | Phij Adams
Musical Director | Gabriel Margolis
Casting Director | Annelie Powell CDG
Voice Coach | Aundrea Fudge
Singing Coach | Tina Thomas
Copyist | Ann Barnard
Associate Director | Tash Holway
Associate Director | Blythe Stewart
Associate Puppetry Director | Michael Jean-Marain
Associate Lighting Designer | Lucy Adams
Associate Sound Designer | Johnny Edwards
Associate Choreographer | Shanelle Clemenson
Music Associate | Màth Roberts
Costume Supervisor | Rebecca Gunstone
Wigs Hair and Make-up Supervisor | Bethan Owens
Casting Associate | Gabriella Shimeld-Fenn
Follow The Enormous Crocodile at enormouscrocodilemusical.com/.