By Josh Wainright, PPT

Peter is the oldest son of the Hatcher family, and he’s fed up with his younger brother getting all the attention and getting away with everything. Grown-ups think Fudge is absolutely adorable, but Peter and his pet turtle, Dribble, know the truth. Fudge is actually a tiny terror in disguise; causing mischief everywhere he goes and making Peter feel like a fourth grade nothing.

Whether throwing temper tantrums, smearing restaurant walls with mashed potatoes, throwing popcorn at people when they go to the movies, or otherwise making Peter’s life miserable; one catastrophe follows another as Fudge turns the house upside down with his antics.

Based on the popular title by perennial favorite Judy Blume, Piedmont Players Theatre’s first full-length youth production of the season, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, is a humorous look at family life and the troubles that can only be caused by a younger sibling.

Published in 1972, Blume came up with the idea for this story after reading a newspaper account of a young boy eating a pet turtle. Fudge proved to be such a popular character, Blume continued with 4 more books in the series about the irrepressible trouble maker.

Adults as well as children will recognize other Blume titles including; Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret; Blubber; and Just as Long as We’re Together. She has also written four novels for adults, Summer Sisters; Smart Women; Wifey and In the Unlikely Event, all of them New York Times bestsellers. More than 85 million copies of her books have been sold, and her work has been translated into thirty-two languages. Among Blume’s many awards is the Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement.

In a national survey published in USA Today, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing came in fourth place as students’ favorite book.

PPT’s production of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing opens at the Norvell Theater next Thursday.  For tickets call 704-633-5471 or purchase  at PiedmontPlayers.com. Show Dates: March 30-April 1 and April 6-8 at 7:30 p.m., April 1, 2 and 8 at 2:30 p.m. Adults $14, seniors/students $12. Producing Partners: Owen and Elizabeth Norvell.

MEET THE CAST

PETER  Clinton Efird

FUDGE  Cooper Thomason

MOM  Emma Patterson

DAD  Michael Bass

JENNIE & MURRAY  Aaliyah Cain

VINCENT Cooper Fleeman

CAMERAMAN  Drew Bitzer

JIMMY  Eli Thomason

AMBULANCE DRIVER 1  Emery Franz

RALPH  Fares Khatib

AMBULANCE DRIVER 2  Grace Bemus

DENBERG Griffin Evans

BERMAN Hannah Carr

CONE Hayes Hartpence

JANET  Jillian Rippey

SHEILA  Jordan Dry

YARBY Jude Smeltzer

MRS. YARBY and 1ST MOTHER  Laura Bullock

NURSE and 2ND MOTHER  Lucero Mercado

DR. BROWN Macy Abramson

SAM  Sophie Carter