Magik Theatre to celebrate opening of ‘The BFG’ and 30th anniversary at community party

The Big Friendly Giant show marks end of season, start of 30th birthday year

Magik Theatre will present "The BFG" starting May 4, 2024 (Magik Theatre)

The Magik Theatre is ending the season and kicking off its 30th anniversary at the same time.

This season’s final show, “The BFG” (short for The Big Friendly Giant) is based on the beloved novel by Roald Dahl.

Recommended Videos



“The BFG” will play at the theater from May 4 to June 2.

Magik Theatre officials said bringing “The BFG” to the stage was a “giant effort.”

“Adapting The BFG for the stage required a blend of creativity and innovation. We approached the task by considering the importance of scale—how to make the fantastical world of giants and humans come alive in a theatrical setting,” said director Anthony Runfola.

Tickets cost $25 for adults and $20 for children ages 3-17, military, seniors, educators and students. The Magik Theatre is located at 420 South Alamo Street.

The Magik Theatre will celebrate the show’s opening night along with its 30th anniversary at a 4:30 p.m. party on May 4 at Hemisfair Park. There will be games, circus-style entertainment and sweet treats, and Magik Theatre will unveil its 30th-anniversary season. The party will be attended by some “community giants” — city and county leaders. Attendees can see how they measure up against San Antonio’s big friendly giant, Victor Wembanyama, with a life-size cutout of the Spurs player. Following the 6 p.m. performance, audience members can grab a cupcake and a glass of champagne or sparkling grape juice for a toast.

Here is a list of special events and performances for “The BFG” with descriptions provided by The Magik Theatre:

  • GIANT 30th Birthday Party Celebration & BFG Opening Night Party in the Park | Sat., May 4, 4:30 p.m.
  • Educator Appreciation Performance | Sun., May 12, 3 p.m. - Educators and school faculty are eligible for one free ticket to this performance with proof of I.D. Additional tickets are available to purchase for these performances at a discount of 50% off the regular ticket prices with promo code THANKYOU50.
  • Sensory-Friendly Performance | Sat., May 18, 10 a.m. - Audience members on the autism spectrum and those with sensory issues can take in a special performance of The BFG designed just for them. Kids and adults are free to be themselves in this relaxed, judgment-free theatre experience.
  • Pay What You Wish Performance | Sun., May 26, 3 p.m. - As part of Magik Theatre’s mission to make theatre accessible to everyone, the organization holds one donation-based performance. Tickets are only available at the door on Sunday, May 26.
  • American Sign Language Interpreted Performance | Sat., May 25, 2 p.m. - Patrons who communicate with ASL can attend this performance featuring Robert Cardoza, the San Antonio theatre community’s primary American Sign Language interpreter.

About “The BFG”:

When young orphan Sophie accidentally encounters a giant, she is understandably frightened for her life. Thankfully the giant in question happens to be the BFG - the Big Friendly Giant - who doesn’t eat humans and instead spends his time catching dreams in Dream Country in order to give the good ones to children and destroy the nightmares. But the BFG has a problem, his five giant neighbors, who bully him when not stealing humans to eat, decide to head to England for a dinner of British children. With Sophie’s help, the BFG goes on an incredible journey to Buckingham Palace and convinces the Queen to save England from these absolutely unfriendly giants. Adapted by David Wood, Magik Theatre’s production of The BFG is made possible in part by a generous grant from the Russell Hill Rogers Fund for the Arts while the GIANT 30th birthday party is made possible by H-E-B, Magik’s Premier event sponsor.

The Big Friendly Giant is brought to life by Mason Anthony Ortiz who is joined by his little friend, Clarissa Cortez as Sophie. The rest of the cast includes Trisch Moy, Queen of Sweden, Amy Bouquet, Queen of England, Michael Robets as Mr. Tibbs, Stephanie Higley as Head of the Air Force, Katrin Blucker Ludwig as Head of the Army and Lauren Campion as Swing. Sound design is by John Michael Hoke.


About the Author

Julie Moreno has worked in local television news for more than 25 years. She came to KSAT as a news producer in 2000. After producing thousands of newscasts, she transitioned to the digital team in 2015. She writes on a wide variety of topics from breaking news to trending stories and manages KSAT’s daily digital content strategy.

Recommended Videos