A singing crocodile with stage fright is about to make a very big splash in Delaware County. Upper Darby Summer Stage is preparing a new junior musical built around Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, with dozens of young performers taking on a production that asks its central character to find the nerve to sing.
The show opens Tuesday and runs through Thursday at the Haverford High School Performing Arts Center in Havertown. 6abc Philadelphia reported that the Upper Darby Summer Stage campers were selected to present what is being billed as a world premiere of the junior title, with 63 young stars in the cast.
The organizers describe the production as a pilot, and the musical’s official season page says it features new music from EGOT-winning composers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. The stage project grows out of the Bernard Waber books and the broader Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile film franchise, which has already given the singing reptile a Hollywood soundtrack; Playbill previously detailed the larger stage musical’s creative team and origins.
There is an extra Main Line connection in the score: Pasek is from Ardmore, while the young cast is supplying the local theatrical muscle. According to 6abc’s report, 15-year-old Cristian Fabian plays Lyle and 14-year-old Javier Cordoba plays the magician Hector.
Director Pat Walsh told 6abc that the production is designed to help students “break out of their shells and gain confidence,” a message that lines up neatly with Lyle’s own struggle to feel safe before stepping into the spotlight. The official show description similarly centers on Lyle and his human friends facing fears, finding their voices and learning to be themselves.
The premiere is also part of a major transition for the long-running youth theater program. Delco Today reported that Summer Stage moved its 2026 campus to Haverford High School because of construction, while the organization says its 51st season brings together more than 800 young people for eight professional-quality productions that draw nearly 25,000 audience members.
Five Performances Are Scheduled In Havertown
The production is scheduled for five performances: a 10:30 a.m. matinee Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, plus 7 p.m. evening shows Wednesday and Thursday. The official event listing provides ticket information and identifies the Haverford High School Performing Arts Center as the venue.
