Peter Pan: The Musical ... epilogue

There are a few performances of Peter Pan: The Musical left.


The last time I saw this show was when Theatre Calgary presented it, many Christmases ago.


Then, Dalton and Ceilidh were the children in the audience.  Ceilidh sat on my lap and I could feel Dalton's body pressed against mine for the length of the show.

Zach and Gabe pose with their friend, Aiden, and with Audra

There is a lot going on:  pirates, fights between pirates and Indians, fights between pirates and lost boys, a dog lonely for the children who have gone missing, parents longing for their children to return home.


And worst of all, lost childen recognizing that they need mothers to cook for them, clean for them, and to sew pockets in their clothing.

Hard to know how any of these themes can make this show fit the classification of "comedy".

... Zoe gives a hug to a lost boy ...

If you are intereted in a lovely evening out, get in touch with Marcia.


She may have a few tickets tucked away in her purse.


Arta

Peter Pan: The Musical ... the afterward

Smee and Audra

There is a chance to speak with the performers once the show has ended.


Just meet them in the lobby with your programme in hand.


They will sign so that you can have a memento for the occasion.


As well, you can ask them any questions you have when the show is over.

we are pointing to Zach and Gabe on the cast poster

Audra is one of their repeat audience members.



She may have seen four performances now.



And she doesn't seem to get bored with any of the show, but sits on the edge of her seat as though she is seeing it for the first time.

 ... Audra, Captain Hook and the Princess ...

Do you remember the part in the show where Tinker Bell drinks the poison to save Peter's life.


The only way to cure her is for audience members to believe in fairies.



They can show their belief by clapping their hands.


So far ... there have been enough believers in the audience, that Tinker Bell gets to live.



That is one hard moment in the show -- one where the audience suspension of disbelief makes it possible for her life to continue.  I clapped and hollered as loudly as the rest.

Peter Pan: The Musical - count the hours

... catch the beauty of the make-up on all four ....
could be a free-for-all in your mother's make-up bag
so appropriate for lost boys

Community theatre is a pretty wonderful place.

During the intermission I heard a little girl next to me say about the last song we heard, "I tried out for this musical.  That is the song I had to learn.  It was so hard, no one knows how difficult it is to sing."

She was right.

Difficult music.

... two lost boys and Peter Pan ...

Hours of rehearsals.

Driving to and from the practices.

Giving up other social events because they conflict with scheduled rehearsal time.

Waiting for other scenes to finish so that your scene can begin.

Spending your time backstage while others are watching the total performance.

Community theatre ... a pretty wonderful place.

Arta

Peter Pan: The Musical - In the beginning ....

... waiting for our turn on stage ..

Here is part of the show no one sees:  that hour when the make up goes on, the hair is coiffed, and the costumes are taken from the hangers and putting lost boys into character.

At the same time, families are bundling themselves into cars and getting to the foyer early.  No admittance until well into the first act.

Children are being put to bed, characters are flying through the air, fairy dust is being sprinkled in the air,  dogs are barking at the presence of unknown and unseen characters and a mom and dad are getting ready to go out to dinner.

... getting in character ...

Pre-performance work is going on downstairs.

Make up is being applied.

Lap tops are keeping actors in their seats and waiting for cues.

... gettng Zach's hair "right"...

The hair does feel more like having your mom scrub your hair when she is mad at you.

But there is no turning back.

There is only one way to get into character.

And that is by becoming one of the lost boys -- you know, the kind who need someone to cook and clean for them.  And to sew pockets on ther clothes.

More later ....

Pics for this post were supplied by Marcia Bates