THE DRAMA STUDIO
presents
Peter Pan
DECEMBER 10, 11 & 12; 16, 17, 18, & 19, 2010
Based on Trevor Nunn’s Adaptation of the original play by J. M. Barrie
Directed by Steve Hays
FIRST OF TWO REVIEWS
Reviewed by B. K. Grant
Peter Pan has quite a history: J. M. Barrie’s play debuted on stage in 1904, was followed by the novel in 1911, and several adaptations including but not limited to Disney, portrayals by actors Mary Martin, Sandy Duncan, Robin Williams and Jeremy Sumpter. Being a fan of Peter Pan, this reviewer was intrigued to experience the Drama Studio’s talents in the telling of this tale.
“Fasten your seat belts for the ride to Neverland.” Great narrative by Quinn Hegarty in full dress tuxedo and proper English dialect relates segments of the story, giving insight to background and motivation.
The stage was spaciously arranged to represent the bedroom of the Darling children. Wendy the eldest is played wonderfully by 14 year old Rachel Gallagher (remember the guard with gusto in ‘Antigone’?); the middle child John, with top hat and glasses is portrayed brilliantly by Damon D’Amico; and a delightful Daniel Kemple succeeds as the youngest, teddy-toting Michael.
Their socially-conscious parents Mr. and Mrs. Darling are superbly portrayed by Dan Morbyrne (who also generates excitement as Captain Hook, and serves this production as sound designer) and Rebecca Paul.
Peter Pan is not unlike the mischievous Greek god of the woodlands. Giving an animated performance of the boy who refused to grow up, 15 yr old Seth Olsen nails the title role as he flies through the air with the greatest of ease. His true friend Tinker Bell is the fantastic result of the combined talents of Jessie Berliner and Molly Bogin. Petite Carly Daggett gives a powerful performance as Lisa, the servant; and Julia Adamo (Neverbird) is sweet as Jane, Wendy’s daughter, as she carries on the annual tradition. In the novel's last few sentences, Barrie mentions that Jane, Wendy’s daughter, has grown up, and that Peter now takes her daughter Margaret to Neverland. Barrie says this cycle will go on forever as long as children are "innocent and heartless".
Creating the wardrobe for this production was no easy task, given the needs of six lost boys, five pirates, eight mermaids and five Amazons, not to mention Nana the attentive nurse-dog (Christina Stanislawski) and Tick Tock the persistent croc (Christina Kapinos). Kudos to Greta Breglio-Redman for excellent costuming. The technique of the lighting and scene designers (Dan Hayden and Bethany McComis) is ingenious during the use of well placed spots and ladders capturing the flight of Peter and the children to Neverland. Stage manager Lucy Gouvin and the floor crew orchestrates smooth scene changes and the technical direction (Craig Milne) shines.
When director Steve Hays introduced this production of Peter Pan as an “ambitious one for the Drama Studio”, we knew we were in for a treat. At the final curtain, we were not disappointed: this production with nearly forty cast members is alive with enthusiasm, humor, action and just plain fun. Give yourself a present and don’t miss this Drama Studio offering.
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SECOND OF TWO PETER PAN REVIEWS
PETER PAN
Never Growing Up
Ain't Easy
Reviewed by Donna Bailey-Thompson
The stage, in spite of its austere setting -- the Victorian nursery of the Darling children -- charms, beguiles. Dominating the room designed for magical moments is a greatly oversized window approximately ten feet high, four feet wide, which frames six windowpanes. A crisp white lace curtain falls as far as the wide windowsill. From there to the floors, it's another foot. Three narrow beds complete with bedding topped by coverlets occupy their own important space as does a large doghouse. The inanimate await the actors.When they burst upon the scene, the energy of a loving, tight-knit family suffuses the theater. Meet the Darlings! The father, Mr. Darling (played expansively by Dan Morbyrne) and Mrs. Darling (Rebecca Paul, a perfect mother) and their children Michael (the youngest, played by Daniel Kemple, age 11, always ready for adventure), then John (Damon D'Amico, age 12, at home on the stage in his first play), and Wendy (Rachel Gallagher, age 14) who gives a nuanced performance: her emotions play across her lovely face, a demeanor reminiscent of a young Elizabeth Taylor. And Nana, the family dog who serves as their nurse, fulfills responsibilities such as pulling back the covers -- how fey can this be? As Nana, Christina Stanislawsk, age 12, bounds, skids, and is the dog every kid longs for.
Everyone, including the dog, is suspended in a rosy time. Mr. Darling is a bit of a flake; even Mrs. Darling is borderline ditzy. The kids are perpetually ready to set aside reality. During the idyllic ritual of a bedtime story, Peter Pan flies through the open window into the nursery, and the Darlings – and us too – are changed forever.
As Peter Pan, Seth Olsen, now a 7th year Drama Studio student, endows the Peter Pan character with the ability to experience the fun of not growing up while simultaneously feeling the toll exacted on him for deliberately creating a lifestyle contrary to Nature. His angst is multilayered. In the midst of a carefree moment, his Peter Pan seems to experience a shot of reality. For a few seconds, he’s confused, even unhappy; he shakes it off, but the seed has been exposed.
When Wendy detects any fissures in Peter’s adopted persona, wordlessly she hopes the love she feels for this somewhat older person will be reciprocated. But Peter’s commitment to never growing up is stronger than the pull he feels for Wendy, While he struggles not to grow up, ultimately, Wendy accepts the inevitable responsibilities of adulthood.
In the meantime, Peter defies gravity, encouraging his entourage to fly with him. At times, this means encountering danger, i.e., the notorious Captain Hook as played in high camp mode to the hilt of his scabbard by Dan Morbyrne. (Maybe there’s a minimum of scenery because Captain Hook ate it?) The sword fight between Peter and Captain Hook ends badly for the posturing mariner but a well-timed belch whitewashes the horror and so Peter Pan retains its G rating.
As Pirate Smee, Austin Yelinek is in the thick of whatever is going on, being fierce when required and funny when not. There’s a slithering Crocodile 50 feet long (I exaggerate) which isn’t fake enough not to arouse alarm. Cnristina Kapinos, a high school junior, trained for this role with Wild Kingdom. (Just kidding, but her Croc is that good.) For a total change of pace, there’s a mermaid tableau, an authentic-appearing, tail-slapping bevy of young beauties posed in a lagoon against an endless tropical sky. As the water rises, threatening Peter Pan’s safety, he plays with the waves and a subtle schick is born that prompts appreciative giggles. Seth Olsen is particularly gifted when it comes to showcasing his manual dexterity supported by shrugs and prevention of oops.
Throughout the play, a Storyteller (suave Quinn Hegarty) burnishes the story's threads, deciphering for clarity only when necessary. His calm demeanor lightens any darkness, soothes any fevered brows.
The joy of attending a Drama Studio production is due, in large part, to observing the joy the cast experiences while bringing a play to life. They are dedicated performers who are true to whatever character they are playing. Backing them up is the production crew who, in effect, keep the wheels greased. Everyone knows his job and performs it efficiently. Within a well-managed theater, doing your best to complement the production is everyone’s responsibility. The Drama Studio meets a high standard.
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How clever is Trevor Nunn’s adaptation of J. M. Barrie’s century-old favorite, Peter Pan? A cursory overview suggests almost nothing has been dropped from the original; and the subtle reasons for its alternative title, Peter and Wendy, are embedded in the text (and perhaps more accurately, within its texture). Our own exposure to a modern day Peter Pan wannabe is described in a piece Nunn wrote for THE SUNDAY TIMES about his meeting with Michael Jackson. An excerpt reads:
From The Sunday Times [archives]
July 5, 2009
Michael Jackson's Peter Pan obsession
When the theatre director was asked to meet the king of pop, he suspected a hoax. But the singer was seeking help to become the boy he had always wanted to be
[By] Trevor Nunn. . . In response to [Michael Jackson’s] questions, I told him things about Cats and Starlight Express, shows I had directed with the intention of finding more environmental, inclusive ways of presenting music theatre. In return, Michael told me how he yearned to be able to do something more spectacular, such as flying over the audience. “Oh, I know just how to do that, no problem,” I said banteringly. “I had people flying over the audience when I did Peter Pan.”
Something seismic had happened. He reacted as if an electric current had just passed through him. He sat up to the edge of his chair, clutching the arms with splayed hands, one of which was gloved. “You did Peter Pan?” he whispered.
“Yeah, in London,” I said.
He leapt up. “You directed Peter Pan?” The high-pitched voice went higher as he walked up and down in front of me, repeating: “Oh my God. Peter Pan! I don’t believe it.”
I described our production, in which all the children’s parts had been played by adult actors. He bounded across the room, his eyes full of tears, he knelt down in front of me, his hands on my knees, and he said: “Could I play Peter, is it too late? Will you let me play Peter? All I ever want to do is to play Peter Pan.”
To read the full article: http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_
entertainment/stage/theatre/article6634042.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1
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NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR/Steve Hays
The musical version of PETER PAN was my introduction to J. M. Barrie’s play, and like millions of Americans in the 1950s, I was thrilled by the black and white 1955 TV production. Directed by Jerome Robbins and starring Mary Martin and Cyril Ritchard, this version, with its great cast and musical score, was a delight.
Last summer while searching for a suitable play for the Studio’s December slot, I came upon Trevor Nunn’s new version of PETER PAN. I was intrigued by the production notes which revealed a more complex psychology at work than was written into the musical version. I was especially interested in the Peter/Wendy relationship and how this nuanced relationship could be better explored if the actors playing Peter and Wendy were young teens.
In 1904 when the play was first produced, child labor laws prevented actors from working after nine at night. Dion Boucicault, the great Irish actor and playwright, was the producer. To avoid a law suit, he cast his wife in the title role, thus establishing a tradition of casting mature women as Peter. The practice was abhorrent to J. M. Barrie who realized his play would lose the depth and subtlety he had so carefully crafted.
PETER PAN celebrates childhood where imagination can create a remarkable world of fantasy. Heroes fly, fairies exist, villains are witty, death is painless, and parental authority is absent. What child wouldn’t want to live in Never Land, at least for a little while? Peter and Wendy learn that there is a price to pay for leaving childhood behind and moving into adulthood.
As a play which explores adolescence, PETER PAN continues the Drama Studio’s tradition of presenting material which uplifts the experience of young people. I am grateful for the opportunity of presenting this wonderful script and thank our cast and production team for making this production possible.
THE CAST
STORYTELLER - QUINN HEGARTY
MRS DARLING - REBECCA PAUL
MR DARLING/CAPTAIN HOOK - DAN MORBYRNE
NANA - CHRISTINA STANISLAWSKI
WENDY - RACHEL GALLAGHER
JAN/NEVERBIRD - JULIA ADAMO
TINKER BELL LIGHT - JESSIE BERLINER
TINKER BELL SOUND - MOLLY BOGIN
MICHAEL - DANIEL KEMPLE
JOHN - DAMON D'AMICO
PETER PAN - SETH OLSEN
LIZA - CARLY DAGGETT
CROCODILE - CHRISTINA KAPINOS
LOST BOYS
TOOTLES - ALEX LABRIE
SLIGHTLY - LUKAS McNAMARA
NIBS - VICTOR CAPPAS
TWIN #1 - EITAN ROTHBERG
TWIN #2 - JACK WOODBURY
CURLY - DILLON FITZGERALD
PIRATES
SMEE - AUSTIN YELINEK
CECCO - WILLIAM MALDONADO
MULLINS - KYLE MORTON
JUKES - TRISTAN DONAHUE
STARKEY - TAYLOR MIDDLETON
MERMAIDS
ALANA ALSTON, AUBREY DAVIAU, BAILEY GAINES
EDEN KNUREK, CHLOE LEVINE, NICOLE OBERG
CHIARINA SARNO, ELIZABETH TIMM
AMAZONS
TIGER LILY - LENA MEGINSKY
PHOEBE - SARAH ETKIN
TOXIS - ARRIANNA DIMAIO
THERMADOSIA - JESSICA GARCIA
ATHENA - EMMA FRAZIER
PRODUCTION CREW
BOX OFFICE - JANET RICHARDS
DRESSERS - BRIA DOOLEY, KELSI FORD, RACHEL HALL
AND EMMA REDMAN, ADAIRE ROBINSON
FLOOR MANAGER - ADAIRE ROBINSON
FLOOR CREW - KATHLEEN BURKE, CASEY GEIGER
AND ARAIN RICHARDSON, TIERSEN WILLETTE-LOPEZ
FOLLOW SPOT OPERATOR - MEGAN SALVON
FLYING CREW - MAT BUSSLER, MAEVE GORMLEY
AND PETER WOODBURY
LIGHT OPERATOR - CANAAN KHATIB-COLON
PAINTER - AMBER TANUDJAJA
PLAYBILL - JANE SCHNEELOCH
SCENIC SEAMSTRESS - MEGAN HAVENER
SOUND DESIGN - MAT BUSSLER
SOUND OPERATOR - PETER PALEOLOGOPOULOS
Flying Effects are provided by ZFX, Inc.
www.zfxflyingcom
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