Students fly to Neverland

Staff Writer

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Students are offering a chance to lose yourself in Neverland at 6:30 p.m. today and Friday during a performance of “Peter Pan” at the State Theater on Main Street.

Gina Prather directs more than 30 local teens in the play originally penned by J.M. Barrie in 1904.

“We are doing the original 100-year-old script by James Barrie,” Prather said. “So, the wording we've had to change a little bit to make it more modern, but it has withstood 100 years of time because the message is so beautiful.”

Megan Walsh, 16, stars as Wendy, her first lead performance in a play.

“I think it's definitely a lesson in love, yes, because there's Peter and Wendy, but in this play Wendy gives up Peter because she knows its better for him to be off in Neverland, she knows he wouldn't want to get tied down,” Walsh said. “He gives up his life in this scene, when he saves her and lets her go, and in kind she ends up saving him of course. I think the lesson is self-sacrifice.”

Prather said, “That's a message well worth communicating and listening to, so that is why I wanted the kids to know that message and I wanted our audience to learn that true love is sacrificial.”

Prather and many of the actors have worked together before in performances of “You're A Good Man Charlie Brown,’ “Tom Sawyer” and “It's A Wonderful Life.” She said the actors were very excited when they found out they would be auditioning for “Peter Pan.”

“They just flipped out,” Prather said. “Because who doesn't love sword fighting? And it's just so whimsical.”

The home-schooled teens auditioned for the roles in December and began rehearsing the play every week starting in January. But this week they have put in long hours every day putting the final touches on the performance.

“This is turning out to be a wonderful performance,” said Assistant Director Janelle Walsh. “I walk into the theater and I lose myself for the day. That's where I am — I am in Neverland for a whole day.”

Admission is free, but Prather said they encourage donations to fund future performances and to give to a good cause.

“We have a lot of military kids, and their daddies are overseas right now,” Prather said. “And so this gives them something to do and take their minds off of it. And a portion of what we get we are going to give to the Wounded Warrior Project in honor of them.”

Prather said attendees will walk away from the show having seen excellent theater, understanding a beautiful message and will have hope for the future when they see what the kids can do.

“It is extremely optimistic to watch people this age do something very well that you can tell they really worked at, it gives you hope for the future generations,” Prather said. “It's amazing, and its well worth coming out and seeing.”