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Peter Pan by Young Actors' Theatre 
It’s a land filled with pirates and Indians and Lost
Children and fairies still flitting about, and where every square inch is crammed with
adventure. It's the place where dreams are born and time is never planned. It is,
of course, the land of Neverland. James M. Barrie’s childhood classic is more
than a hundred years old and as popular now as ever, and probably always will
be so long as children believe in fairies. And the belief in fairies appears to
be alive and well at the Young Actors’ Theatre in Spring Valley where their
junior division of eighth graders on down to six year olds are currently
putting on this beloved musical.
The crowing Kyle Woodrow heads this play as Peter Pan – the boy who refuses to grow old. Kyle’s got an enthusiasm for playful adventure and an innate distaste for adult responsibility (unless it means an opportunity to be heroic) that are so essential for the part. Of course, every hero needs a worthy adversary, and he’s certainly got that with the dastardly Captain Hook. The only older student in the show at eighteen, Luke Benning is a towering figure and a remarkably entertaining villain with a comically evil voice and sense of humor that he uses to lead his bumbling pirates against Peter and his fun-loving band of Lost Children. We get introduced to Neverland through three English siblings – Wendy, John, and Michael Darling. Wendy is played beautifully by Megan Martin who nicely portrays the nurturing, motherly side of Wendy and the girl who likes the boy she can never really have. Her lovely voice makes for a mesmerizing duet with Peter Pan in the musical’s signature song Neverland and the added romantic ballad Let’s Not Say Goodbye written by Terri Martin just for this production. John (Jacob Gardenswartz) and Michael (Corey Hable) are proper young English chaps who quickly embrace the new adventures as Lost Children but eventually long for England and home. As Mrs. Darling, Ariana Ramirez sings the kids to sleep with the lullaby Tender Shepherd while dad (Luke Benning) acts grown up by demanding “a little less noise” (but can’t quite hide the child inside when it comes to taking his medicine). And then, of course, there’s the children’s loyal guard dog Nana adorably portrayed by Julia Benning as she plays with the kids, barks at potential dangers, and makes a point of bugging the humbug Mr. Darling. The show also features a good group of Ugh-a-Wug Indian warriors/dancers with a strong performance by Hallie Meth as their fearless leader Tiger Lily. And Director Jean Isaac managed to find a totally charming clan of Lost Children (a gender update from the traditional “Lost Boys”) that includes a nervously twitchy Tootles (Cory Woodrow) and a hilariously intense and expressive Raelyn Mason along with her amusing twin Cody Salvo Clements. They all deliver one of the show's greatest scenes with a spirited rendition of I Won't Grow Up. All the magic takes place within the walls of a former Washington Mutual Bank now known as the J. Isaac Pavilion – an intimate little theatre that is far too small to including flying children, but is just the right size for seeing dreams of childhood reborn and dying fairies brought back to life.Performs through May 21, 2005.
~ Cast ~
Peter Pan: Kyle Woodrow |
