News Center

April 11, 2016 — The Allegheny College Playshop Theatre presents “Peter Pan and Wendy” April 21-24, with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and matinee performances at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets for the production, in the Gladys Mullenix Black Theatre in the Vukovich Center for Communication Arts, can be purchased by calling 814-332-3414.

“Peter Pan and Wendy,” adapted by Doug Rand from the timeless novel by J. M. Barrie, is directed by Beth Watkins.

“I chose this particular adaptation because I like the framing device of story-theatre,” Watkins says. “There is tremendous theatrical potential in this version to exercise the audiences’ imaginations, both through the story-telling but also through the medium of movement. Movement is implied many times in the script: flying, swimming, climbing, walking the plank, running and swordplay/fighting. In our production, characters will ‘fly’ through imaginative means—not on wires, as in the Mary Martin version of the play, but via rolling nursery beds, falling from the sky, and being elevated by other actors.”

Puppets represent several characters in the production. Nana, the children’s dog/nanny, is a bunraku puppet, Tinkerbell is a glove puppet, Tiger Lily is a stick-and-rod puppet and the Crocodile is partly an actor in costume and partly puppet.

“This production should appeal to audiences of all ages,” Watkins says. “Our overall goal is to tell an exciting adventure story, fueled by the power of a child’s imagination and tempered with the rueful poignancy of parents who must allow their children to grow up.”

Michael Mehler designed the scenery and lighting for “Peter Pan and Wendy,” guest artist Johna Sewell designed the costumes and puppets, and Betsy Sumerfield serves as movement coordinator. Allegheny College senior Karina Mena is stage manager.

The cast includes Allegheny students Itzel Ayala, Simon Brown, Max Copeland, Luke Aslanian Davis, Hayley Johnson, Matthew Lis, Nicholas Longo, Casey McDaniel, Aleäa Rea, Christopher Schuchert, Nia Shuler, Chloe Spadafora, Emily Starr, Kai van Rosendaal and Emily Wilson.

Tickets for “Peter Pan and Wendy” are $10 for adults and $8 for non-Allegheny students, children, senior citizens and Allegheny employees. Although admission is free for Allegheny students with identification, they are asked to make reservations.

Photo by Bill Owen. Clockwise from left: Emily Wilson, Luke Davis (center), Simon Brown and Casey McDaniel