Submitted
Rehearsals are now underway for the Hays High School fall play, “Peter Pan – Journey To Neverland.”
Scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. on Nov. 13-15 and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 16, it will be the first theatrical production in the new Performing Arts Center (PAC) at HHS. Ticket information will be announced at a later date.
According to director Bill Gasper, the play is an original non-musical adaptation of the 1911 novel by J.M. Barrie, which is an expanded version of his 1904 play. Gasper said both the novel and play are in the public domain, which has led to numerous non-musical and musical adaptations.
“Many people mistakenly believe that Peter Pan is a musical, but that’s not the case,” Gasper said. “The first musical adaptation was the 1950 Broadway production with music and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein. In fact, it wasn’t even a full-scale musical. A later 1954 musical adaptation became the version most people recognize. Disney also released an animated musical version in 1953.”
Gasper said the HHS version maintains the charm of the original, which follows the adventure of Peter Pan and his friends, including Wendy Darling, her brothers, the Lost Boys, and the pirate Captain Hook, in the magical land of Neverland. The story explores themes of childhood, imagination, and the transition from childhood to adulthood.
“Although we’re not equipped to actually ‘fly’ actors, our version features plenty of action with humorous moments throughout,” Gasper said. “It truly is a fun performance for the entire family.”
Auditions for the play took place on Sept. 9 and 10, with rehearsals getting underway on Sept. 16. It features a cast of 24 with additional students serving as members of the crew.
“The first week of rehearsals went very well,” Gasper said. “I’m very pleased with the overall talent of the cast and crew, and the new Performing Arts Center is simply a great facility. The transition to working in a new space comes with certain challenges, but I’m excited to be part of its first theatrical production.”
PETER PAN - JOURNEY TO NEVERLAND
Adapted by Bill Gasper
From the public domain works of J.M. Barrie
