Peter Pan is directed by Arts Education Director Rachel Kuhnle - her second youth show at Festival Theatre after directing Children of Mystery River last fall.
The story of Peter Pan is a familiar one - the Darling children leave behind the safety of their nursery to fly away to the magical land of Neverland with Peter Pan, the boy who refuses to grow up. There they fight pirates and have adventures until they nearly forget they ever had parents who loved them. Kuhnle is taking the tale and putting a new spin on it.
“We’re trying a lot of lovely things and we’re really trying to transform the space,” says Kuhnle.
The framework for the story is a child’s backyard birthday party with a pair of swings and a picnic table. "By setting the play at a child's birthday party, the themes are at the forefront. Birthdays are exciting for kids but they can also be a little bit scary - like the magical world of Neverland."
Also featured in the production is Guest Artist Sherry Pearce, last seen on the Festival Theatre stage in last season's Children of Mystery River and The Real Inspector Hound.
The show will perform at the Franklin Square Black Box. Tickets are $13.50 for adults and $8.50 for students or youth (ages 5-25) and can be purchased at FestivalTheatre.org, emailing festivaltheatreboxoffice@gmail.com or by calling the box office at 715-483-3387.