Peter Pan Memories
Peter Pan Memories
As with many celebrations this time of year, a production of ‘Peter Pan’ can stir recollections old and new of a time when the experience is touched by magic, wonder, reflection and of course, joy. For some of us, it provided the initial spark the gave us the theater bug, which we have been ‘scratching’ in some form or another ever since.
With the upcoming production of The Theater Project’s ‘Peter Pan’ we are focusing this blog on memories many of us had - or are making - while participating in this timeless classic.
The show is already sold out, but we urge anyone reading this to add their memory of how Peter Pan affected them, past or present, as an actor, audience member, even watching it on tv.. Surely this marvelous tale of hope, redemption, love, and transformation has affected us all.
Ok. On that note, I am diving in:
My first experience in an actual production of ‘Peter Pan’ occurred as a member of Tuft’s ‘Magic Circle Theater’ when I was about 9 or ten. Fresh off an elementary school production of ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ where I played…. You guessed it, with my new found stage confidence and egoism, I was convinced with all certainty I would be playing Wendy. Never mind the substantial line up of slightly older, very qualified girls already ‘gunning’ for the part, I was sure it would be mine. The cast list comes out, and there I am at the bottom: Bronwen Crothers - Lost Boy/Tree. I was crestfallen, annoyed and filled with self righteous anger that there was surely a mistake and I was going to confront the director about this obvious error in casting.
After my parents walked me back from my indignation, and convinced me that ‘there are no small parts, only small actors.’ I vowed to be the most extraordinary Lost Boy/Tree that anyone had ever seen. Somewhere there is photo documentation. What I did learn from this though, is that filling a small role with zeal, gusto and a good backstory will always stand one in good stead no mater what cards are dealt to you, on stage or off..
To those lucky enough to have tickets to the already sold out ‘Peter Pan’, we hope you will be as bewitched as the rest of us. We also hope you will come back and see other productions at The Theater Project.
What follows is a collection of Peter Pan Memories (in no particular order) with thanks to all who contributed:
Corrie Legge
Back in 2006, I had the privilege of acting in Theater Project’s Young Company production of Peter Pan, and I never looked back. Because of Peter Pan, I made my three longest, best friends. Friends who have been with me through the highest highs and the lowest lows of life, and who, just a few weeks ago, all stood beside me as I married my best friend. But, ironically, it was another boy (and the Theater Project of course) that brought us all together.
Long story short, I got cast in Peter Pan. Of course the illogical freshman in me forgot that I had absolutely NO time for rehearsals, because I was taking drivers ed every day after school at the exact same time as Peter Pan rehearsals (*face palm*). I was devastated, and thought for sure I’d have to drop the show. But, that wasn’t the case. Instead, the production team worked with me and my incredibly limited availability. I took on a very small role (a mermaid and a pirate), and only attended rehearsal for 2 hours on weekends for the first few weeks of rehearsal.
And I’m so thankful I did.
Because I had such restricted availability for rehearsals, I didn’t meet the whole cast until much closer to opening night. There were a few girls I eventually met that I liked (hint hint, these are the best friends I mentioned before), but I didn’t get to know them very well (yet). But there was this one boy, who was a pirate with me, who I had a major crush on. I’m talking huge. Now, I was NOT one of the cool kids at my school, but take me out of a world where everyone knew me as the theater geek and straight A nerd, and I was the exotic actor from out of town. So this guy, who in my mind never would have looked twice at me in Falmouth, talked to me and flirted with me. I was smitten.
So naturally, when he said that he’d be auditioning for the Theater Project’s next production that winter, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I knew I would be as well (my parents weren’t very psyched that I chose to do the show 40 minutes from our house instead of the one in my hometown, but they got over it). It was during that production that I got over the boy, though we remained close friends, and I instead found my girls. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
Emily Bowie
Weddle, Johanna and I went to First Parish growing up and the summer after 8th grade we regularly attended a youth group together. Al Miller came to our youth group and did a whole class on improvisation that was obviously amazing. I remember he even told me “I remember teaching your mother and aunts!” (Talk about CRAZY! I think he taught my aunt who is the mother of my cousin who is in Peter Pan this time around). Anyway, Weddle, Joho and I all begged our parents to let us audition for Peter Pan and such began an era.
I can’t even remember all of our parts. I was Tootles (which I only remember because Corrie’s stepdad still to this day calls me Tootles), and I think Johanna was another lost boy with me. Emily was Michael, I definitely remember that. Maybe Corrie was one of the natives?
After Peter Pan the four of us stayed in touch, but the magic was born when I convinced (maybe bullied) Weddle into inviting Corrie to her birthday party. It was just the four of us who stayed overnight and someone had an empty notebook. NBG (or ‘the notebook girls’) was born that night. We used this notebook (we all wrote in different colors) to stay in touch between three different schools for almost all of high school.
The theater held the four of us together for four years, it was a place outside of our three high schools in which we could be ourselves, be together, and get through things together (real life things). The theater was our safe space, our place of solidarity, and the notebook was how we took that with us into our “outside” lives.
Gabe Tower
I have many fond memories of ‘Peter and the Star Catcher’ (a Peter Pan “prequel” performed at The Theater Project last season). I made some very close friends with some the people I worked with. To the point at which I still spend time with most of them. And most of them are friendly with me even after I finished eating most of the snacks. It (my part in the play) challenged me to be a much younger person than I normally am. This is proving very useful in (the current production of) Peter Pan. As I’ve been told on numerous occasions that I act like I’m a 40 year old man.
Karin Baard
Peter Pan was one of my favorite movies growing up (and unsurprisingly the source of a few Halloween costumes!). I was thrilled when I got the chance to be in the show as a junior in high school. I played Nana the dog and Tiger Lily. I’ll never forget when, after a show weekend, my high school crush cam into math class on Monday morning and emphatically exclaimed, “yo, Karin! You make the best dog noises ever!” (I didn’t even know he’d been to the show). Talk about some good old fashioned teenage angst mixed with pride. But it’s a story I remember and did teach me a good lesson about fully committing to a role! At least he thought I was convincing!
Lee Paige
Full Circle: It is often hard to accept that some of our young actors have grown up. It has been a joy to watch Karin, a full fledged adult, at the helm of this week’s production of Peter Pan. Years ago she played Tiger Lily and Nana in the show when I directed it and she shone with the same light touch, professionalism and humor then that abounds now. She, like Wendy Darling, and TTP are not far below the surface in this delightful adult!
