SET OFF ON A MAGICAL MUSICAL ADVENTURE TO NEVERLAND

   

    West Hartford's Conard High School is inviting you to put on your magic flying shoes, sprinkle yourself with fairy dust and take off for the wondrous world called NeverLand, where boys choose not to grow up.  Dive into an adventurous visit with that eternal youth, Peter Pan, who professes to dislike grown ups so much he vows never to be one.
   
The Conard High School Musical Theater Department, under the direction of Corinne Kravetz, has assembled a fine production of J. M. Barrie‘s classic tale “Peter Pan” as a musical with rehearsals being in January. It is set to delight children and adults alike from Friday and Saturday, March 15 and 16 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 17 at 2 p.m. and again Friday and Saturday, March 22 and 23 at 7 p.m.   


    When Peter Pan, a high flying Colleen Litchfield, and his luminous pal Tinker Bell fly through the bedroom window of the Darling children, Wendy (Brigid Lucey), Michael (Owen Painter) and John (Jake Binder), all their lives are changed forever.  Peter flies with his new friends to NeverLand to meet the Lost Boys, where Wendy becomes “mother,” telling bedtime stories and sewing socks. On this island, they encounter a tribe of friendly Indians led by Tiger Lily (Billie Jefferson) and a band of mean pirates led by Captain Hook (Henley A. L. Solomon, Jr.), as well as mermaids and crocodiles. 
   
Both Tinker Bell and Peter prove their courage, as the young audience gets to prove that fairies really exist by shouting and clapping their belief.  Corinne Kravetz directs this charming story of one boy who defied the ordinary rules of childhood, with an able assist from ZFX Flying Effects out of New York who handled all the incredible flying techniques.

At a recent rehearsal Brigid Lucey, who plays Wendy Darling, reflected on being in this production.  This is her third year on stage, having already appeared in "Footloose," "Six Degrees of Separation" and "Beauty and the Beast."  As a junior, 17, she has found flying "exhilarating," "awesome" and just a little anxiety driven.  The anticipation of taking off in flight is a little nerve wracking, especially going up 8-9 feet, but she likes it a lot.  Trained by Jason Shumacher from ZFX, he has taught the fathers of the actors to help pull the ropes.  Landings can be hard but Brigid uses her experience as an Irish step dancer to help her point one foot first as she hits the ground.  Brigid is but one of the grand cast of 54, who are assisted by an almost all-student orchestra of 30.
   
For tickets ($15), come early and purchase tickets at the door or online at conardhighschoolmusical.com.   The school is located at 110 Beechwood Road, West Hartford.
   
Take a child by the hand and fly off on a magical musical adventure, where crocodiles tell time and big fluffy sheep dogs named Nana(Alyssa Murray) serve as nursemaids and boys named Peter Pan never grow up if they are given a choice.