This fall, the MHS drama club is putting on a production of Peter/Wendy, a simple version of the classic Peter Pan story. Performances are Friday, the 15th of November at 7 PM and Saturday, the 16th at 7 PM. In addition to the performances this November, Peter/Wendy will compete in the Massachusetts Education Theater Guild Drama Festival in early March against other high schools all around Massachusetts. Ashley Skeffington, the director and English teacher at MHS, is most excited about the many new elements involved in the show. This includes flight choreography by Maia Williamson and fight sequences taught by Will Johnston, who Ms. Skeffington invited to teach the drama students at the high school basic stage combat. She is most excited that “the cast gets to flex some new skills,” which is very interesting for performers and audience members alike.
One thing to keep in mind is that this is not your average Peter Pan, but rather a basic version of the beloved story with a focus on the psychological elements. Isabelle Tinti-Kane, a senior at MHS who is part of the ensemble, most appreciates the fact that much of the dialogue is taken directly from J.M. Barrie’s original play, which was written over one hundred years ago. Because of this, much of the story is told in a narrational manner which further separates Peter/Wendy from the typical story. The style is very different from the Disney version we are accustomed to, which gives the audience something new to watch.
Despite many difficulties during the rehearsal process, like the many days off from school during the past few weeks, the cast and crew of Peter/Wendy have been working incredibly hard on this production. In order to learn all of the stage combat, the cast has attended extra rehearsals to make the performances more realistic and exciting for viewers, and their dedication will pay off on the 15th and 16th of November. Please help support the MHS drama department and the entire cast and crew by coming to see Peter/Wendy at the MVMS PAC this fall!