Peter Pan
at Academy of the New Church

Reviewed on April 18, 2015

Molly Mendelson
Eastern Regional High School
Submitted for publication to Inquirer-1

Faries, flying, and fantastic magic came to life at Academy of the New Church for their production of Peter Pan. Beautiful sets, powerful leads, and energetic ensembles made for a great performance.

Based off J. M. Barrie's 1904 play and novel, Peter Pan tells the classic story of a boy who never grows up, and his magical life in Never Land. The original 1954 Broadway production won three Tony awards, and spawned many television performances of the musical. The show contains music by Jule Styne and Marc Charlap and lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green.

Ensembles of Lost Boys, Indians, and Pirates brought the story to life. Their energy, powerful vocals, and fun dances were highlighted in numbers like "I Won't Grow Up," "Hook's Waltz," and "Ugh-A-Wug."

The success of the show relies greatly on the actor chosen to play the iconic Peter, and Freshman Declan Durand gave a strong performance. His charisma and fun-loving attitude lit up the stage. His vocals were clear and powerful from start to finish. Hannah Dewees gave a lovely performance as the sweet Wendy Darling.

An array of supporting characters helped move the fun plot along. Ashley Smith gave an impressive performance as the villain Captain Hook. Ian McCollum shined as Smee. McCollum comedic chops made his performance a standout. Brianna Salvatori danced her way into our hearts as Tiger Lily.

Beautiful sets and special effects were a highlight of the show. Sets of London and Never Land were realistic and colorful. Set changes were quick and well executed. Students and music could be heard clearly during the entire show.

Overall the cast and crew of Academy of the New Church's Peter Pan put on a fun and lovely performance for all ages. The students proved that with a little pixie dust and talent anything is possible.

Anna Lieberman
Jack M Barrack Hebrew Academy
Submitted for publication to Inquirer-2

The students of Academy of the New Church soared in their production of Peter Pan this weekend! Filled with many ensembles, beautiful sets, and special effects, this show left the audience stunned.

About a boy who never grows up, the magical story of Peter Pan reminds viewers that although growing old is mandatory, growing up isn't. Originally published as a play by J.M. Barrie in 1904, the story was transformed into a Broadway musical in 1954 by Carolyn Leigh and Morris Charlap.

Declan Durand, playing Peter Pan, was an absolute delight to watch. His vocals were incredible and melodious, and his boyish charm and comic timing were wonderful. Ashley Smith conquered the role of Captain Hook. She commanded the stage and lead her pirates, and used physical comedy to her advantage. Her assistant, Smee, played by Ian McCollum, was delightful in his fear of Captain Hook, and he was quite hilarious.

Regarding the supporting and featured performers, Mr. Darling, played by Bryan Sweeney, had some delightful one liners that had the audience roaring. Weston Wadsworth, playing Nana, was a delightful touch to the show and mimicked a dogs actions very well.

The ensembles in this show, the Indians, the Lost Boys, and the Pirates, each had their own distinct style. The Indians, with Brianna Salvatori as Tiger Lily, executed their stylized dance very well, and Salvatori lead them impeccably.

One major wonder for this show was the magical flying done by the students! After being set up by a professional company, the students manned the flying, and it really was the icing on the cake. The sets were miraculous, with the pirate ship being the most gigantic and beautiful.

This show was a delight and had the audience feel as if they were flying with the Darling children and Peter themselves! Great job, Academy of the New Church!

Zoe Grossinger
Jack M Barrack Hebrew Academy
Submitted for publication to The Ticket

The Academy of the New Church's production of Peter Pan left the audience dreaming of Neverland. With colorful costumes, magical special effects and passionate actors and actresses, the high school's rendition of the classic musical was full of joy, success and pixie dust.

The story of Peter Pan, the boy who wouldn't grow up, was created by novelist and playwright J.M. Barrie in 1902 and first appeared in a section of one of his other books. Two years later, the lively and unprecedented story had its first modest debut on stage. The rest is history. In just over a century, Peter Pan has inspired a dozen films, multiple books, comics, a bus company, and just this year, a Broadway show based on J.M. Barrie entitled "Finding Neverland."

If the audience did not know better, they would think that the Academy of the New Church's Declan Durand (Peter Pan) flew right out of a Peter Pan movie or Neverland itself. The 9th grade actor's youthful energy, dedication and perfect precision in his singing would make J.M. Barrie proud. Peter's adopted mother, Wendy Darling was portrayed perfectly by Hannah Dewees. The high school actress kept her affectionate and gentle demeanor throughout and delighted the audience as much as she did the Lost Boys on stage.

Without the animated supporting roles or colorful ensembles, Peter Pan would not have felt as magically believable. Ashley Smith played Captain Hook so well that it was hard to believe she was not a male pirate. Smith's expressions and enthusiasm were so strong that they could be seen beneath her painted on nautical mustache and beard. Played by the talented Brianna Salvatori, Tiger Lily led the rest of the Indians with impeccable dance moves. The Lost Boys, pirates and Indians were not three uniform ensembles, but cohesive groups of unique personalities that made the ensembles special and fun to watch.

From the unbelievably adroit handling of a green spotlight to mimic Tinkerbell on stage, to the stage crew's seamless transformation from the Darling's bedroom to Neverland to the pirate's ship, to the astonishing flying effects on stage by Flying By Foy, the skills of the students behind the curtains enhanced the show and made the story of Peter Pan feel real.

Thank you, Academy of the New Church, for flying us past the second star to the right, and straight to the morning!

Brooke Tyborowski
Westtown School
Submitted for publication to The Academian

In their production of the magical Peter Pan, performers from Academy of the New Church proved to be absolutely fearless as they soared to new heights!

Peter Pan is a musical based on the play by Sir J.M. Barrie, following the adventures of Peter Pan, a headstrong dreamer who refuses to grow up, and the young and impressionable Wendy Darling. The curtain opens to the Darling household, where Peter sneaks in to tell the children tales of Neverland at the wee hours of the night. It does not take long before the Darling children then accompany Peter, flying through the skies toward a journey where they will encounter multitudes of Indians, Pirates, and Lost Boys. Oh my!

Actors showed their capabilities working well together in ensemble numbers such as "I Won't Grow Up" and "Ugh-A-Wug." The cast made bold choices acting wise, executed exciting choreography, and their occasional harmonies were superb. Seeing the versatility of the different ensembles made the storyline all the more cohesive and enjoyable.

Declan Durand and Hannah Dewees played the dynamic duo of Peter Pan and Wendy Darling. The charming pair proved noteworthy in creating a heart-warming chemistry on stage, accompanied by a dynamic presence that kept the audience engaged in the fantastical world of the show. Durand, only a freshman, entered the stage with high-flying energy that kept consistent throughout all three acts. He never hit a sour note with impressive solos including "I Gotta Crow" and "Distant Melody."

As for the supporting cast, particular standout performances were given by Ashley Smith as Captain Hook, Liam Taylor as Michael Darling, Tykah Echols as Liza the maid, and Ian McCollum as Smee. These actors always brought certain versatility to the stage, not only highlighting impressive acting and vocal skills, but also their clear investment in the portrayal of their characters. Smith and McCollum had excellent comedic timing, and never failed to get a laugh out of the audience.

Eye popping sets, intricate makeup, and efficient stage crew were some of the best among high school theatre. Transitions were seemingly complex, but given the circumstances, executed quite smoothly by a number of expert crew members.

Lastly, Academy of the New Church wowed the audience in a performance that ended in a standing ovation, for which they should feel very accomplished.

Nika Chugh
Eastern Regional High School
Submitted for publication to The Academian

Academy of the New Church's Peter Pan "Won't Grow Up" and we don't want him to!

Peter Pan is the classic tale of a young boy who never grows up and his adventures with his fellow Lost Boys, pirates, Indians, and his new friends, the Darlings. This musical version is an adaptation of Sir J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan, and first premiered on Broadway in 1954. This show has seen several revivals since and has even had a live broadcast on television, featuring stars such as Christopher Walken and Allison Williams.

This production was anchored in the exceptional set construction and design and complemented by the works of the separate ensembles. The Pirates, the Indians, and the Lost Boys acted well as separate ensembles and maintained their own identities when they worked together.

Peter Pan (Declan Durand) is a young boy who sneaks into the Darlings' nursery to find his lost shadow, only to meet Wendy, Michael, and John, and take them on a flying adventure to a wonderful island called Neverland. Durand, despite being one of the youngest in the cast, held his own as Peter Pan. His vocals shined during songs like "I Won't Grow Up", and his splendid acting made the character lovable and interesting.

Smee (Ian McCollum) is the goofy sidekick of Captain Hook, leader of the evil, villainous Pirates of the Jolly Roger. McCollum took an otherwise small character and transformed it into a hilarious counterpart to Hook's intense evil. With well-timed quips and the occasional cowardice in the face of enemies, McCollum's Smee complemented the show well.

The sets, constructed by Academy of the New Church's Stagecraft Class, were impressive and rounded off the show beautifully. During the scenes in Neverland, the set was simple yet effective with small additions, such as an actual running waterfall, to accent the performances. Similarly, Captain Hook's ship was expertly crafted with functioning lights and crisp detailing.

Overall, this show was grounded in the set and guided along by the fantastic group work of the ensembles. Academy of the New Church's production of Peter Pan was indeed an amazing adventure to Never Neverland!