The Neverland Project, which is currently in rehearsals, follows the adventures of siblings Wendy, John, and Michael as they travel to the Neverland.
Senior Emma Underwood plays Wendy, the main character and narrator in the fall play. The story is told in a documentary style, switching between pieces of the plot, interviews, and narrations. Wendy’s point of view guides the story as she writes her book about Neverland and narrates the play.
Underwood enjoys many elements of the play.
“John does all the interviews, while Wendy just kind of guides the audience through it more,” Underwood said. “I really love that Wendy sort of balances between serious and an unserious character at the same time. She’s in scenes with all these crazy characters that are big and wild, but at the same time, she still has a more serious role to her.”
Auditions for the fall play were held in September, and the cast was announced shortly afterward. Actors are now working on rehearsals. The full stage crew will report on Monday and soon after begin their work.
Underwood has been in the theater program for many years.
“This is my fourth fall play, and the upcoming musical will be my fourth high school musical. I did two of my middle school shows, and two of my middle school musicals,” Underwood said. “I’ve done South Park Theater outside of Baldwin for nine years.”
During the current rehearsal process, actors are learning their roles and how to portray them onstage. While they do this, they are expected to apply corrections and adjust their acting.
“All of the onstage interactions and choices made are so entertaining to watch if you are looking at them from the audience’s perspective. Each person was perfectly cast for their role, and all of them are doing wonderfully with the notes given on how to improve.”
Senior Abby Horn, who plays a Lost One named Slightly, is excited about the play.
“I am excited about the storyline and characters of the play. Everyone knows Peter Pan, and everyone knows the story, but our version adds more characters, more of a storyline, and more complex emotions than the Disney movie,” Horn said. “I am excited to see how each actor will take on their role and combine the iconic characters with their own personal twist.”
Though a play is scripted, it is up to the actors to truly bring the characters and the show to life. Many things are unscripted, like facial expressions.
“I’m excited about the creative freedoms that we kind of have, both as the director, but then also just the way that the actors get to tell the story,” Director Cassidy Cooper said. “They are all characters that we are familiar with, but they kind of get to turn them into their own, which is really fun.”
While there can be setbacks during rehearsals for the actors, the best way to improve is to focus, Underwood said.
“Getting in your head is something that can very easily happen, because whether you get the role or not, either way, you still kind of think about, ‘Am I meant to be doing what I’m doing?’ ” Underwood said. “You have to let it go and focus.”
Actor Jeffrey Knox, a junior, said preparations for the play have been going well.
“We are getting through the script quite nicely,” Knox said.
The Neverland Project will be performed on Nov. 13, 14, and 15 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium.
