Plains students bring 'Peter and Wendy' to stage

The new Plains School gymnasium was full of laughter and song during the two performances Friday of "Peter and Wendy."

The play is based on the ever-popular Peter Pan series, chronicling the everlasting quest of Captain Hook, played by Clair Wrobleski, to capture Peter Pan, played by Andrew Wrobleski. 

Hook encounters great adventures with his pirate posse, encountering the ever-changing clouds, played by plains students in their sky blue and white costumes. 

The ever-present dangerous crocodile, played by Emmy Russell, makes a regular appearance to scare off the children, while Mr. and Mrs. Darling, played by Carli Winebrenner and John Lindsay, continue their search for their three missing children. The Never Landers, a group of Neverland creatures and the faithful Tinker Bell, played by Nadia Khachaturova, find the missing Darling children. The play ends with all disputes being resolved and everyone finds a place where they truly feel that they belong. 

Each of the kids did a fantastic job, especially considering the brief time of four days to learn their lines and choreograph the scenes. The little cloud actors, all five- to seven-year-old students, brought smiles and at times, loud laughter during their many performances. 

Special thanks went out to actor/director Johnny Reardon and director Harley Muir, who helped the children prepare for the play. They both are professional actors with the Missoula Children’s Theatre and came from Pittsburgh. Assistant directors Ireland Corbin, Dechlan Neeson and accompanist Jeanine Gentry were intricate parts of the evenings play. 

Additional sponsors were Cosmic Crisp, an organization that developed a partnership with Missoula Children’s Theatre to empower children and communities with hands on learning and access to the performing arts. Also special thanks to the Plains Woman’s Club and the Plains School PTA members. This project is partially supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and was also supported in part by a grant from the Montana Arts Council.

The cast of characters are, Peter Pan, Andrew Wrobleski; Tinker Bell, Nadia Khachaturova; Wendy Darling, Addie Revier; John Darling, Jude Meaden; Michael Darling, Kael Meaden; Shadow, Katherine Wrobleski; Captain Hook, Clair Wrobleski; Mrs. Darling, Carli Winebrenner; Mr. Darling, John Lindsay; Nana, Daniel Barber; Tiger Lily, Pearl Ferlan; Crocodile, Emmy Russell; Petey, Issac Wilder.

The Lost Boys  were played by Isaac Ericksen, Brooke Revier, Brooke Meredith, Jenna Meredith, Sophie Seymour, Kinsley Josephson, Remington Ryan, Aneleise Sapp and Anaelle Avilla.

The Never Landers were played by Jada Colwell, Kyrie Carr, Madison Studivant, Serena Duncan, Paisley Farthing and Ailie Avilla.

The Pirates were played by Harrison LeClair Milo Owens, Courtney Winebrenner and Jeremiah Goodwin.

The Clouds were played by France LeClair, Emma Colwell, Hayden McCrea, Josie Frankhauser, Lucinda Wang, Naomi Finley, Kade Kinser, Emmalyn Tickner, Maverick Mull, Barbara Braaten and Logan Carbone.

    Plains student actors on stage during "Peter and Wendy" last week. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
  

    Little Cloud actors ages 5-7 perform in "Peter and Wendy" last week. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)