Matthew Porter and Hadley Williams, Tour Actors/Directors with the Missoula Children’s Theater, spent a week in Marlinton as part of the Pocahontas County Opera House’s inaugural Theater Camp for children in the area. The camp began on a Monday morning and continued through the week. Local volunteers led campers in workshops on set design, puppetry, costume design, prop creation, stage movement, voice work, improv and acting skills at the Wellness Center, Municipal Building and McClintic Library, while Porter and Williams prepared the campers to take the stage, leading them in rigorous rehearsals at the opera house.
By the end of the five-day camp, the young people were well prepared to put on a show.
Friday night and Saturday afternoon brought unforgettable performances of Peter and Wendy. Lines had been memorized. Songs had been learned. Choreography was mastered, and the magic will long be remembered.
Peter and Wendy synopsis:
“When Captain Hook sends his right-hand man, Smee, on a quest to capture Peter Pan, it’s seemingly business as usual – at first. Little does Hook realize what fantastic adventures await him and his pirate posse in their search for the elusive Peter Pan. Mistaken identities, ever-morphing clouds, a classy crocodile, some very lost boys, and a fickle shadow all add to the mayhem. Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Darling embark on a quest of their own and find themselves trekking everywhere, from Hawaii to the North Pole, in search of their three missing children. With help from the earth-friendly Neverlanders, exotic Neverland creatures, and Tinker Bell, the Darling children are found, disputes are ultimately resolved, and everyone – including Captain Hook – finds a place where they truly belong.”
Taking part in the production were: Kailynn Dean as Peter Pan; Penelope Campbell as Tinker Bell; Ramona Hardy as Wendy Darling, Rachel Felton as John Darling, Austin Price as Michael Darling, Selma Bjorgvinsdottir as Peter Pan’s Shadow, Caleb McCarty in the role of Captain Hook, Magic Dunz was Mrs. Darling, Hayden Walker filled the role of Mr. Darling, Trinity Bennett was Nana, Willa Hardy was Tiger Lily, Nico Beaudoin was cast as the crocodile, and Torrie Price entertained as Petey.
The Lost Boys were played by Mazie Clay, Brianna Hamons, Elizabeth Smitheson, Iris Tanner, and Maggie Macgregor.
The Neverlanders: Avery McCarty, Alaina Sharp, Berkley Buzzard, Asa Marks, and Kadence Pritt.
Pirates: Molly Cook, Brylee Dunbrack, Maddy Landis, Penelope Quinn Macgregor, and Sherry Walker.
Clouds: Zola Beaudoin, Eli Beezley, Madeline Burns, Brynn Clutter, Zara Fanning, and Sal Marks.
Kerrigan Kirby and Serenity Cochran were Camper/ Assistant Directors.
Barb Lewis-Seirs was the accompanist.
Charlie MaGhee Hughes (PCOH AmeriCorps) was the Theatre Camp Director.
Shannen McClure, (PCOH Summer Intern) was the camp assistant.
The camp was made financially possible by the generosity of the Emma Eisenberg Fund, by way of the Pocahontas County Commission; The Snowshoe Foundation; 4th Avenue Artisan Co-op, the CEOS club and the Marlinton Woman’s Club.
In addition, many, many volunteers helped to make the camp a huge success.