Last week’s performance of Peter Pan Jr. by the cast of primarily middle school students had a good run, playing to packed audiences of friends, family, and entertainment-seekers.  With the Missoula Children’s Theatre production having been unexpectedly canceled at the Elementary School, the Iron Door Playhouse play was a much-needed dose of drama.

Younger actors, even if they tend to be shy in their “normal” lives, also tend to be willing to try things out and take chances in their roles, and it was fun to see the energy and personality the actors injected into their characters.  Enthusiasm was certainly a byword of the play, with the actors seeming to enjoy their time on stage as much as the audience did watching them.  

Liam Atkinson was the right sort of optimistic and mischievous as Peter Pan, and Anna Chipman brought just the right sort of grounded maturity as Wendy to play against Peter’s whimsy.

Maverik Lewis was sneeringly great as Captain Hook, clearly relishing the villainous turn.  The role works best with a strong second, and Bentley Teeples did a great job as Smee.   The pirates—Sara Reiss, Ava Felser, Cali Whipple, Rose Butler—did a great job with their stage business and choreography, and helped lend the whole play a kinetic sense of constant movement.

The play involves a number of foils—that is, characters who can be compared with one another—and the pirate gang is foiled on the one hand by the Lost Boys, played by Sofia Hess, Levi Balazs, Jace Call, Hyrum Spencer, Danielle Pettis, and Cumorah Carter; and on the other by the Brave Girls, played by Nicole White as Tiger Lilly, Karmyn Charles, Mariah Price, Brynlie Geldhill.  Both groups demonstrate different attitudes about childhood and growing up, which is of course the central theme of the the book and musical.

Captain Hook, ostensibly an adult miscreant, secretly just wants to return to childhood.  It turns out that the Lost Boys are ready to move in the other direction and start growing up.  Peter Pan continues to occupy that nebulous zone in-between adulthood and childhood, and that’s why he’s an indelible cultural figure to this day.

The rest of the cast all performed fantastically, and included (with some overlap) Seth Huckay as John Darling, Alyssa Seamons as Michael Darling, Nicole White as Liza Darling, Caroline Butler as Nana, Hannah Anderson as Mrs. Darling, Maverik Lewis as Mr. Darling; Ensemble: Saige Blaisdell, Hannah Anderson, Wesley Asay, Jaxson Snow, Jersyn Shulz, Caroline Butler, Ambria DeJong; Stage Crew: Rylee Dunn, William Whipple, London Hess, Dot Teeples.

Production credits include: Director Jeni Sperry, Assistant Director Jaden Hansen, Stage Manager AdaMarie Campbell, Lights and Sound Director Jeff Richins, Lights Britta Hansen, Sound Elizabeth Kent, Laura DeJong, Costumes Shannon Worrell.

Director Jeni Sperry notes: “These kids have been a joy to work with. I love their energy, curiosity, and imagination. We’ve discussed the ins and outs of Neverland, the Darling family and how to create your own character. I’m excited for you to see the world that they helped create. A special thanks to all the parent and grandparent volunteers! We couldn’t put on these shows without you. And thank you for letting your children participate. I really have grown to love each and every one of them.”