Peter Pan Prepares to Take Off at North High
North High School presents “Peter Pan” on November 6-8.
This will be a stretch. Turning a place that is cranking out promising young adults at a fast clip into Neverland, a place where kids don’t have to grow up, won’t be easy. But that’s what’s happening at North High School where a production of Peter Pan will stage this weekend.
Director Mark Rixner has been at North for a decade and prides himself on producing shows that tap into the entire Northside community whenever possible. Peter Pan is a prime example. The cast and crew numbers in excess of eighty students and staff including a subtotal of 30+ cast members from North’s elementary and middle school feeder pattern. There’s a special sneak preview performance scheduled for the feeder schools on Thursday morning at 9:15. The youngest characters can expect to take some major bows after that debut.
Monday night the troupe ran through a full dress rehearsal as the finishing touches are put on a show that’s been in production for about nine weeks. Peter Pan includes the special effect of flying characters, an aspect that Rixner and the cast are relishing. He hired the same company, ZFX out of Louisville, that helped him pull off flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz a few years ago to get Peter and the Darlings airborne this time. Besides providing the necessary harnesses and tether cables ZFX also coaches the cast in aerial choreography. The program credits might as well include an air traffic controller (they do list “flight captains” and a “flight crew”).
“I always think if we’re gonna do a show then let’s do it right,” Rixner said on Monday while the cast was getting into character and costume for the run-through. “The flying requires a great deal of trust in the people backstage who are unseen but literally hold the fliers in their hands. They have to hoist them up and land them gently and help them maneuver in midair. It’s not easy.”
They just make it look that way.
On Monday after school the restrooms at North became dressing rooms. The hallways teemed with young Pirates and Indians. By turns Music Director Vanessa Brady summoned clots of characters into the auditorium to run through their musical numbers. The Lost Boys assembled to rehearse their ode to surrogate mother Wendy Darling but some were missing.
“Where are the rest of the Lost Boys?” Brady called out, then chuckled. They were found backstage.
Gradually the set for the opening scene, the Darling bedroom with a big bay window through which the title character makes his entrance, took shape onstage. Presiding from the front row of the auditorium was Rixner like a calm eye at the center of a gathering storm. In front of him was a long table cluttered with the remains of a takeout meal, a cordless drill, a couple of headsets, duct tape, water bottles and a copy of the libretto. One by one cast members approached with questions about their costumes and call times. All were reassured. Off in the wings Peter and Captain Hook playfully choreographed a sword fight. Stagehands and techs hollered back and forth between the stage and the light/sound booth. “Faith, trust and…pixie dust” were in the air.
It’s a big week for Rixner. He’s a Royals fan and they just won the World Series. And in a couple of days he and his team of 80 or so will arrive in Neverland for a long weekend. You’re invited to join them.
Online tickets available for purchase at northpresents.com.
Show times: November 6th and 7th @ 7pm and November 8th @ 2pm
Cast & Crew:
- Peter Pan: Mercedes Castillo
- Wendy: Mayte Gomez-Cruz
- Captain Hook: Jake Mentzer
- Liza: Cassady Kelly
- Nana: Dalanie Hawkins
- Mrs. Darling: Daniela Ortiz, Hannah Johnson
- Mr. Darling: Jake Mentzer
- Michael Darling: Lucas Wood
- John Darling: Adam Van Dyke
- Tinkerbell: Mika Helms
- Smee : Kameron James
- Tiger Lily: Alejandra Villanueva
- Starkey: Caleb Ostermann
- Cecco: Marcos Hernandez
- Noodler: TJ Collins
- Mullins: Darrick Burrage
- Dukes: Yair Gomez-Cruz
- Slightly: Justin Wygle
- Tootles: Leon Lange
- Curly: Les Kyle
- Nibs: Kyle Gibson
- Twin 1: Brady Sebern
- Twin 2: Jayden Snyder
- Lost Boys: William Brown, Chontier Graham, Isacc Keopaseuth
- Indians: Irais Alcantara-Herrera, Trinity Allen, Naomi Basanez-Arroyo, Keely Chup, Leslie Cisneros, Emily Dobberke, Elizabeth Folkers, Dalanie Hawkins, Katelynn Keopasueth, Shene’ Lange, Amy Nicole Leguizamo, Sheyla Leguizamo, Natalie Jackson, Tytiaunna Johnson, Sierra Martin, Anna Millard, Lauren Niday, Desiree Phan, Emilee Porter, Stephanie Ramos, Brianna Shelton, Jocina Shelton, Cherry Tran, Yanet Velasquez, Eliza McDonald
- Director: Mark Rixner
- Producer: Mark Rixner
- Vocal Director: Vanessa Brady
- Choreography: Megan Helmers
- Orchestra Conductor: Vanessa Brady
- Costume Design: Deanna Axness & Michelle Kaiser
- Technical Assistant: Amy Rost
- Props & Costume Assistant: Cindy McNaul
- Scenic Design: Shaun Knapp
- Hair & Make-Up: Amy Rost
- Stage Manager: Brenda Martinez
- Assistant Stage Manager: Isabel Camacho-Arias
- Lighting Head: Jasmine Moreno
- Spot Light Operator: Manuel Arias
- Lighting Crew: Shiela Burzlaff & Corinne Turner
- Sound Crew: Joe Noble & Ben Patterson
- Flight Design: Dan Kondas
- Flight Captains: Amy & Jeff Rost
- Flight Crew: Phil McIlrath, Duncan Vivanh, & Bridget Pedersen
- Backstage Crew: Sarahi Vitasener, Reneja Gross, Noe Arreola, Samathana Juarez, Kayla Khambanoun, & Luz Bautista
- Costume Team: Desiree Phan, Jenny Nguyen & Tiosheon Rushing
- Make-Up: Ngoc Deo, Rachel Chinyama, Imiah Banks
- Hair, Hats, & Wigs: Shana Carter & Mary Zarwie
- Digital Production Team: Wyatt Rouse & Caleb Slater
- Set Design: Jimmy Elefson & Trent Rover
- Props Team: Eli Palmersheim & Tanyai Hereford
- Set Construction Team: Ian McIntire, Bryan Hoekman, Dante Rodriquez, Julia Cabral, & Donovan Edwards
- Painting Crew: Linda Bizett, Adrianna Campos, Arlene Lozano, Tatum Strong, Faith Bosteder, Jazmine Mixon, Kaitlyn Harper, Taylor Jeffoctt
- Matinee Crew: Jessica Martin & Brylie Huddleson
