Wendy and Peter Pan
Project Description
Wendy and Peter Pan is the Royal Shakespeare Company's most recent adaptation of the beloved story by J.M. Barrie. This production was directed for a family audience, and was set to perform in our black-box theatre on campus during March 2020. We were nine days away from opening this show when we were required to quarantine for the COVID-19 pandemic. So now, this project exists, much like Neverland, in that liminal space that is our memories and in the artifacts we've compiled here.
This project was set out to be a really big adventure in a really tiny space. The show required magic, combat, deft actors, and most importantly, flying. I was interested to direct in ways which allowed us to create this big adventure given the limitations of our space (no place to rig wires for flying, for example). This was a project that required us to be pushed to the limits of our creativity. We took upon ourselves this challenge with fervor only to be shorted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our creative journey really began in our bodies. We spent most of our initial rehearsal time creating movement for flying, transitions, and fight choreography. I wanted to return to the sense memory of using our bodies, like children do when they play games of pretend and imagination. I was hoping to see that rehearsing and performing in this way would also invite our audiences to join us on their own journey back to their childhoods.
Additionally, working with a production team of students provided valuable mentorship opportunities and a really positive collaborative experience.
The TYA work associated with this show will build further in my fall 2021 production of Luna by Ramón Esquivel. I will also build on the physical work we did on this show to create a devised piece of theatre regarding immigration of Latinx people within the next three years.
This project was set out to be a really big adventure in a really tiny space. The show required magic, combat, deft actors, and most importantly, flying. I was interested to direct in ways which allowed us to create this big adventure given the limitations of our space (no place to rig wires for flying, for example). This was a project that required us to be pushed to the limits of our creativity. We took upon ourselves this challenge with fervor only to be shorted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our creative journey really began in our bodies. We spent most of our initial rehearsal time creating movement for flying, transitions, and fight choreography. I wanted to return to the sense memory of using our bodies, like children do when they play games of pretend and imagination. I was hoping to see that rehearsing and performing in this way would also invite our audiences to join us on their own journey back to their childhoods.
Additionally, working with a production team of students provided valuable mentorship opportunities and a really positive collaborative experience.
The TYA work associated with this show will build further in my fall 2021 production of Luna by Ramón Esquivel. I will also build on the physical work we did on this show to create a devised piece of theatre regarding immigration of Latinx people within the next three years.
