Full Cast Announced for 102nd Annual Mountain Play: Peter Pan / May 24 - June 21, 2015

Casting is complete for the Mountain Play’s 2015 production of Peter Pan, which will fly over the San Francisco Bay Area May 24 – June 21, 2015. For full details visit www.mountainplay.org

With a cast of 35, the production stars:

Melissa WolfKlain (Peter Pan)

Jeff Wiesen (Captain Hook/Mr. Darling)

Erin Ashe (Wendy Darling)

Jeremy Kaplan (John Darling)

Claire Lentz (Michael Darling)

David Yen (Smee)

Erica Lamkin (Tiger Lily)

Susan Zelinsky (Mrs. Darling)

The Lost Boys include:

Dillon DeVille, Walker Brinskele, Jeremy Ivory-Chambers, Billy Baumeister, Ashley Baker, Bella Cvengros, Ruby Jobe, Jimmy Macholz, Sierra Glasheen and Matthew Ronder-Seid.

The Pirates include:

David Crone, Steven Ackel, Sean O’Brien, Cordell Wesselink, Fernando Siu, Lily Allen-Hughes, Joel Pathman, Samantha Connelly, Christopher Vincent, August Mesarchik and Gordon Camplejohn.

The Natives include:

Zoe Swenson-Graham, Sofia Cassidy, Ellie Evans, Olivia Ng, Marlee Mesarchik and Tricia Mills Gray.

Based on Sir James M. Barrie’s classic tale and featuring an unforgettable score by Morris “Moose” Charlap and Jule Styne with lyrics by Carolyn Leigh and Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Peter Pan is one of the most beloved family musicals of all time. With a sprinkling of pixie dust, Peter, the boy who wouldn’t grow up, along with his playful fairy sidekick Tinkerbell whisk the Darling family children away to the place where dreams are born. During their adventures in Neverland they encounter all the characters one would expect in the magical world of childhood. There are bungling pirates, natives, an infamous ticking crocodile and, of course, the villainous Captain Hook.

Peter Pan first soared over Broadway in 1954 with Mary Martin in the lead role and starred Cyril Ritchard as Captain Hook. Both actors won Tony awards for their performances. Featuring such iconic songs as “I’m Flying,” “I’ve Gotta Crow,” “I Won’t Grow Up,” and “Never Never Land,” and a book rich with imagination, warmth and rollicking adventure, Peter Pan is the perfect show for the child in all of us. Peter Pan has continued to thrill children young and old through various stage and film adaptations, as well as numerous television broadcasts including a live NBC telecast that aired in December of 2014.

Peter Pan at the Mountain Play is family entertainment at its best.

About Michael Schwartz:

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, educated in Los Angeles and London, and based in New York City, Michael Schwartz is an award-winning director of theatre, film, and large-scale events. He has worked on theatrical projects with The Old Vic Theatre, Roundabout Theatre Company, NY Philharmonic, American Conservatory Theatre, The Magic Theatre, Yale University, NAMT, Fringe NYC, among others, and has directed or helped develop productions in such diverse spaces as New World Stages, Skirball Center, The American Museum of Natural History, and The Dallas Cowboys Stadium. He is a California Arts Scholar, and a member of SDC, Lincoln Center Director’s Lab, and Old Vic New Voices. www.WhoIsMichaelSchwartz.com

About Debra Chambliss:

Debra Chambliss is a vocalist, pianist, instructor and Music Director who has worked in the Bay Area for over 25 years. She became Music Director for the Mountain Play in 2007, but she has been playing the keyboard in the orchestra since 1991. She has worked as an accompanist and music director at dozens of theaters, including The Willows, Contra Costa Musical Theater, and Woodminster. Highlights have included playing keyboards at the Post Street Theatre for the national tour of The 20th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and at the Orpheum Theatre for the North American premiere of Edward Scissorhands, as well as directing music for the West Coast Premiere of Children of Eden. Debra served as Resident Music Director of KD Musical Theater for several years, and has directed many performance workshops, musicals and summer training programs at places such as ACT, Yes, and Marin Theatre Company. Currently she works as the Director of the Marin Symphony Holiday Pops Children’s Chorus, as well as the Music Director of St. Anselm Church, the music instructor at St. Anselm School and piano instructor at her private piano studio.

About Nicole Helfer:

Nicole Helfer is a Bay Area native and a graduate of San Francisco State University. Choreography credits include In the Heights for Broadway By The Bay (Theatre Bay Area Award-winner), Dogfight for OMG Productions, Tarzan for Contra Costa Musical Theater (Shellie Award nominee), Rent for Pacific Coast Repertory Theatre Company, Measure for Measure for San Francisco State University, 8 Track: The Sounds of the 70s, Six Women With Brain Death, and You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown (Shellie Award nominee) for Willows Theatre Company. Co-choreographer for San Francisco State’s recent production of A Chorus Line. She has also choreographed Click Clack Moo and the very successful Pinkalicious for Bay Area Children’s Theater. In addition to performing regularly in regional musical theatre productions, she has taught dance and theatre classes for Young REP, Kid Stock, Inc., Dance Mission Theatre, Marilyn Izdebski Studios, YMCA and Spindrift School of Performing Arts. Currently, Nicole is happily teaching a variety of dance classes at Steppin’ Out Studios in San Francisco as well as at the Ballet School in Walnut Creek.

About Melissa WolfKlain:

Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Melissa most recently played Fannie Brice in Funny Girl. Some favorite roles include Princess Fiona in Shrek the Musical, Polly Baker in Crazy for You, and Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie. Melissa has a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Arizona. She received the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics’ Award for Kathy Selden in Singin’ in the Rain, Backstage West Garland Award Honorable Mention for Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street and a McMurtrie Award Nomination for Little Red in Into the Woods. Melissa is a proud member of Actor’s Equity. www.melissawolfklain.com

Building on a century of tradition, the Mountain Play Association produces enriching theatrical experiences that stimulate creativity, engage our community, and foster a lifelong enjoyment of the performing arts. Our pinnacle event is a spectacular, outdoor production that also nurtures an appreciation for the unique beauty of Mount Tamalpais. www.mountainplay.org