Curtain Call Kids' 'Peter Pan, Jr.' - My Review

The mini-musical version of Peter Pan, Jr. is being produced by Curtain Call Kids at the very professional Nancy Marine Studio Theatre in Torrington. Curtain Call Kids is a children’s community theater troupe that serves western Connecticut and offers its programs through Middlebury Parks and Recreation. The wonderful hour long show includes 50 young actors that range in age from six to 17 who hail from area towns. I was invited to attend their final dress rehearsal along with some appreciative family members.

The show is a shortened version of the production that many a person greatly enjoyed on the Warner main stage down the road early this summer. The very young will appreciate that the action is often explained better and includes some classic Disney Peter Pan songs that they will recognize from either the film or Disney park rides. While the flying is more “suggested” in this version, Captain Hook (played magnificently by a 17-year-old senior at Sacred Heart High School in Waterbury named Brandon Arnold,) and his large band of pirates, many lost boys, beautiful mermaids, Indians, fairies, and the Darling family remain.

The mischievous boy who never grows up on the island of Neverland is played by 14-year-old Middlebury resident Lauren Stango and this talented young actress is perfect for the role. She is conceited but we love her anyway, and she is always “on,” even when the focus is on other characters. I enjoyed every minute of a performance that should make her dad Chuck very proud.
Wendy is played by 14-year-old Woodbury resident Kate Rupar, a sophomore at Nonnewaug High School. I loved her feisty Wendy and enjoyed hearing her angelic voice. Her little brothers are played by Jordan Elliott as John and Nicholas Pietrorazio as Michael.

A congratulatory “arggg” goes to Beth Mieczkowski , a sophomore at Woodbury High School in her 17th theatrical production who plays Mr. Smee so very comically. Kennedy Morris is a sometimes speaking Tinkerbell and is at her most adorable. How is it even possible that this young lady is a 6th grader at the Greater Hartford Academy of Arts and this marks her 31st theatrical production? Chief Tiger Bamboo is played by Benjamin Goth, a sixth grader at Chase Collegiate School in Waterbury. His mom Alison put a lot of work into the detailed program and worked backstage. Tiger Lily is well played by Courtney Gibson.

The perennially young director Richard McKenna once again works his magic with this very large cast with the help of his mother Deb McKenna. The very cute set designed by Bill McKenna set the playful mood and Jameson Willey and Emily Seibert use the Nancy Marine lights to make it look even better. Peter Pan’s gang of lost boys are just adorable and the stage full of pirates sang together with gusto. They are matched only by the six fairies that are both animated and magical in their finery. Curtain Call Kids thank their Team of Fabulous Family Volunteers in this way: “Our sincerest thanks for pinning, sewing, painting, gluing, hammering and hoisting throughout this production! Your creativity and enthusiasm shines through in every costume, prop, and set!”

Kudos to T.J. Thompson, the father of mermaid/pirate/Indian Marley Thompson and fairy/pirate/Indian Lily Thompson, for doing such an amazing job of playing the melodic score by himself on two keyboards with only the help of one drummer, Ciara Connolly. It made the singers sound their best.

The Friday, Aug. 22, show will begin at 7 p.m. and there will be two shows on Saturday, Aug. 23, at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Both shows will be held in the 300-seat, state-of-the-art Nancy Marine Studio Theatre at 82 Main St., next to the Warner Theatre. All tickets are general admission and $12 each. Reservations are strongly recommended. To reserve tickets that will be held at the door for cash only, e-mail CurtainCallKidsCT@gmail.com.

Pictured: ‘Peter Pan Jr.’ cast members, from left to right: Watertown resident Rebekah Holmes as Nana the Dog; Oakville resident Jordan Elliott as John; Watertown resident Nicholas Pietrorazio as Michael; and Woodbury resident Kate Rupar as Wendy.