The Hicksville Middle School auditorium buzzed with excited chatter as more than 100 students sat in rehearsal for this year’s musical production of Peter Pan.
Tom DePaulo, the club’s advisor and play’s director, said that he chose Peter Pan this year after NBC aired the live version last December. “It’s always tough to choose a show,” he explained. “But I like to choose a show that excites the kids and makes them want to do it. Since NBC chose it as their live production, the kids’ interest was already piqued.”
The show definitely garnered quite a buzz in the middle school, since the cast and crew combined boasts a contingency of approximately 120 students.
The main purpose of the middle school play, DePaulo explained, is to give students the skills to enter the theater program in the high school.
“I’m just teaching them how to operate onstage,” he said. “I’m showing them what goes into being in a play.”
Musical directors Justin Starr and Laurie Haddock have taken responsibility for the vocal side of the production. The music of Peter Pan is challenging at times, so it has taken a lot of focused rehearsal to get it right.
“The song that the fairies sing, ‘Fly to your heart,’ is really beautiful when they get it,” DePaulo commented. “They just have to be confident in the music.”
With all the rehearsing they’ve been doing, the directors are sure the students will gain the necessary confidence to put on a truly fantastic performance.
The Darling siblings are played by eighth grader Katie Jergensen (who plays Wendy), seventh grader Jack Immanuel and sixth grader Steven Goubran (who play John and Michael respectively). The three were all munchkins in Hicksville High School’s production of The Wizard of Oz and have only grown closer through the process of creating Peter Pan. “It’s like we’re real siblings!” Steven Goubran said and the other two heartily agreed. Principal Mara Jorisch added with a huge smile, “The best part of the play is the camaraderie we see. It’s one of our favorite times here at the middle school.”
Rehearsals for the play started in January and as the show gets closer, nerves are rising.
“Opening night is when I have the most nerves,” Katie Jergensen admitted. “And then the second show is the easiest.”
The show runs March 19, 20, and 21 at 7 p.m. All tickets are $5 and go toward the drama club’s next musical.
