The spring play, Peter Pan, to take audiences on a trip to childhood memories

Hoffman Estates High School’s spring play, Peter Pan, might be a familiar story; however, this original approach will bring the story alive and take audiences back to the time when they didn’t want to grow up.

English Teacher Denise Gilbert, the spring play’s director, believes a children’s play can still be amusing to people of all ages. The story will create a memorable experience for actors, children, and adults.

“A lot of people have children, and Peter Pan gives them the opportunity to bring the children and children at heart to see a performance that they would enjoy,” said Gilbert.

With the help of hard-working, creative students and teachers, the set and costumes will help bring the fantastical story to life. Peter Pan is known to fly and the auditorium cannot allow the cast to use cables, but this did not stop them from making the play look real.

“To make the essence of flying, we decided we could do that with fluid motion. We put them on mini platforms that have wheels, and they are going to be pushed around by fairies,” said Juan Medina, art department chair and one of the individuals responsible for set design. “It represents the capability of the power of flight.”

Creating illusions through the lighting and sounds is also one of the ways to make the play seem realistic. An amount of lights were borrowed from the different schools of D211 to create a beautiful light show.

“We’re using a lot of moving lights in order to suggest that they are going through the air and piercing through the clouds,” said Medina. “We are also using fluorescent fabric and curtains so that the lights catch the fabric in a magical way.”

Where props are placed and how fast the scenes changes is critical to the movement of the play. Background music and sounds help in preparing the production team to move quickly and smoothly. Even actors have to be placed in the right position to create a nice view of the stage.

The actors range from freshman to senior. Since the actors are used to mature plays, this play would be considered a challenging one to act out.

“It’s been a challenge,” said Adam Welk, senior, who plays Tootles in the play. “We have to soften the rough edges, and we have to make scenes less serious, and I have never done that before.”

Even the antagonists in the play becomes less evil and scary to make it a child-friendly play.

“I feel like this Hook is not the typical evil villain, who poisons you or hurt you a lot,” he said. “She’s kind of more clumsy and airheaded, so I feel that she is easier to relate to. She is not menacing but more whimsical.”

To some characters, Peter Pan is their favorite movie and they know it by heart; yet it still becomes a challenge because they focus more on talking through their body language and emotions, not through words.

“It is one of my favorite childhood play so I like to star in it, but it is a small challenge because, previously, the other plays are mature and towards adults so we didn’t have to express that much but this one, for children they are more attracted to wider and louder movements,” said Welk.

Although it creates difficulty for them, watching other productions won’t help them prepare in any way. They consider Gilbert as a go-to person to help them be a better actor to themselves and to the audience as well.

“She doesn’t tells us what to do. She asks us ‘what do you want to see happen in the play?’ or she gives us critiques but not flat-out commands,” said Bethany Walters, who will be playing three characters. “She helped us along the way. I don’t watch other versions because I don’t have to be the exact same person like in the movie. I can add my own spit or twist.”

After their hard work, the cast is hopeful to see a full house for each production this weekend. Grace Corwine, the Tinkerbell of HEHS, has a view for the people who will be watching the show.

“I really hope to have a big audience and a lot of kids because this show is geared towards children. I really want to get a reaction from them because it’s a Disney film, so we have to be big and loud,” said Corwine. “I want them to be into the show as much as [I] want to pull them into the show and to take them to Neverland.”