Briar Martin in the Young Footliters' "Peter Pan Jr." at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts -- October 27 through 29.
Friday, October 27, through Sunday, October 29
Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, 1301 Fifth Street, Coralville IA
From October 27 through 29, high-flying fun will be on hand at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts when the student-theatre talents of the Young Footliters presents Peter Pan Jr., a one-act family musical based on J.M. Barrie's beloved tale featuring unforgettable songs, magic, warmth, and adventure.
The original 1954 Broadway production of Peter Pan, starring Mary Martin as Peter and Cyril Ritchard as Captain Hook, earned Tony Awards for both stars. It was followed by NBC telecasts of the stage show in 1955, 1956, and 1960 with the same performers, plus several rebroadcasts of the 1960 telecast. In 2014, the musical was broadcast on NBC boasting several new numbers and stars Allison Williams and Christopher Walken, with the score famed for such show-tune classics as "I'm Flying," "I've Gotta Crow," and "Never Never Land."
For the Young Footliters' presentation of Peter Pan Jr., the title character is played by Briar Martin, a high-school senior whose first performance at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts was in Nolte Academy’s production of Alice in Wonderland when she was six years old. Martin's first Young Footliters production was Rapunzel! Rapunzel! A Very Hairy Fairytale in 2015, and since then, she has been involved in more than 20 shows with the student-focused company. Following graduation, Martin intends to study fashion design, and although she doesn’t plan to study theatre in the classroom, she hopes to continue making theatre throughout college and long after. “Theatre builds an amazing community," she says, "and I definitely don’t plan on stopping any time soon."
Joining Martin in the cast of Peter Pan Jr. are Claire Lawler, Emmett Courtright, and Also Hughes in the respective roles of Darling children Wendy, John, and Michael, with Oliver Martin portraying the villainous Captain Hook and Fritz Lansing-Stoeffler as his dimwitted sidekick Smee. Additional members of the featured cast include: Archer Alward; Sophie Bergman; Ellie Burns; Betsy Cantine; Stella Daly; Lily Doobay; Juliana Epping; Harrison Frost; Archie Gavin; Etta Graber; Ellie Hardy; Kate Kinscherff; Henry Lenhart; Claire Reimer; Gretta Rippentrop; Jack Rippentrop; Mahala Smith; and Nina Tsilosani. Completing the Young Footliters' cast are the ensembles of Brave Girls, Pirates, and Lost Boys: Sidney Borgwardt; Kenna Boss; Krysty Bujakowska; Kalin Bozung; Kleo Burkum; Eliza Courtright; Annalyn English; Chandler Felton; Jack Hegouet; Tyler Hoth; Alaina Kinscherff; Audrey Kinscherff; Evy Meeks; Sean Miller; Kinley Murphy; Caroline Seery; and Mona Sotillo.
Jacob Kilburg and Kent Reynolds co-direct Peter Pan Jr., with members of their creative team including: producer L:iz Tracey; choreographer Sasha Tyler; costume designer Jackie Allen; lighting designer Emily Arvidson; sound designer Tim Moffitt; stage manager Shannon Knipfer; and assistant stage manager Katie Knipfer.
The Young Footliters Peter Pan Jr. will be presented at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts from October 27 through 29, with performances at 7 p.m. on Friday and 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $14-18, and more information and tickets are available by calling (319)248-9370 and visiting CoralvilleArts.org.
