This production is dedicated to the memories of Scott Waldrup and Maggie Mial, and to all those we have loved and lost.
The story of Peter Pan has been around for over one hundred and twenty years (the character was first introduced in J.M. Barrie's novel, The Little White Bird, in 1902) and still remains as present as ever - some thanks to Disney for that! Pan represents youth, joy, and adventure - but as we have discovered through this process, he also represents pride and fear, as he will do almost anything it takes to avoid facing reality, taking responsiblity for his actions, and growing up. And who can blame him? Growing up is hard!
But what happens to those who went to Neverland with Peter Pan - and then came back home and had to face the reality of growing up, and all they left behind? This is the central question that playwright Kimberly Belflower asks in this play, Lost Girl. She says, "In Neverland, the land of forgetting, [Wendy] was tasked with remembering the things no one else had time for: bedtime stories, taking medicine. How would that memory serve her – or ruin her – as she grew up? Would she remember every detail of her time with Peter? Would she move on easily, or would those memories paralyze her? If Peter Pan stands for all the boys who won’t grow up, Wendy Darling stands for all the girls who do and all the pain that goes along with it."
I am proud to present this work which centers the voice of a young woman, Wendy, and was written by a young woman, Kimberly Belflower, who was only twenty years old when she began this piece. Many of the characters are the same age as our actors, and many of the experiences they go through and discuss within the context of the play are shared with each of us. It is my hope that you will come away from this piece seeing some part of your story reflected on our stage. Or - if not - that you can learn from what you see tonight. Theatre is a powerful tool to bring people together, to build empathy, and to get to know and respect ourselves as whole people - the good and the bad all mixed into one.
When Belflower directed this play herself in the fall of 2023, she said that she hopes audiences take away the same thing she wants of all of her plays: for people to take young women seriously. I would add to that, for people to take young people seriously. The young people who have worked to bring this production together have worked so hard, and have brought so much heart to the process, and I am confident that you will see that reflected on stage tonight. It is an honor to serve as their Director and guide.
Thank you as always for supporting the Arts in our Schools - they are so, so important. Enjoy the show!
Laura Levine
Theatre Arts Teacher and Director
