The indians at Second Baptist School

Wendy, Peter and the mermaids at

Second Baptist School

If you use war paint, consider making it red and black so it looks

like the kids used their mother's lipstick or boot polish to draw the patterns. Have at least one look like John's approximation in the nursery scene.

TIGER LILY —Tiger Lily is a proud and beautiful princess. As a base layer, dress her in a brown shirt and a long brown skirt. Give her a beautiful headband with a found object that a child might use to represent a feather, like a comb or a ruler. Consider finishing off the look with a chunky, turquoise necklace. CHIEF TIGER BAMBOO - Dress Tiger Bamboo with a full headdress to emphasize his status as Chief. It's child's play, so the headdress can look like something a child made out of their playthings. Give him a long jacket to distinguish him from the rest of the group.

THE MERMAIDS Let water inspire the these costumes. Shiny, flowing blue and green fabric will distinguish the mermaids from the other natives of Never Land. Dress the girls in ocean-inspired colored t-shirts or tank tops. To create a mermaid skirt, use tulle fabric to make a floor length skirt and tie a ribbon loosely near the ankles to create the tailfin. Alternatively, you can also add extra fabric to the bottom of the skirt to look like an extended tail. However you dress your mermaids, it's important that they feel comfortable in the costumes, and can safely move around in them. Consider adding in one detail from Michael's description of mermaids in the nursery scene.

Creating a Costume Collection for Your School There are staples of clothing, like suit jackets, slacks, dress shirts, blouses and footwear, that will be useful for every musical you produce. Consider holding a costume drive for your production of Peter Pan JR. to jumpstart a costume collection for your school. Middle school students outgrow clothing quickly: help them clear out their closets by asking students, parents and teachers to donate clothing they (or their children) no longer use. Even if you can't use a particular clothing item you receive for your production of Peter Pan JR., chances are you'll be able to use it in the next show you produce!

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Lighting and Sound Below are approaches to lighting and sound that can apply to a variety of budgets and performance venues.

Lighting Basics If your performance space has absolutely no theatrical lighting, and you have little or no budget for a lighting rental package, here's what you should do:

• If you are in a classroom or a multipurpose room, try to delineate your theater space from the audience space. Most rooms allow for certain lights to be turned on while others remain off. Find a configuration in which the audience lighting is darker than the stage.

• A spotlight can serve a multitude of lighting purposes and usually requires nothing more than a power outlet and an operator. If your school doesn't have a spotlight, ask around. Often another school or community theater will loan their spotlights.

• If you have no control over the lights whatsoever, have no worries. The show can be performed under full room lights.

Lighting Rental Package If your budget allows for renting a lighting package, secure the services of a reputable lighting company with experience in theatrical lighting and a lighting designer/operator who will install or supervise the installation of the system in your performance venue. A minimal rental package would include:

• A light board to control cues (sometimes this is a computer with a lighting program)

• Twelve lights (eight general wash lights, three lights for specials, one pattern projector)

• Appropriate cables

• Gels and gel frames

• Appropriate dimmer packs Your first goal is to light the stage as evenly as possible so everyone can be seen. Depending on the size of your stage, eight lighting fixtures should do the job. Your lighting designer should add color gels to provide you with a daytime look and a nighttime look. If you are using twelve lights, ask for three lighting specials: center stage, stage right and stage left. Use these specials to isolate actors during solos, duets or other appropriate moments. Use the final lighting fixture to project a pattern, like a forest, upon the stage. Finally, incorporate the spotlight at times when you want someone to be featured or even as a special effect.

Sound Basics If your performance space has no built-in sound system and your budget does not allow for a rental package, try this approach:

Secure a CD player and at least one powered speaker that has a built-in amplifier to ensure loud and clear sound.

Connect the player to the speaker with appropriate cables and place the speaker upstage center, behind the performers.

Place the CD player (or remote control) with the sound operator in the house, which allows him to hear what the audience does and adjust volume as needed. Try the area directly in front of the stage but not blocking the view of the audience, where the conductor of a live orchestra would be. See diagram on page El 1.

In this basic sound configuration, the actors' voices will be supported by the musical accompaniment but not overwhelmed. Encourage your sound operator to actively control the CD volume. Increase the volume during songs featuring the chorus or when the music drives the energy on stage, such as during dance breaks. Lower the volume during solos or duets and when dialogue is spoken over the music.

The Darling Family at Second Baptist School

The Darling Family at Center Stage Theatricals

The Lost Boys at Second Baptist School

THE DARLINGS The Darling family should be the most simply dressed group of characters in the play, since they live in the real world. Think "practical."

WENDY — Dress the eldest Darling child a long, light-blue nightdress with buttons (the buttons save her from arrows shot by the Lost Boys), black slippers or flats, and an oversized blue bow in her hair. If the nightdress doesn't fit well, tie a light-blue or white ribbon around her waist. JOHN — Dress John in a long, white nightshirt and pants or a pajamas set. Finish off with brown slippers or shoes, a black top hat and and darkrimmed glasses. John acts mature beyond his years, so the look should seem older than your average 8-year-old. MICHAEL — For the youngest Darling child, find light-colored one-piece footie pajamas or a matching pajama set with

Spotlight and a platform for the spotlight and the operator

Portable stands (if your theater has no lighting positions)

El O I Disney's Peter Pan JR.

matching socks. Michael is the baby in the family, so it is okay to age him down. MR. DARLING — Mr. Darling is a true gentleman. Dress your performer in black pants with a belt, a white button-down shirt and black dress shoes. Give him a black vest, a bowtie and black jacket. If Mr. Darling is doubling as Captain Hook, he should keep the same pants and dress shirt and just add the pirate's jacket and boots. MRS. DARLING — Mrs. Darling is a proper lady. Dress your performer in a long gown with nice shoes. Add to the look by finishing with an up-do and elegant jewelry. NANA - Work with your performer to decide what type of dog he or she will be playing. (J.M. Barrie's original Nana was a Newfoundland.) Start with a long-sleeved shirt and pants and use fabric paint to create Nana's coat. Draw a black nose and complete with an old-fashioned bonnet that has ears sewn to the sides. Make sure that your actor is comfortable moving around on her hands and feet in whatever the costume is.

THE LOST BOYS The Lost Boys' costumes should be inspired by nature and wild animals. They are bold and fearless, and dress to go exploring. Use sweatshirts and long pants of various earth tones. Distinguish each boy as his animal, and attach ears to the hoods or knit hats accordingly.

PETER PAN — Stick with shades of green and brown. Start with a green t-shirt and a pair of brown shorts or slim-fitting pants. Add a green, felt hat with a brightly colored feather sticking out the back and a pair of sandals. Complete the look by belting the shirt with a green or brown piece of fabric. You may want to add a tiny loop that can hold a sword.

THE PIRATES The pirates are the ruffians of the high seas. Think dark, dirty and villianous. Their costumes costumes should be tattered and dirty compared

to the regality of Captain Hook. Use combinations of shorts, pants, t-shirts and button-down shirts as a base. Consider pairing solid colors and striped patterns together. Customize each look with eye patches, tattered leg pants, vests, bandanas, pirate hats and sashes for variety. CAPTAIN HOOK — Start with a pair of black pants, a white button-down shirt and a big red coat. Build upon this base by adding a pair of black boots, an oversized pirate hat with a feather on top, a white neckerchief and a gold sash that can hold a sword. Finish the look with a mustache and the infamous hook for a hand. Note that there is a sight gag required for Hook's pants so consider adding an elastic waist band. SMEE - Dress Captain Hook's faithful sidekick in a pair of blue shorts and a stripped t-shirt. Finish the look with a red hat or bandana, brown sandals and pair of round eyeglasses. CROCODILE — Dress your actor in green clothing from head to foot. Use gray fabric paint to create scales. Add a crocodile snout built out of cardboard, and a tail made of mattress foam. Consider using a skateboard or wooden dolly for the performer to lay on so he can "crawl" across the floor.

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THE INDIANS Dress the indians the way children would imagine them. Mix and match combinations of colors, patterns and clothing styles. Remember that the indians are excellent hunters, so make sure the entire group can easily move around the stage. Start with brown pants and long shirts or brown dresses as a base. Add a few details to personalize each indian, such as belts or suspenders.

E8 1 Disney's Peter Pan JR.

Peter Pan and Hop at Second Baptist School

Captain Hook at Center Stage Theatricals

Pirates at Second Baptist School

eter Pan JR. takes place in the fictional world of Never Land. Use a child's imagination as the inspiration for your designs, but be sure to keep the costumes simple. The play moves along quickly and the actors may have to make quick

Costumes

costume changes (especially if you double cast performers).

The first design question to tackle is how you will distinguish the six different groups of characters in the play: the fairies, the Darling family, the Lost Boys, the pirates, the indians

and the mermaids. This may be as simple as using different color palettes and/or make-up styles for each group as long as the six groups are easily identifiable as a unit and separate from the others. Secondly, as with the set design, let all of the costumes be created by Wendy, John and Michael's imaginations. How would a child envision a mermaid or a pirate? While the world of Never Land looks and feels real, there can be small touches of dress-up incorporated. Allow your designs to be fun and imaginative. Below are a few costume suggestions to spark your imagination:

THE FAIRIES As a group, the fairies are bright and lively with a bit of sparkle. Consider using shiny fabric or glitter spray to help them stand out. Each fairy should be dressed in a different

color and have an extra accessory or two to distinguish herself from the rest of the group.

TINKER BELL — Begin with a green dress or green t-shirt and shorts as the base of the costume. Add brightly colored tights or leggings. Consider some personal touches, like a belt or simple

jewelry. This pixie should feel comfortable running across the stage. Fairy wings can either be made of cardboard, by stretching white nylons over wire hangers or by attaching translucent fabric to each wrist and attaching the spine of the dress. Apply spray glitter to the wings for a dramatic finish.

E6 1 Disney's Peter Pan JR. Tinker Bell at Second Baptist School

The fairies at Second Baptist School

Tinker Bell at Second Baptist School

elow you will find several of the props made exclusively for the Peter Pan JR. Choreography DVD. These props are constructed from affordable materials that can be found online or at craft stores. Remember that props do not have to be intricate or high-tech to look great on stage. Creativity and a hot-glue gun will take you far!

MERMAID TAILS - The mermaid tails used in "Sunbeams and Sea" are made out of foam board and paint sticks. The tails are drawn with a stencil to ensure they are uniform in size. The tails and paint-stick handles are finished with a coat of paint on the front and back sides.

Prop

Design by Jeena Yoon

CLOUDS - The clouds are also made out of foam board, drawn using stencils and finished with a coat of paint. The handles are made out of stiff fabric. Two slits are cut in the clouds for each handle (two handles per cloud) to make a loop with the fabric. The exposed fabric is painted to blend into the clouds.

INDIAN STAFFS — The staffs used by the indians in "What Makes the Brave Man Brave" are made out of standard wood dowels found at any home improvement store. For safety, as well as noise reduction, the dowels are fitted with rubber stoppers on teach end.

STARS — The stars used in "Fly to Your Heart" are made out of foam board, paint and flashlights. Gold wire star-tinsel is added for extra sparkle.

Making Props

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