This year, the Tosa West Trojan Players decided to put on three major productions: the fall musical, the winter play, and the spring musical. Although two of the three have already passed, the community still has the chance to catch the final production of the year on the 27th, 28th, and 29th of April as well as the 4th and 5th of May. The spring musical this year is Peter Pan by Piers Robinson.

Director Tim Catlet, describes the musical as, “the story of what little boys do when they don’t have a mother.” It is full of high energy songs and even some audience participation (hint: clapping might just save a life). There are many theatrical versions of the novel, Peter Pan, by J. M. Barrie, and Catlet has directed several of the versions in the past. The version that the Trojan Players will be presenting is, as Catlet described, “Leaps and bounds more faithful to Barrie,” than the American or Disney version of the show.

This musical has invited some new challenges for the technicians and actors alike. One of the greatest of these is the flight rig that is being used in the show. The actors and technicians learned how to use the rig only a week before opening night. Catlet and several other professionals who have used a flight rig in the past will be controlling most of the flying. One student technician, Andrew Albee, is excited to be working the flying rig for Michael. “I have call a half hour before each show and a half hour after to test the rig,” said Albee. Everything must be working perfectly to ensure the safety of all involved with the show.

The whole set for this production is being rented, so the technician work on this production will be very different from any other show produced by the Trojan Players. There will not be much for construction work, but the technicians will have to learn the show and unfamiliar set in about a week. Over a week before the show student technician, Nicole Cucinello, said that as far as tech work there has not been much yet, “but flying everybody and bringing in the whole set is going to be a big project.”

Not only does the rented set bring a challenge for the technicians, but one for the actors as well. The actors have to learn their placing on the set in about a week. Valerie Vogle, a senior making her premier on the Tosa West stage as Peter, is both excited and nervous about the challenged to come. Vogle said, “I’ve always wanted to be in a musical… So many of my friends have been in the cast and crew of past shows, and it always looked like fun.”

This show will prove to be a challenge for all involved. Catlet described Peter Pan as a restorative piece, and the Trojan Player’s restoration is going to be unlike anything they have attempted before.

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