Mermaids, Fairies, Pirates & Lost Boys by the Dozens

Massive Student Summer Cast Bringing Peter Pan to Life

Fayette County Community Theater (FCCC) has become a beloved fixture in La Grange over the last few years.

But it’s never tackled a production the scale of this one.

Mermaids, Fairies, Pirates and Lost Boys by the dozens are heading to the LGISD performing arts center three nights a week for practice as a whopping 63 local kids are part of this year’s all-student production of “Peter Pan and Wendy” August 5, 6, and 7.

It’s the biggest number of participants (adult or children) that the theater group, which began in 2017, has had for a play.

“It’s definitely been a challenge,” said Melissa Weltner, a longtime FCCC volunteer who is helping to facilitate the otherwise all-student production. “We’ve got 63 kids this year, up from 56 last summer (when “The Jungle Book” was performed). It’s crazy. On one hand it’s amazing because the program is growing and so many kids want to put in the work to be on stage, but logistically, it’s difficult keeping everything straight.”

The play is being directed by Bryssa Rios, a 2021 La Grange High School graduate who is now a sophomore at Blinn College.

“Bryssa was in our very first student production, ‘The Secret Garden,’ Weltner said. “She was a tree person and had no lines, but she was hooked.”

The next year Rios had a lead role in “Alice in Wonderland” as The Red Queen, but she said making the transition from student actor to student director is quite the challenge as she manages actors as young as three up to 17 years old.

“It’s hard, it’s stressful,” said Rios, who is also working full time at HEB and taking summer classes at Blinn while directing. “I’m directing and there’s parents sitting out in the audience and I’m thinking, ‘I hope I’m not being too mean to your kid right now.’

“There’s a lot more administration work that goes with this than I realized. This is the most I’ve ever used the calender app on my phone. The day the cast list came out, I spent three hours answering emails.”

But so far so good less than three weeks until opening night.

This play is adapted by Doug Rand from the novel by J. M. Barrie.

Here’s a synopsis:

“When the carefree and careless Peter Pan flies into the nursery of the Darling home, Wendy follows her instincts for maternity and adventure, bringing her little brothers along to the magical Neverland to take care of the motherless Lost Boys. Soon the Darling children are swept into Peter’s deadly battle with Captain Hook and his mostly-fearsome pirate crew.”

The big cast has been made more manageable by the move to LGISD’s Performing Art Center. The last few years the student plays have been at the Casino Hall – and would often sell out.

Now there’s greater seating capacity, but also the bells and whistles of the center’s state-of-the-art light and sound system, and large backstage and makeup areas.

“There’s actually room to have kids and props back stage and room on the stage for everyone,” Rios said.

For Rios this summer is a great introduction to what she wants to do for a living.

“I’m majoring in English, and I want to teach either middle school or high school for a few years and then go back and to get my theater degree,” Rios said. “My ultimate goal is to come back here and take over the one-act play program.”

“Peter Pan and Wendy” is being performed Aug 5-7 at LGISD’s Performing Arts Center (656 E. Travis St. in La Grange). Friday and Saturday’s performances are at 7 p.m. and Sunday’s show is at 3 p.m.

Early seating tickets are $20. General admission adult tickets are $15. General admission student tickets are $10.

They are available online at https://lgisd.hometownticketing.com/embed/all and at the FCCC box office at 120 S Washington St. in La Grange, Tuesday - Friday 11 a.m. -3 p.m.

Crew List:

Lead - Juan Zuniga

Eli Martin

Ben Lann

Tucker Denham

Jaycee Zapalac

Mattie Muzny

David Rios

Presley Landry

Holly Mikulin

Jude Lira

Scarlett Landry

Elizabeth Shank

Cillian Alvarado

Cast List:

Peter Pan - Layelah Martin

Wendy - Carolina Lira

Older Wendy - Katy Shank

John - Deacon Wick

Michael - Maddox Wick

Jane - Remington Denham

Nana the Dog - Ruby Freedman

Liza- Bianca Carillo

Mrs. Darling - Emma Koeth

Mr. Darling - Houston Hodde

Tinkerbell - Bella Hernandez

Curly - Holden Mikulin

Slightly - Aleyah McMillan

Tootles - Logan Lann

Nibs - Anabella DelaRosa

Twin 1 - Hannah Anderson

Twin 2 - Scout Rhodes

Cpt. Hook - Luke Anderson

Starkey - Riley Lowe

Smee - Autumn Wolf

Jukes - Caroline Bartek

Cecco - Brinley Freedman

Mullins - Hannah Garza

Noodler - Sarita Kinsey

Cookson - Lilly Mouton

Neverbird - Lyla Westberry

Crocodile - Lily Martin

Tiger Lily- Zoe Janda

Lost Boys/Pirates/Mermaids/Fairies:

Vanessa Adams - Leader

Megan Pleger - Leader

Audrey Haynie - Leader

Emma Haynie - Leader

Asher Anderson

Boaz Anderson

Ezra Anderson

Gideon Anderson

Penelope Bartek

Amelia Biernacki

Brylee Brugger

Hunter Denham

Hagen Denham

Levi Haynie

Caden Janda

Sydney Lann

Lucy Martin

Alice Muzny

Landon Muzny

Bailey Tousek

Eli Ulrich

Penn Wick