Garden Theatre to stage "Peter Pan"

IF YOU GO

“Peter Pan”

WHEN: 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays; 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, in May

WHERE: Garden Theatre, 160 W. Plant St., Winter Garden

TICKETS: $29 general admission; $25 students/seniors; $12 ages 12 and younger on Saturday matinees; discounts possible for groups of 10 or more

INFO: (407) 877-4736 or gardentheatre.org

Although Peter Pan has been forever young for more than 100 years, Garden Theatre officials promise no one has seen a rendition of “Peter Pan” quite like the one the theater will host throughout May to end its 2014-15 live season with pizzazz.

State-of-the-art digital and technology companies have donated more than $825,000 in goods and services, including Nth Degree & Visual FX, Birket Engineering, Goodtheory, Winfield Murdock Creative Works, InTelesis and Phoenix Rising.

These donations will enable crew members to enhance animation and visual effects with projection surfaces, projectors, show controls, rigging, cables, servers and media. Use of several projectors will give the appearance of three-dimensional animated scenery and effects on the live stage with a custom curved screen to capture images.

“We are so excited to breathe new life into this timeless classic by using the same spectacular animation and state-of-the-art projection mapping technology that Nth Degree uses for some of the world’s biggest themed entertainment venues and stage productions,” said Amber Larkin of Nth Degree, the “Peter Pan” animation/visual effects director. “I believe this will be an incredible opportunity for these young performers to work with the future of theater while dazzling every audience member who comes to see it.”

Methods of flight for the characters will be different, as well. Instead of the usual hoists and wires that would be too readily apparent to contain the imagination in such a small theater, crew members believe their new technology will cause the audience to feel as though it is flying with the cast in Neverland.

“The Garden Theatre is all about innovative programming and taking risks,” said Garden Theatre Executive Director Alauna Friskics. “This is the biggest risk we’ve taken so far. We’ve presented several original world-premiere plays on the Garden Theatre stage and have been consistently creative in bringing stories to life in spite of the challenge of limited stage space. We knew we had to go in a completely different direction from the hoists and wires to make Peter fly, and what we’ve created is a digital product that we can offer to other intimate theaters so they, too, can bring this new magic to the stage.”

Karen Rugerio will be the director of “Peter Pan” at the Garden Theatre. Cast members include: Alysia Vastardis, Aiden Fracker, Zachary Corbin, Emilie Scheetz, Tristan Zambrana, Andrew Knoblich, Monica Titus, Anneliese Moon, Lyle Moon, Dennis Marsico, Griffin Bunch, Brady Foley, Jasmine Guilford, Samantha Jacobson, Zachary Turay, Jared Wheelock, Landin Larkin, Ta’Veon Jones, Mark Montgomery, Ryleigh Lawton, Hudson Adams-Farley, Haven Birket, Emelia Brzakala,Hannah Cheesman, Caiti Fallon, Ava Madara, Breckan Russo, Isabel Simmons, Parker Sims-Chin, Jason Zavitz, Andre Torres, Julia Kaufman, Gabriela Torres, Paris Terry, Keith Alexander, Erik V. Garbus, Wil Zambrana, Oliver Davids, Jacob Motes, Zeshan Khan, Jemeryas Jordan, Khalil McClarrin, Rahjanique Locklear, Carly Skubick, Giorgia Connelly, Shirley Brooks, Jordan Little, Madison Mayer, Ellie Roddy and Abigail Marotta.

Contact Zak Kerr at [email protected].