Peter Pan - A Picketwire Players Gift to La Junta This Holiday Season

Description: Peter Pan presented by the Picketwire Players is an all ages delight. Photo by John Lockhart. Watch the Interview with Director Rebecca Ayala at the Bottom of This Article... photo by John Lockhart...


Published: 12/15/2023
Byline: Picketwire Players

Peter Pan - A Picketwire Players Gift to La Junta This Holiday Season

The story of 'The Boy Who Never Grows Up' is one which we all know. Since J.M Barrie's original story and production in 1904, there have been many recreations – including a musical. Just in time for Christmas, Picketwire Players present a pure reimagining of this classic for Southeastern Colorado’s return to childhood fantasies. Join them this weekend (December 14 – 16, 2023) at 7:30 PM for a delightful adventure.

Many believe that the inspiration for Peter Pan came from the five Davies boys that author J.M. Barrie befriended. It did, in part; however, the main impetus came when Barrie’s older brother, David, died the day before his 14th birthday. His mother proclaimed that David was “forever a boy."

Consequently, mothers and their connection to their sons, is a main theme throughout this play. Another theme running through the show is using your imagination to create adventures. And, an adventure is just what you will experience on the Picketwire stage. Under the direction of Rebecca Ayala and Assistant Director Courtney Ayala, Peter Pan comes alive.

The sets, lighting effects, sound effects, and music are innovative and magical. The costumes are in a league of their own, but, as someone commented, what would you expect from a Director and Assistant Director who have created costumes for Picketwire productions for decades?!

Cira Ayala Fowler plays Peter Pan, a part she and her grandmother (the Director) have discussed bringing to the stage for years. We are happy that they finally succeeded. You can tell that this part is pure fun for Cira and her merry band of Lost Boys.

The Darling family is sweet and charming: Mr. and Mrs. Darling are played by Katie and Jake Pruyn; Kadence Lagergren plays Wendy, and her brothers are adoringly played by Skylar Finkner (John) and Jaron Hoyt (Michael).

It was fun to see some Picketwire regulars back on stage: Anjelica Leija is mean and dastardly as Captain Hook, Adam Clark is the bumbling Smee, and Rachael Berg plays a dual role as a member of the Darling household and as a pirate.

Also coming back to the stage are some young people who have grown up with Picketwire for so long – it was hard to recognize them as near teenagers: Emma Ayala Lucero, Brynn Ayala Williams, and Lily Seaba.

Rounding out the cast are: Monroe Ayala Williams, Joseph Ulloa, Gianna Ayala, Aubriella Pineda, Montana Brereton, Nicole Deloach, Zaileana Martinez, Demian Ryder, Ethan Malec, Adrianna Ayala, Zabalia Castillo, Bryn Cornelias-Leija, Lilliana Garcia, Kadie Hulsey, Charlize Pearson and Gideon Wallace.

Light Technician is Zach Zamora and Sound Technician is Dino Salazar. Courtney Aayala created the sound effects, and Rebecca Ayala created the projections. Stage Managers are Aubrey Ayala and Courtney Ayala. The set was designed and constructed by Anthony Ayala, Rebecca Ayala, and River Ayala Williams. Backstage crew duties were handled by Brynn Ayala Williams, Noah Nunez-Rebel, Katie Pruyn, Jake Pruyn, and Kadence Lagergren.

This wonderful Neverland mirrored the wonder of community theatre. As you can tell from all the names listed above, this production brought together members from several families – working, creating and imagining together. In fact, even the tiny, five-year old fairies are part of Picketwire’s legacy as we saw a fourth generation of the Aldea family (one of the original Board members from 1968) appear on stage. I defy any of you in the audience to see these fairies appear and not say “Aww."

Barrie himself had a special place in his heart for the magic of fairies. He declared: “When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies.”

Picketwire’s production of Peter Pan will make you laugh, make you sigh in wonderment, and make you clap to keep fairies alive. Peter Pan plays for three nights: Thursday, December 14 through Saturday, December 16. All productions begin at 7:30 pm. Picketwire Center for Performing and Visual Arts is located at 802 San Juan Avenue, La Junta, Colorado. Tickets are available at the box office each night or through the website: https://www.picketwireplayers.org/tickets.

Watch the Interview with Director Rebecca Ayala:

The Picketwire Theatre is Located at 802 San Juan Avenue in La Junta, Colorado. 



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