Submitted to Southern Torch by Emily Lewis
RAINSVILLE, Ala.—You do not want to miss the Players in Progress (PIP) Theatre Company’s latest production, Peter & Wendy by Jeremy Bloom, which goes up this weekend at the Tom Bevill Enrichment Center in Rainsville. Peter & Wendy is a lyrical adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s classic tale of the boy who wouldn’t grow up and the girl who followed him to Neverland to battle Captain Hook. Familiar characters like Tinker Bell, Tiger Lily, and the Lost Boys are also to be found in this play, but not like you remember them. With humor, heart, and no small amount of danger this show reminds us of what it is to be young enough to believe that happy thoughts can make us fly and how hard it is to leave that youth behind without losing the optimism.
This is the Players in Progress’s eighth production since it was founded in 2012. The non-profit company is run by Scottsboro native Jensie Britt and myself, Emily Lewis, a native of Sylvania, who also serve as the directors of the production. We founded PIP as an outlet for students in the area without access to theatre, because few schools in this area offer theatre programs, or what is offered is scarce – with even fewer opportunities for homeschooled students. PIP is focused on bringing together young people with a passion for the stage; striving to create an environment where every participant can feel they have a say in the art they are creating while being challenged to do better. With an emphasis on self-expression and self-confidence, PIP gives teens a safe place to grow as professionals and as people. Peter & Wendy gives that chance to nine actors ages 12 to 19 from DeKalb and Jackson Counties, along with three crew members -- numbers PIP would like to see increase in our next production.
Performances will be at the Tom Bevill Enrichment Center in Rainsville. Show times are Jan. 8 at 7:00 p.m., Jan. 9 at 7:00 p.m., and Jan. 10 at 2:00 p.m.; doors open half an hour before performances. Tickets will be available for purchase from cast and crew or at the door for $5. Appropriate for audience members of all ages, provided they remain young at heart. Come with happy thoughts!
