Y2 Peter Pan The Musical

Being confronted with the choice of a dual role in peter pan was suprising, and something I knew would be a challenge, yet one I was ready to take head on. I was essentially thrust into a whole new experience in a whole new theatre taking on my first musical, and first dual role!

In the initial stages of the production, I faced the challenge of adapting to the unique demands of a musical, balancing acting, singing, and dancing. Learning complex choreography for the first time and intricate vocal arrangements pushed me out of my comfort zone, fostering a sense of resilience and determination. I had never sang on stage before, and yet during our rehearsals I realised I had never sang in front of my peers before either. Learning to be comfortable singing in front of people I knew gave me encouragement, if I could do that, then an audience would be no problem.

Portraying Mr. Darling required me to delve into the character's authoritative yet vulnerable nature. I had to embody a stern and traditional upper class father figure, exploring the nuances of his relationship with the Darling children and Mrs Darling. This role demanded emotional depth and authenticity, encouraging me to tap into a range of feelings and connect with the character on a profound level. I spent time going through old recorded plays of Peter Pan, as well as the disney movies. I used these sources to grow my understanding of the character, which changed as I grew to understand him more and more.

On the other hand, playing Smee provided a delightful contrast, as the character is whimsical, comedic, and endearing. This required a shift in my approach, incorporating physical comedy and mastering the art of timing to bring out the humor in each scene. I loved the portrayal of smee from the early disney film, and even before watching it for the first time, the character was exactly how I imagined him. Embracing the lightheartedness of Smee allowed me to explore a different facet of my acting abilities, bringing me into a comedic role, one I had not portrayed before.

The dual roles allowed me to showcase versatility and adaptability as a performer. Juggling the distinct personalities of Mr. Darling and Smee, not only challenged my acting skills but also deepened my understanding of character development. I gained insights into the importance of embodying contrasting roles within the same production, providing a dynamic and engaging theatrical experience for the audience.

I made sure to make use of my props and costumes too, making the smee costume myself from scratch. When not playing a speaking part in other casts, I chose my pirate character to be the one who works behind the bar or who serves beer to the other sailors. It was this reason why I entered the scene with multiple metal cups, giving them to other pirates and even having one strapped to my belt. This helped me and the others stay in character and allowed us to perform subtlety while others were the focal point of the scene.

Collaborating with my fellow cast and crew was a crucial aspect of this journey. I spent many hours going over the beginning scene with my on stage family to gain comfortability, and learn to portray familial love as Mr Darling would. I also gained comradery and underling respect with my Hook through rehearsals and attention to detail. Navigating the challenges together created lasting bonds with the year 1 actors I had not yet formed, my peter and fellow pirates to name a few. This performance revitalised my significance of teamwork in the world of performing arts.

The process of preparing for and performing in Peter Pan was a holistic learning experience that extended beyond the stage. It sharpened my time management skills through setting aside rehearsal time, line learning, choreography, singing practice, and much more. The experience enhanced my ability to handle pressure, and instilled a greater respect for the musical scene. Diving into this side of theatre was a both feet first kind of jump, and I made sure I was prepared for it.

That is not to say there is no room for improvement. From the start of hearing we were doing a musical in the ark, somewhere we have been trying to perform at christmas for years, I told myself I would give my all even more than I have in the past for this performance. I did my best to accomplish this, yet I will be honest and say that I could have handled my production role better. When not rehearsing I spent time with Will, Aiden and Paige going through what we wanted for Smees costume and where to buy it. Though I was able to secure Smees costume on my own, I believe I could have helped better researching for others costumes who had not yet known what they wanted. I did lend my hand in suggestions, but could have provided pictures and more detailed descriptions and will work on incorporating that in my next production and performance.

I believe my performances as Mr. Darling and Smee were a truly transformative journey for myself, marked by artistic exploration, personal growth, research, collaborative learning and much much more. The challenges and triumphs of this experience have left an indelible mark on my journey as a performer. I cannot wait to pick up my torch and continue onwards on this dark corridoor of my future. In fact I find myself thinking the same thing after each performance: 

This is what I want to do with my life, if I ever forget that, force me back onto the stage, ill remember.