Department of Theatre and Media Arts

Students Flying High with Experiences from Peter Pan Musical

By Leah Hill

Bronwyn Tarboton recently lived her childhood dreams and even took flight on stage while playing Peter Pan in a BYU production of the musical.

“I loved [flying] so much,” said Tarboton, a recent Music Dance Theatre graduate. “It was so fun to be able to sing and flip up there. It was different because you can control your body in the air, but you can’t control where you go or where you land or take off. You can only control your body positioning. It was great.”

The musical, directed by Tim Threlfall, associate professor in BYU’s Music Dance Theatre program, sold out within the first week of ticket sales. Most of the scenic detail was projected from a massive projector screen. Pat Debenham, artistic director of Contemporary Dance Theatre, choreographed the dances and by the BYU orchestra, directed by Gayle Lockwood, BYU musical director of production, accompanied the singers.

Tarboton said having a 40-piece orchestra and access to exceptional costume designs are rare for undergraduates.

“That’s what’s really great about BYU,” Tarboton said. “It has such support for the arts. It was a great opportunity for me because you don’t often get to play a role like Peter Pan.”

Shelby Luke, a senior theatre media arts studies major and Peter Pan costume designer, was nominated for best costume design in the annual Regional VIII Festival for the Kennedy Center American College Festival.

With such a dynamic set of characters and story line, Luke and her assistant designers had their hands full. They had to figure out how to hit Peter Pan in the chest with an arrow, have a fake dog hold things in her mouth, keep flying harnesses hidden, and follow Peter with his own shadow.

To solve the problems, designers used Velcro to attach the arrow, a magnet for the dog to hold objects, fabric to hide the harnesses and a black practice costume fitted to the actor to play the shadow.

“I love the problem solving, and the audience, and the art and the collaboration,” Luke said. “My favorite part is when you see the magic of when it all comes together.”

For Jordan Dickison, recent Music Dance Theatre graduate who played Smee in the show, wearing a fat suit costume directly affected his performance.

“By the time I got on stage, I was wearing the costume, I think I completely changed how I moved physically,” Dickison said. “I can’t jump as high, I can’t be as flexible. But the costume actually added to my character; just the inspiration of how to move differently and how to exaggerate the stomach. I think it really helped for the comedic aspect of my character.”

The show also created more learning experiences for first-year students.

“It gave a lot of ensemble opportunities to a lot of the freshmen,” Dickison said. “I feel like the show is very ensemble driven; the lost boys, the Indians and the pirate groups. They have to help with the energy and help push the story along. They really help create the whole atmosphere of Neverland and really just drive the story.”

Of course, creating the child-like atmosphere of the show was not truly carefree.

Tarboton, who is on stage almost the entire show, said the most challenging part of playing Peter Pan was gaining the cardiovascular strength to sing while constantly running and jumping on stage, especially during one solo where Peter is showing off for Wendy.

“It just uses a lot of energy, running around, and doing cart-wheels, and back walk overs, and jumping up and off things while you are singing,” Tarboton said. “And the whole show you are just kind of running. So you never quite get your breath back.”

Plus, Tarboton, an adult female, was challenged with singing like an 11-year-old-boy. “The thing for me was to kind of sound like a boy while still keeping it healthy so that it was something I could do over and over,” Tarboton said.

However, one of her favorite scenes was singing Mysterious lady. “I got to wear a cloak, and I got to pretend to be a girl so I got to use my real voice and the orchestra sounded amazing,” Tarboton said.

With such a large cast and crew, the musical also challenged stage manager Lindsi Nelson, who said it was the largest production she has ever managed.

“When we got back from winter break we had to fit in publicity photos, and flying rehearsals, and rehearsals in general and stuff like that; where there is only 24 hours in a day and we need 46,” Nelson said.

The music gave Nelson valuable experience for the future. “It definitely helped me know what to expect when I go out into the world, in regards to musicals, because I want to concentrate on musicals,” Nelson said. “It gave me an idea of how to deal with people and schedules.”

Nelson also enjoyed working under Threlfall’s direction.

“[Because] he has worked professionally as a director, I felt like it was a more professional relationship,” Nelson said. “He was able to just give me stuff to do and I would just go and run with it my own way.”

Dickison also appreciated the professional atmosphere the director provided.

“Another cool opportunity for me, is that director Tim Threlfall lets you go ahead and create,” Dickison said. “ And just about everything in the show seems like it was us playing around and he was like, ‘I like it, keep it’ and so we were very free to make our own choices and come up with our own comedic moments.”

Part of the Threlfall’s theme for the play was that the lost boy’s initial desire to stay young forever prohibited their progression.

“We think it is great to be a kid again and have a care free life, but then at the end you see that Peter never gets to become part of a family,” Dickison said. “He never gets to continue on in his progression.”

Threlfall recently directed a professional production of Grease at the St. George Theatre Tuacahn with Tarboton, Dickison and two other Peter Pan cast members in the production.

“It was great to have four Peter Pan alumni in a professional production as well,” Threlfall said. “All four had to audition for the roles at Tuacahn against over 1400 actors seen in Los Angeles, New York, Vegas and Salt Lake City.”

Other production staff members include dramaturg Jayna Butler, scenic designer Benjamin Sanders, makeup and hair designers Shiloh White and Danielle Cluff, lighting designer Michael Handley and sound designer Troy Streeter. Brad Allen coached the actors in flying. Rigging is by Flying by Foy.