It’s a land where dreams come true, a land where you stay forever young. Playhouse on the Square takes the audience on Peter Pan’s journey with Wendy, Michael and John Darling through the wonderful place that is Neverland.

The story opens with the Wendy and her brothers dreaming of a boy named Peter Pan. When Peter returns for his absent shadow, Wendy recognizes him from these dreams and sews his shadow back on for him. As thanks for her kindness, Peter then invites Wendy to Neverland, a place where she will never grow old. Wendy and her brothers become encompassed in adventures with the Lost Boys, pirates and natives in Neverland.  

Neverland comes to live on stage, and some students at White Station have experienced this wonder first hand as performers in the show. Playing Junior, a lost boy, and the Crocodile in this year’s production, Marley Hale (11) has been in the Playhouse on the Square’s production of “Peter Pan” twice now. She has loved every minute of the wonder, beauty and magic on display.

“This show is truly one of my favorite shows to perform,” Hale said “It has everything. Endless adventure, tons of humor, plenty of imagination.This show is perfect for the whole family.”

The beauty of the show is paired with the hard work the performers put in to make the spectacle come to life. The cast repeats their performance over and over to make sure it is pristine, cohesive and incredible to participate in.

“This production makes me happier than any other show I’ve ever done honestly,” Hale said.  “The story is just so imaginative.”

The characters in this show are well-imagined, and there is so much that the performers can do to transform themselves and mesh into their characters. The Lost Boys, Captain Hook, Peter Pan, and the Darling family are very complex characters, and the intricate costumes display their complexity and brings the magic to Neverland to the stage.

“There’s so much you can explore with your character, especially as a lost boy,” Hale said, “I love developing my characters’ facial expressions and movements for this show. Playhouse has taught me a lot the past two years.”

The hard work and dedication of the performers cannot be ignored. It ties the show together to make the play come to life on stage.

“Escape from the real world and come on a trip to

Neverland.” Hale said. “You won’t regret it.”