Butler Summer Dramatics has something to crow about. This year its production will be "Peter Pan," which opens on July 23 at the Butler County Community College's Succop Theater.

In the tradition of Peter Pan, a female will perform the lead role of Peter.

Whitney Angeloni, who will be in ninth grade at Butler Intermediate High School in the fall, won the audition for the role.

"Actually, when I auditioned, I was thinking about the role of Wendy but when I heard they were thinking of casting a girl in the role of Peter, I tried extra hard," she said.

Angeloni has been in four musicals as a dancer and has had other parts prior to this leading role.

"I have learned so much over the years that I feel ready for this role," Angeloni said.

The toughest part for Angeloni is memorizing all of the lines because Peter is in most of the scenes. But being in most of the scenes has its advantages.

"The best part about this role is that I get to interact with all the characters. I get to be with the Lost Boys, the Darlings and the Pirates," she said.

Her favorite song is "I Gotta Crow."

Angeloni will be strapped into a harness and flown across the stage. While she hasn't tried it yet, she is looking forward to it: "I can't wait. I have been a gymnast and flown through the air a lot. I think it is going to be a lot of fun, I'm not scared at all."

Director Gordon Cavelero said, "We are hiring a man to come in and work the contraption who will be here to rehearse with the actors and will operate the machinery during the performances."

While the dogs in many productions are played by actual canines, Danielle Sickle will portray Nana down on all fours in this show.

"It is neat to land a lead role," said Sickle, who will also be a freshman at Butler Intermediate this fall. "While I don't have lines to learn, I do need to know when to bark.

"The suit is very heavy and hot, so it should be a challenge physically, but it will be nice that my family and friends will all know it is me under there."

When not playing the pooch, Sickle will portray one of the Indians.Both on stage and behind the scenes, the show features several Summer Dramatic alumnus who made their way through many of the productions to the ultimate role of leader and teacher.For example, Brookes Decker, who has been in all but one of the shows during the last decade or so, is Captain Hook.Decker graduated from Carnegie Mellon University this year with a major in voice performance and theatre. He is headed for New York City to try his hand at the stage professionally in the fall of 2005.Decker, who last appeared in Butler in the Musical Theater Guild Production, "Rocky Horror Picture Show" is excited about playing this evil-yet-polite character."I did quite a bit of research into how this role is usually played. Every Hook is a little eccentric and flamboyant, and I think mine will be even more so," said Decker. "When I came to audition, I knew that I wanted to be Hook,"For the past two shows, Decker has been hard at work wearing the director's cap, and now he finds great enjoyment being part of the cast and hanging around the young participants."I love to have fun on the set. This year, coming back is fun, but there is also an element of responsibility. I have come up through the ranks and benefited from the Summer Dramatics experience. Now I want to give back and be a role model for the kids," Decker said.Another alum, who is trying her hand at musical director, is Marlana Dunn, who played Dorothy in last year's production of "Wizard of Oz." Dunn is attending Point Park University, majoring in musical theatre."This is the first time I have been a musical director for a show. I was excited when Gordon gave me the opportunity," she said. "While it will look great on the resume and be good experience, I know I will learn a lot."Dunn said the young actors are the best part."It is amazing to see all these kids interested in theatre. It is really great to look at some of the older kids and think back to when they started with the group, as well as see all the fresh new faces this year," she said.Cavelero, the man behind Butler Summer Dramatics, also enjoys seeing the fruits of the labor from years past."It is wonderful to see people you cast in their first production continuing to pursue musical theater. The growth of kids who played bit parts in prior productions have matured into the lead roles," he said."Of course, it is always nice to know that Summer Dramatics affected people in a positive way and for some encouraged their education and career choice."Peter Pan is a fictional character created by J. M. Barrie, best known from the stage play and children's book of the same name. Peter is a little boy who refuses to grow up, and spends his time having magical adventures.The play takes place in stifling Edwardian London. Wendy Darling entertains her brothers nightly with bedtime tales of swordplay, swashbuckling and the evil Hook. But the children become the heroes of an even greater story when Peter Pan actually joins them one night and leads them over moonlit rooftops to the mysterious jungles of Neverland.Wendy and her brothers team up with Peter and the Lost Boys in a life free of grown-up rules, while also facing the inevitable showdown with Hook and his comrades.