Peter Pan takes flight
BUTLER TWP — Not only are the voices soaring high at the rehearsals for Butler Summer Dramatics production of "Peter Pan," but by the end of the week Logan Olszewski also will be reaching new heights.
"I am just so excited to start the whole flying experience," she said. "It's been hard to block those scenes and to know exactly how I will be moving. This Friday the man is coming to work with us on the flying part."
Olszewski, who is a dancer by training, said that once she got into character becoming Peter Pan wasn't that difficult.
"When everyone is in character, it is easy to lose yourself in the role. Becoming a boy and lowering my voice was conscious at first but now it is just part of the character," she said.
Olszewski said she auditioned and read all the roles they asked her to knowing that Peter would be a great role, but she was willing to take whatever part that was assigned.
"I was really excited to get Peter. I watched the Mary Martin and the Kathy Rigby versions to prepare," said Olszewski, who will be a junior at Butler High School this year.
Tory Mysliwiec, who played Rizzo in "Grease" last year, takes up the role of Wendy for this production. Going from being tough girl last year to being lost boy tamer now has been fun.
"She is so innocent and naive, with no responsibility when she starts out," said Mysliwiec of Wendy. "She then has to change and become a caregiver."
Mysliwiec will start at Grove City College in the fall, majoring in biochemistry, but for the summer she is content with majoring in being a role model.
"This is my seventh or eighth show, and what makes this program so amazing is that you can learn something from the older people in the cast. Now I am one of them, and it is fun to work with the younger kids," she said.
"I remember what it was like to be that age and on stage," she added. "I love all the Neverland scenes, they are truly my favorite."
The Neverland scenes are also a favorite of the infamous Captain Hook, played by Brady Patsy, who comes back to the stage via Disney and the Pittsburgh Musical Theater.
"I am on a sort of sabbatical," Patsy said. "When the opportunity presented itself for me to audition for Hook, I took it. It is a dream role.
"This is a no holds barred role, and Gordon is allowing much leeway in the role," he said of director Gordon Cavalero. "I am getting to use what I've been doing in working with Broadway actors and such and getting to share it with the younger cast. It really is the best cast I've worked with at Summer Dramatics."
This year's cast tops out at about 105 members, ranging in age from 9 to 23.
It has become a summer tradition for some. Laurissa Charpentier, who will be a senior at Butler High School this fall, is working on her fifth Summer Dramatics role.
"I think the program is great and helps to prepare kids for the opportunities they'll have for theater when they get older," said Charpentier, who plays the Ostrich and an Indian in this production.
"'I Won't Grow Up' is probably my favorite song in the show," she said. "Somewhere a part of us always wants life to be like it was when we were kids."
Matt Buzanoski prefers the life of a pirate in this show.
"I play Cecco, the pirate," said Buzanoski, who will be a junior at Slippery Rock University this fall. "A pirate is such a fun role. You get to act and talk like a pirate and I even get to dance.
"I basically get to act like a kid in my role as a lackey for Captain Hook. Pirates are definitely fun."
Assuming two duties in this show is Danielle Sickle, who attends Butler County Community College and is in her 11th show with the program.
"They needed an assistant director, and I agreed to reprise my role of Nana, the family dog as well," Sickle said.
"The large cast is a challenge because there are many moments of waiting for the younger kids and sometimes we have to keep shushing them," she said.
"Even if people saw the other version we did like five years ago, this one is a fresh new cast with new dancing and choreography and definitely worth seeing."
<B>WHAT: </B>Butler Summer Dramatics presents "Peter Pan"<B>WHEN: </B>7:30 p.m. July 30, 31 and Aug. 1; 2 p.m. Aug. 2<B>WHERE: </B>Succop Theater at Butler County Community College<B>TICKETS: </B>$15 premium; $12 general admission; available at Mays Music Shoppe on East Jefferson Street; 724-283-5811
