Last Wednesday, January 24th, Boston Community Collaborative’s drama students at the Josiah Quincy School afterschool program performed “Lost, The Origins of the Lost Children of Neverland”.
This original play was created and written by the students of the class, with guidance from BCC’s lead drama instructor, Ingrid Oslund.
The Plot: Every night before bed, Wendy Darling tells her sisters the story of Peter Pan and his adventures in Neverland. However, they have gotten bored and she decides to make up new tales about the Lost Kids who joined Peter Pan’s motley crew. Little do they know, Peter and his fairy friend, Tinkerbell are watching and are not very happy with this change of routine.
The first story takes place in the bustling city of Havana, where a young orphan named Lily is forced to work in a factory day and night. She longs to escape this works, when a mysterious stranger comes along and asks her to think of a happy thought. She is skeptical at first, but when she does, she is able to fly to Neverland, where she joins the ranks of the Lost Children.
The second story follow Toodles, a boy working on his Uncle’s farm when suddenly a tornado rips through the country side. Peter Pan offers to save him. After being sprinkled with pixie dust, he shoots into the air revealing that even in times of trouble, he can always think of a happy thought.
The play ends with a movement piece depicting the journey of these children and embracing the sense of imagination that Neverland inspires in all of us.
Director’s Note: The Story of Peter Pan is a timeless tale of the adventurous nature of childhood. A time that is new and exciting to all, with a sense of imagination at every turn. Childhood is also a time of great stress, where experiences seem too large to comprehend and every moment feels like the most important moment of your life. Neverland and the character of Peter Pan represent an escape, a safe place where all can be solved with faith, trust and pixie dust. This mirrors the magic that theatre brings to me, and anyone who has had the pleasure of being touched by it. It is a place that allows you to become someone entirely different from yourself, to gain empathy for those who you have never met and to give you power in the face of an audience. I set out this session with the hope of giving these students ownership over this narrative, to make it their own. They have exceeded my expectations and I hope they know they have created a little magic of their own on this stage.
A lovely, festive reception followed the show.
BCC was incorporated in 2013 and strives to create community by connecting people and resources.
BCC offers courses in Drama, Dance, Fitness and Engineering for Kids during the St John School afterschool program, courses in Drama in the North End, and at the Josiah Quincy afterschool program. BCC holds a Movers and Shakers class for babies and toddlers at the West End Community Center. BCC hosts a number of community events: Movie Nights in the Gassy during the summer, an annual Halloween Party for adults, and an annual Springtime Egg Hunt in Christopher Columbus Park. For more information, contact becca0923@yahoo.com.
Upcoming Events:
February 9 and 10, Auditions for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, our Spring 2018 Mainstage show. This will be a collaboration between professional actors and our students.
March 3, 2 pm – Opportunity to see “The Addams Family Musical” a musical choreographed by drama and dance instructor Ingrid Oslund at Brimmer and May School in Brookline.
March 18, 2 pm – End of Winter session production – Mini Musicals. All of our North End drama and dance students will come together to perform in this production.
Spring, 2018, annual neighborhood egghunt.
June 1 and 2, 7 pm, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” – Our Mainstage Production which puts Shakespeare’s classic comedy in the swamps of Athens, Georgia.
Mid June, End of Spring session production
