More than 80 students ages 9 to 18 are preparing to take the stage at Seattle’s McCaw Hall. Beginning Friday, they will sing, dance and act in Peter Pan: Ready to Grow Up — an annual summer musical for teenagers organized by Seattle Parks and Recreation in partnership with the nonprofit theater organization Acts On Stage.
The city department typically supports such programs through the city budget, grants and partnerships with nonprofit organizations. It provides venues, helps coordinate recruitment and scheduling, and professional directors and instructors lead classes. Funding arrangements may vary depending on the specific program and year.
This year, the classic story of a boy who does not want to grow up has taken on a contemporary resonance: The production addresses gun violence among young people. Its creators aim to show that growing up should not be dangerous or hopeless, particularly for Black boys, and that society needs to create safer, more positive paths toward the future for children.
The production’s theme is especially relevant after the shooting at the Bite of Seattle festival on July 26. Three people were killed and four others, including a young child, were injured. After a 15-year-old suspect was arrested, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and other city leaders called for significant action to combat gun violence among teenagers.
The Bite of Seattle is one of the city’s largest free festivals, attracting a diverse audience each year, including families and teenagers. As a result, such large public events become venues not only for recreation but also for community campaigns focused on youth safety and violence prevention.
The musical’s participants came from different parts of the region, including Tacoma and Lynnwood. For the past 10 weeks, they have rehearsed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The younger actors will receive scholarships of up to $599 at the end of the summer, while 16-year-old participants work as city employees and earn minimum wage.
Seventeen-year-old Jemarius McClain, an upcoming graduate of Cleveland High School, will play Captain Hook. He has long dreamed of portraying the famous villain and, during rehearsals, sets aside his own arm for several hours to transform into the hook-handed character.
For many teenagers, Acts On Stage has become not only a theater school but also a true community. Seventeen-year-old Jamie Michelle-Charles, who plays Wendy and has participated in the program for five years, says theater helped her become more confident and emerge from her shell after a difficult period during the pandemic. In this production, she will play Wendy for the final time before graduating from high school.
The role of Peter Pan is played by 18-year-old Nikkari Lomax, a recent graduate of Tacoma Online. Before joining Acts On Stage, he performed with a predominantly white theater group and felt like an outsider there. At the new organization, he immediately felt supported and was able to expand his circle of friends and connections within his community.
In recent weeks, the cast rehearsed in the small space of the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, and on Tuesday they rehearsed at McCaw Hall for the first time. The institute plays an important role in Seattle’s Black community: It preserves African American theater and musical traditions, provides artists with space for self-expression, and helps young people develop skills in acting, dance, music and stagecraft.
McCaw Hall, located in the Seattle Center complex, seats 2,900 people and is equipped with professional theatrical infrastructure. For aspiring actors, performing at such a venue offers experience working before a large audience in a real professional theater. Educators believe the experience can change how young performers see themselves: After seeing themselves in such a space, they begin to believe they can achieve more.
Performances will run from Aug. 28 through 30. The schedule and ticket information can be found on the organizers’ website.
Based on: Seattle teens bring Peter Pan to McCaw Hall — with contemporary twist