Veteran Volunteers Play Key Role in Making Peter Pan Magic

by Carolyn Pomeranz

Peter Pan Friday: November 21 at 7 p.m. Saturday, November 22 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets: $5 at the door.

(November 20, 2003) Take a close look at the adults helping bring about Mamaroneck Avenue School’s upcoming production of “Peter Pan,” and perhaps you’ll understand why it is joyful to “never grow up.”

“It’s so unique to have parents who have no children in the play or even attending the school willing to volunteer on the play,” said Principal Carrie Amon.

Peter Pan is a favorite of volunteer Tom Mandel who grew up hearing the songs over and over in his home. Mandel, whose children graduated from Mamaroneck Avenue School (MAS) a couple of years ago, has played keyboard in the school’s musicals for about six years.

“There’s a real parallel between the story of Peter Pan and what happens at Mamaroneck Avenue School,” he said. “The people (adults) that work on it are like Peter Pan,” he said, “they’re always in this Neverland kind of place. And the students are like Wendy, they come through the school on their way to becoming adults.”

Mandel said “Peter’s always the same, but when you look at the students, all of a sudden they’re too old. It keeps us young in a way,” he added.

Ken Stier, the play’s lighting director for seven years, said his youngest child graduated Mamaroneck Avenue School over four years ago, yet he has continued to stay connected to the school. “I like to see the energy of the kids…the excitement in their eyes,” he said.

“I think the whole process of the play is such a growing experience for them: learning their lines, practicing, showing up, learning responsibility, and growing into their roles. You can see their confidence level grow as they ‘nail their lines’,” he said.

Volunteerism is important according to Stier. “I believe in community service and my community school. It doesn’t run by itself,” he said, “it needs the help of the parents.”

Costume Designer Anne Corsetti, who also no longer has children at the elementary school, responded to the PTA’s request to return. “They told me they love what I’ve been able to do,” said the veteran of numerous productions and lead costume designer for the last five shows. “There’s a lot of designing from nothing…seeing what you have, looking at bits and pieces in a new light, reusing and recycling,” she added.

Corsetti meets the challenges of the job, like last year designing costumes for a marching band (for “The Music Man”) on a shoestring budget. “We couldn’t rent or borrow uniforms because we would have to cut them down to fit the children,” she said, “so we used a lot of felt, gold braid and muslin, and pulled it off.”

Corsetti said this year’s costuming challenges included creating a crocodile costume that doesn’t obstruct the child’s vision, can be worn both standing up and crawling on the floor, and has a sense of motion in the tail.

In discussing why MAS musical theatre is important, Corsetti told a story about her nearly college-age son who still likes to talk about when he was in a show at MAS in fifth grade. “He still remembers the songs and some of the lines,” she said. “Even if they never have another theatre experience,” she said, “(the students) will still be proud of themselves for what they did, and have a fun, happy, special memory of elementary school.”

Veteran musician Maria E. McDaniel, the piano accompanist for the play, said she loves being around the children. “The children are invigorating,” she said, “they make you feel young!” This Juilliard educated professional’s son and grandchildren attend Mamaroneck Avenue School, and much of her family is involved with this production. Her daughter-in-law, Laurie Gage is returning to direct Peter Pan this year, and her grandchildren (all MAS alumni) are also involved in the play.

Gage is a professional choreographer and director, and keeps coming back because she said there are very few community theatre efforts that are as well supported as the Mamaroneck Avenue production. “The support from the parents and the Mamaroneck Avenue staff is unheard of, incredible!” she exclaimed. “I’ve never seen support like this in a youth theatre situation,” she added.

Gage enjoys working with children because she said they are “blank slates and they are fearless – they don’t have hang-ups. It’s exciting to see them grow and learn about themselves in the creative process.”

“The fun of being in the theatre is it is a total escape from the real world…Neverland is a place you want to go and stay for awhile,” she said. “My job is to make giant mushrooms, a purple ostrich, make Peter Pan fly and teach them to use fairy dust,” she said. “It affords me the luxury of not having to grow up everyday.” Gage added that she finds this particular show an enjoyable challenge, as it is the true, full-length Broadway script of Peter Pan that the children will bring to life.

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