Grossmont College Theatre Art’s Stagehouse Theatre is presenting “Lost Girl” by Kimberly Belflower, and directed by Shana Wride, March 13-23.
Long after her return from the enchanting Neverland, Wendy Darling embarks on a quest to find Peter Pan, reclaim her kiss, find closure, and move forward. Along the way, she encounters Lost Boys, well-meaning grown-ups, and other young women who help her discover that she is not alone in her experiences. This compelling production delves into the realms of first love and lasting loss, offering audiences a poignant and extraordinary journey.
Wride said the world of Peter Pan has been explored from many perspectives.
“But what happens to Wendy Darling has not been explored as much,” she said. “This perspective of what happens to this young girl who grow up to be a young woman after her encounter with Peter Pan is a fresh and exciting new perspective on that story.”
Wride directs at most theaters in San Diego. The Globe, The La Jolla Playhouse and nearly every major theater in the region. She said there is something about a community college and its students in this setting. Their openness, their eagerness to work hard and do their best is inspiring to her.
“Sometimes it is hard doing a play at a community college,” she said. “Especially if you do not have older actors in the company, to find a play that is focused on the age range of the people actually attending. We will have young people playing parents. But the focus of the story is about growing up, about becoming an adult. What is great about that and what is painful about that. Having students working on a production like that has been rewarding for all of us. It is sort of grounded in magic and fantasy, so times goes back and forth, and side by side.”
Wride said that though the play is centerpiece, what the Theatre Art department does best is create an educational environment for the students.
“I think Grossmont College and its relationship to East County, the students that attend, and the areas that they come from in this region are a really special group of people,” she said. “The students are hard-working, they have jobs, they go to school full-time, and they are pursuing their passions.”
Wride said it is different than talking about theatrical productions anywhere else in the county.
“To me, it is what Grossmont College means to the community. From that perspective, it is an opportunity to see young actors at the beginning of their careers and explore themselves in the world of theatre. That is very exciting. There are many students from Grossmont College that have gone on to huge careers. I am a big fan,” she said.
The cast includes Blake Brown (Nibs/Detective), Em Danque (Wendy), Georgia Famelis (Curly/Doctor), Layla Galloway (Actor B/Callie), Tori Mitchell (Actor C/Krista), Jocorey Mitchell (Peter), Angie Rodriguez (Actor A/Cora), Aiden Ruston (Slightly), Aubrey Schreier (Nina), Starr Spencer (Toddle/Therapist), Timothy Webb (Boy), and Lina Zavala (Mother). Performances will run March 13 – 23. The performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 pm and Saturdays at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm. Tickets are available online at www.Stagehousetheatre.com or by phone (619) 644-7234.
Correction: In the original version of this article, it said that the play was directed by Shana Wilde. The correct last name is Wride. The Alpine Sun regrets this error.