In Neverland, children in glittery shoes and tulle tutus waved tambourines and ukuleles, waving to their parents from onstage. Slip-ups were met with improv and high-fives.
The Alachua Children’s Theatre showcased three “Peter Pan” performances at the Santa Fe High School auditorium June 14-15 for a crowd of over 100.
Amber M. Zekić, ACT artistic director and founder, said she created the organization as a way for her three children and others in the community to participate in theater when other local groups can only accept small numbers.
“[My kids] haven’t really had a chance to just get out there and do it,” Zekić said.
Other parents told her their kids had auditioned for other plays but didn’t make the cut, or the rehearsal locations were too far away to manage, she said.
But in “Peter Pan,” those children aged 5 to 17 had the opportunity to dance across the stage in full ensembles of fairies, lost boys, mermaids, crocodiles and pirates.
Zekić and her assistant director, Alison Cotgreve, took two months to adapt the story and the script, she said. They found songs in the public domain and adjusted the lyrics to fit better in the script without instrumentals. Production began April with children’s small group practices once a week over eight weeks.
The organization’s first play was a 2023 showcase of “Alice in Wonderland” with 21 children. However, Zekić said she experienced financial hardships making the organization a reality.
“I started it really on my own,” she said. “I hadn’t done it before.”
From painting and building sets to ticket sales, parents of actors played a vital role in supporting the production.
“I think it would’ve been more challenging if the parents weren’t more supportive,” she said. “There is no way we could’ve done it without all the volunteers.”
About a year later, the production of “Peter Pan” was inclusive to all those interested in participating, featuring a cast of 50 young actors. In costumes of glitter, tulle and animal onesies, they kicked off their first performance June 14.
Zekić was backstage during the production coaching the performers as they hustled on and off set.
“They’re all excited, and you tell them, ‘Break a leg! Break a leg!’” she said. “Their smiles are just beaming.”
Kinley Murray, a 10-year-old Gainesville resident, played Wendy Darling, complete with a British accent. The production helped her find her voice and meet new people, she said.
“I’ve been a stronger singer,” Kinley said. “I’ve never done any acting camps or anything.” Lauren Murray, a Gainesville resident and Kinley’s mom, said she appreciated ACT’s welcoming atmosphere throughout rehearsals.
“Everyone is included,” she said. “[Kinley] has met kids from all over the place. She’s gotten to meet kids who are older than her, which is great for role-modeling.”
Viewing it as a parent, she said Zekić’s positivity as director was important.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen her without a smile on her face,” she said.
Peter Pan, played by 14-year-old Clara Foltz, was cold and egoic. Her adaptation of the character was different from the movie depiction, which she said she took on after reading the script.
“Everyone’s just like falling all over him,” Foltz said. “He wouldn’t be the type of person to be like, ‘stop it.’ He’d be like, ‘Feed my ego, feed my ego.’”
Newberry resident Amy Foltz said her daughter’s development improved greatly throughout the production.
“It’s been incredible,” she said. “The atmosphere Amber [Zekić] created allowed her to have that space to try things out and not feel so self-conscious.”
Laelia Zekić, a 10-year-old Fort White resident and Zekić’s daughter, took on the role of Tinkerbell. In a fluffy green tutu, Laelia said she wanted her role to be comedic.
“When I started, I was really scared,” she said. “But once I got the part and the play actually happened, I was super excited. Now I know I can do anything if I put my mind to it.”
In 1988, Zekić and Cotgreve were in their own production of “Peter Pan.” Both of them recalled wearing darker stage makeup and wigs to play the role of the “Indians,” which have been deemed by fans as a culturally insensitive representation of Native Americans.
“Back in the ‘90s, it was not a conflict at all,” she said. “This time, I knew we had to be more sensitive.”
Instead of “Indians,” Zekić and Cotgreve casted a group of girls to play the “brave girls” who wore flower headbands and were the “nature protectors,” which played off the lost boys characters.
“I think it really worked well,” she said. “It’s taken the story a little bit further.”
Looking ahead, ACT will premier “The Little Mermaid” in spring 2025.
Contact Sara-James Ranta at sranta@alligator.org. Follow her on X @sarajamesranta.
Sara-James Ranta is a third-year journalism major, minoring in sociology of social justice and policy. Previously, she served as a general assignment reporter for The Alligator's university desk.
