Magic never grows up – this is important for everyone to remember! If you’re feeling a little bit too grown up, then a trip to Neverland might be in order. To get there . . . it’s the 2^nd  star to the right, as Peter Pan directs, and “straight on ‘til morning!”

It was standing room only at the Columbus Performing Arts Center, on opening night of Peter Pan: Lost Boy of Neverland. Audience members were gently asked to move to the most interior seats in the theater, to make room for latecomers. Parents generously moved small children into their laps, to open up even more seats, for this sold out show.

The use of flash photography was prohibited, so as not to interfere with the variety of special effects planned for the evening. There was adventure in store! It was also very important to keep the Darling children, the fairies and mermaids, the band of Lost Boys, mischievous pirates, and even the loathsome crocodile, safe. They would flit, dance, creep and crawl across the stage.

With a front row seat, I was in a great place to experience it all!

“With faith, trust and Tinker Bell’s pixie dust, Peter teaches [the Darling children] how to fly and leads them to the “second star to the right” and beyond… to Never Land!” (Disney website)

Michael Jackson’s famous fairytale ranch, which he called Neverland, embodies the notion of never, ever growing up! The ranch was put on the real estate market in 2014 for $100 Million. It looks like it could be a Disney resort, with all of the amenities you can imagine. It includes a pool, lake and waterfall, outdoor grill / kitchen, an adventurous rope bridge, upscale movie theater, and spacious living accommodations.

There is even a zoo, with barns that can accommodate horses, or llama, if that’s your preference. If you have $100 Million to spare, then the 2,700 Acres, and 4.2 Square Miles, can be yours, according to Sotheby’s International Realty. (note: a recent update claims that the ranch, now called Sycamore Valley Ranch, located in Los Olivos, 130 miles northeast of L.A., has a reduced price of just $67 Million. Joyce Rey)

 

But let’s get back to the performance of Peter Pan. Last weekend the Columbus Performing Arts Center hosted three showings of the community theater production, adapted by Todd Adam Decker, who also played Hook. Great direction by John Heisel!

The show featured one of my oldest and dearest friends, Heather Wetmore, drama teacher at Duxberry Park Arts IMPACT Elementary School. Together we can simply ignore the passage of time, and be “young again!”

“No film has made dreams take flight (literally) quite as much as Walt Disney’s animated classic “Peter Pan,” which premiered on February 5, 1953. Whenever we feel like biding our cares goodbye, Peter Pan and a certain feisty fairy are always ready to whisk us and the Darling children off to Never Land on an adventure that keeps us young at heart.” (65th Anniversary Disney PhotoPass)

Here’s a bit more of what went on, during this entertaining production . . . . come along, to Neverland!

Join me on my next adventure,

~ Kathleen

Related Links:

Peter Pan: Walt Disney Movies: http://movies.disney.com/peter-pan?CMP=ILC-DPFY17Q2wo12420180007G

65th Anniversary Disney PhotoPass at MagicKingdom: https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2018/01/celebrate-the-65th-anniversary-of-peter-pan-with-disney-photopass-at-magic-kingdom-park/

Columbus Performing Arts Center: https://www.columbusmakesart.com/place/6205-columbus-performing-arts-center-van-fleet-theater?

Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-25/why-michael-jackson-s-neverland-ranch-still-isn-t-sold

Joyce Rey: http://www.joycerey.com/beverly-hills-properties/sycamore-valley-ranch-formerly-known-as-neverland-ranch-luxury-real-estate/