Winging it

The kids have their lines down pat and they are ready to act.

Now they just have to defy gravity.

The Orange County Children’s Theatre’s production of “Peter Pan” opens Thursday in the Huntington Beach High School Historic Theater. This weekend and next, the group of youngsters from around Orange County will perform the play based on J.M. Barrie’s famous tale of the boy who never grew up.

From behind a prop window, Katie Powell, who plays Peter, sprang up and toward the dress-rehearsal audience from a wire pulley system that allows her to fly. The aim is to make it look natural, but flying isn’t as easy as it looks.

“You have to arc your back and point your knee toward the direction you are flying,” Katie said.

All under the age of 20, the actors had never flown before, and beginning Sunday they learned how to make it look easy, courtesy of ZFX Inc.’s Peter Pan flight school.

The flying thing may be new for these youngsters, but by Tuesday evening they were handling gravity like pros.

While in flight, the kids practiced muscle control and landing, so as not to face stage left as they flew right while hoisted by the ZFX crew behind the scenes.

According to Kathy Busby, the play’s director, one of the most unexpected things from the children’s show was the quality of talent.

Of the approximately 70 children in the cast, six or seven could have easily filled each of the lead roles, Busby said.

“They have worked very hard to bring their best to the stage,” she said. “They are very supportive of each other, working to learn choreography, music and lines.”

And the kids are having a blast,

Nine-year-old Michael Elliot of Huntington Beach brought havoc and tons of laughter to the stage as part of Pan’s merry gang, the Lost Boys.

The Lost Boys have been quite the troublemakers, but only while in character, Michael said.

“When Wendy’s telling us stories and she [gets to a part] where she says, ‘and,’ we all go ‘and’ really loud, and it makes everybody laugh so hard,” Michael said.

Directing children like Michael has given Busby, who has been with the children’s theater since 1998, a lot to be glad about.

“When I see a child come to audition scared to death but putting forth so much effort, it is exciting to see them blossom when they are cast and work through the rehearsal process to performance,” she said.

That joy was apparent on the faces of all the cast and crew, including the entire cabling crew responsible for the flight of children and some of the more seasoned actors on stage.

Justin Hamby of La Palma has been acting for years, most recently playing the role of Fred in “Oklahoma.” The last to audition and with plenty of experience on the stage, learning to fly was something completely new for the 17-year-old.

“Rehearsals went long [Monday],” Justin said. “You have to learn where to stand so you don’t get hit.”

Last-minute adjustments were being made to sound equipment and the rigging for flight, and all the while, Busby remained focused on making it through the play despite a bout with laryngitis.

Busby said she is ready to release this play to the paying public, and, in her opinion, they’re going to love it.

“The story of Peter Pan is one that so many can relate to. Who doesn’t want to go back to the carefree days of childhood once in a while?” Busby said.

“Aren’t we all just kids in bigger bodies?”

Along with the flying, audiences will enjoy the adventure, Busby said.

“This version of Peter Pan has delightful tunes, clever dialogue, a villain we all love to hate and, of course, a happy ending,” she said.

Justin was more than happy to be that villain, a role that was also something novel for him, aside from learning to fly.

“It’s evil yet fun,” he said. “You can be hated and loved at the same time.”

“With this many kids, ages 8 to 19, plus hot summer days, it could be a recipe for disaster,” Busby said. “These are good, fun kids, and we have had a great time.”