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HUNTINGTON -- It seems some kids at Huntington High have been fighting and sneaking out of a perfectly warm house to form a gang whose leader hangs out with a fairy.

Back off McGruff the Crime Dog, all of the above is perfectly legal and incredibly entertaining.

Loaded up with professional stage rigs and harnesses from ZFX Company out of Louisville and veteran direction, First Stage Theatre Company opens the first of two high-flying weekends of "Peter Pan" with a youth-infused cast of more than 80 kids.

The musical, juiced up a bit (more flying anyone?), hits the stage at 8 p.m. today and Saturday, Nov. 1, and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, at the Huntington High School Auditorium.

The show also runs Nov. 7-9.

Tickets are $12 and $10 for children 12 and under.

Folks should plan to arrive at least 30 minutes early as there is a 15-minute pre-show featuring Tinkerbellettes and Little Pirates directed by Tiffany McCullough, who also choreographs "Peter Pan."

Veteran actor Tommy Smirl who plays Captain Hook and whose wife Mary directs "Peter Pan," said they went around to see other children's productions of "Peter Pan," including a show by a children's theater outside of Savannah, Ga., to get some ideas on producing the show.

He said after seeing several productions, they learned a couple of things.

One thing they learned was that First Stage is doing work comparable to and even better than children's theaters in much larger cities. The couple also decided to spice up some scenes in the classic tale.

"After watching several of them, we felt like the opening scene was long and boring, so we have added some things," Tommy said. "Our shadow will actually be a real person dressed in black and that comes flying out when Peter tries to recover his shadow. It's not just a piece of material thrown down on the ground. There are several things like that to spice it up."

They've also taken full advantage of having the professional gear to fly the cast.

In fact, Mary Kate Young, who plays Peter Pan, went to Louisville to train and learn to be comfortable and to sing better while suspended in a harness.

First Stage also has a dedicated corps of five volunteers who man the rigging for the teen and tween actors jetting off into the night sky of the stage.

From night fairies who light up the dark to live, dancing trees, Tommy Smirl said they've had a lot of fun bringing the show to life.

"Night fairies, some live dancing trees, there's some big enjoyment to this," Smirl said. "We have a hard time not cracking ourselves out there when we're doing it. We've added some new things to an old show to keep it entertaining and moving."

That old show, for people who aren't familiar with it, has been a play since 1904, based on the story by Scottish writer J.M. Barrie.

Disney animated it in 1953, and the rest is pop culture history. The magical, dream-like story has been told and retold of Peter Pan, the boy from Neverland who refuses to grow up, and his nocturnal adventures with Wendy, Michael, John and the Lost Boys as they scrap with the evil Captain Hook and his band of pirates.

"You can do the standard, but why not see where else you can chance it and do it without taking away from the integrity of the show?" Tommy said. "We feel like we have added a few things that make it fun."

That sense of professionalism seasoned with a child-like sense of adventure has guided First Stage into what is now its 19th season.

Mary has been on the board for 15 years and is a senior member with other local theater veterans.

A nonprofit organization dedicated to providing an educational, developmental experience for young people through the performing arts, First Stage is giving some 107 children (with the pre-show and the 87 kids in the regular cast) a chance to hit the stage in a real production.

With school budgets always strained and often short-changing the arts, Smirl said this is a way for kids to be involved in first-class productions that cost thousands of dollars to put on.

Tommy Smirl has seen First Stage pay off again and again in building kids' confidence and giving many the first bite of the acting bug.

"It's a really good thing," he said. "It brings kids out of their shells and gives them self-esteem. If you can stand up in front of a crowd and sing, then standing up in front of a class and giving a speech is easy."

Jeremy McKnight/For The Herald-Dispatch

Tommy Smirl, playing Captain Hook, stands off with Mary Kate Young, playing Peter Pan, during rehearsal for the classic musical “Peter Pan,” which will be presented by First Stage Theatre Company at the Huntington High School Auditorium at 1 Highlander Way in Huntington. Shows will be at 8 p.m. today, Nov. 1, 7 and 8 and at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 2 and 9.

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