Dutch & Brenna O'Farrell pose for a photo with "Peter Pan" (Demi Jordan). Photo by Stopped Motion Photography

The Hi-Liners fall production of “Peter Pan” left behind more than just “pixie dust” after the sold out closing matinee on Sunday, September 21, 2008.

Over 200 canned or boxed food items and $140.00 was collected for the Highline Area Food Bank in Burien. For a donation of non perishable food, patrons received a commemorative picture of themselves with “Peter Pan”.

“Usually we offer souvenir pictures with a MainStage show character for a small fee, as a fundraiser for our organization, “says Gerry Gilbert, President of The Hi-Liners. “Our Gala Fundraising Auction is coming up on October 4, 2008 and we decided to kick off our annual fundraising drive by giving first to our home community.”

For tickets and information regarding The Hi-Liners 4th Annual Gala Fundraising Auction with local celebrity and honorary chair Grant Goodeve, please visit www.hi-liners.org or call 206-617-2152.

The raiding scalliwags included “DC” and “ClapEye,” two real, working Seafair Pirates who even have their own trading cards (DC is on the left, ClapEye on the right)

 

The occasion was to help the young Hi-Liner cast, especially those playing the roles of pirates in “Peter Pan,” to better understand how to portray the part realistically.

“I bet you’re all waiting for me to utter that infamous 18th letter of the alphabet, aren’t ya?” quipped DC, whose duds made it obvious that he outranked his lowly co-hort, ClapEye. “But a true pirate never says such a letter, no. A true pirate needn’t stoop to Hollywood cliches and stereotypes, so there’s no need to say that dreaded 18th letter…”

After the entire room agreed by shouting the dreaded 18th letter, DC then entertained them with tales of what accents to use (cockney is best, even though it’s technically inaccurate but sounds ‘piratey’ enough), how to work with props, why pirates always exaggerate everything, how to handle a fake sword or gun, and why his clothes were fancier than ClapEye’s (he outranked him and therefore had more loot).

One highlight of the visit was when DC asked how the young pirates would take a swig from a (prop) Rum bottle. As quickly as you can do Jack Sparrow slurring the 18th letter of the alphabet, a young pirate-acting woman named Gillian Peterson jumped up to volunteer. Below is an animation of her swig:

The Hi-Liners’ “Peter Pan” starts flying at the Highline Performing Arts Center Sept. 6th.

Buy tickets online here.

Hi-Liners website here.

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Tonight at 7pm, Burien Arts Association’s FREE Performing Arts Series presents Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” performed by Greenstage at Dottie Harper Park, located next to the Burien Library at SW 146th and 4th Ave SW (map below).

From the Greenstage website:

“If music be the food of love, play on!”

Shipwrecked in the land of Illyria, her brother lost at sea, Viola finds herself in the middle of a bizarre love triangle.

Employed by Duke Orsino, and disguised as a boy, she is sent on an embassy of love to Countess Olivia, who finds herself smitten by this intriguing messenger.

Love, mistaken identities, disguises, revenge, tomfoolery, sword fighting, passion, and music – sweet music, make Twelfth Night one of Shakespeare’s funniest and most complete comedies.

According to Erin Williamson, Executive Director of the Burien Arts Association, everyone is encouraged to “Bring a chair and a picnic dinner, and enjoy!”

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Burien’s own Hi-Liners will be staging (or should we say “flying”) their own production of “Peter Pan” starting Sept. 6th and running through Sept. 21st at The Performing Arts Center, located at 401 South 152nd Street.

First produced on Broadway with Mary Martin and Cyril Richard, and more recently a major hit starring Cathy Rigby, this is one of the world’s most celebrated musicals, and includes all the charm of Barrie’s Peter and Tinker Bell and the children, pirates and Indians of Never Never Land, embellished with show-stopping songs.

And it’s all produced locally!

RICH HISTORY, BRIGHT FUTURE

That’s exactly where The Hi-Liners have set their sights – their very bright future.

The Hi-Liners have come a long way since their early beginnings in 1966 in Burien. Mr. William A Moeller, a teacher in the Highline School District, founded a high school summer program he called “The Hi-Liners.” This group quickly evolved into a year ’round district-wide performance ensemble. The Hi-Liners performed extensively in the Western United States in the early 1970′s and received recognition in the prestigious New Yorker Magazine comparing them to other more nationally known groups such as “Up with People”.

In 1991 former members of the group were recruited by Mr. Moeller to do a series of reunion performances to celebrate the grand opening of the then new, state of the art Highline Performing Arts Center. These shows provided the catalyst for annual reunion shows and for the reorganization of The Hi-Liners into a private non-profit company.

In 1994 the new board of directors, many of whom were former Hi-Liners themselves, decided that the Hi-Liners was not about nostalgia but about providing opportunities for young people to experience theater combined with personal growth, just as they did.  The Hi-Liners came full circle, reviving the summer program and dedicating it to providing professional direction in developing a student’s talents in conjunction with the backdrop of quality sets, costumes and a live orchestra, thereby giving both the performers and the audience a genuine musical theater experience.

The audiences have grown each year as The Hi-Liners have matured the quality and complexity of the programs presented. They have taken on big productions such as West Side Story, The Sound of Music and Les Misérables, while developing “DownStage Center,” their high quality youth theatre education program.

Their programs and enrollment have experienced incredible increases in recent years, propelling them to the forefront of youth theatre in South King County.  Now they have set their sights on future development by taking flight with their biggest fall show ever, the high flying Broadway Musical “Peter Pan.”

A NEW DIRECTION

Under the direction of Kathleen Edwards, The Hi-Liners resident Artistic Director,  fifty young people from Seattle and all over South King County have come together to perform this timeless and enchanting tale of the boy who would not grow up.  From the first moment Peter Pan soars through the nursery window to the final battle with the comically fierce Captain Hook, the audience will delight in this fantasy adventure.

“We have pulled out all the stops for this show, “says Edwards.  “We are building sets, the kids are working harder than ever with our choreographer, Kristin Culp and musical director, R.J. Tancioco, and we hired Flying By Foy, the most respected flying company in the world, to “fly” Peter and the Darling children. This is the same company that flew Mary Martin’s “Peter Pan,” in the 1950’s and they “fly” people all over the world in major productions, touring companies and things like the opening ceremonies of the Olympics!

We wanted to celebrate the tradition of The Hi-Liners by taking on a classic like Peter Pan, yet add an element never attempted before in the Highline Performing Arts Center –we wanted to fly!  We want to see these kids soar, both in “Peter Pan” and in life!”

Gerry Gilbert, president of Hi-Liners, agrees.

“We have put together a fantastic show and hope that our many loyal patrons and those new to our productions enjoy this great theater opportunity right here in South King County!”

This Broadway style musical runs consecutive weekends from September 6-21, 2008, at the Highline Performing Arts Center, 401 South 152nd Street, Burien.  For information and online ticket purchases, please visit www.hi-liners.org or phone 206-617-2152.  Tickets are also available at the door with cash or check only.

The Hi-Liners, South King County’s premier youth theatre, is dedicated to the advancement of fine arts opportunities through live, high-quality musical theatre for young people (ages 7 to 22).

Here’s the schedule for the show:

Buy tickets online here.

Hi-Liners website here.