On May 2 and 3, 2008, McCarthy Arts Center will be soaring to new heights when senior Emily Benway directs the well-known and beloved fairy tale “Peter Pan.” With the help of a leading flying company, ZFX, the production will be the first St. Michael’s production to use flying apparatuses throughout the show.
Releasing the inner child
For her senior seminar, Benway could not think of anything better than a production about kids who never want to grow up, she says. After reading the actual play “Peter Pan” about two summers ago, Benway says her love of the story grew even more.
“I decided ‘Peter Pan’ would be a great show to perform because it’s about all of these kids who just never want to grow up,” Benway says. “It really releases the inner child.”
 |
The cast of 'Peter Pan' rehearses in McCarthy in preparation for their performance in May. |
The play traditionally uses cables to make a number of main characters “fly” as part of the story. The drama club did not know that they would be able to use flying cables prior to the decision to perform the play, she says. There was a lot of talk about how the drama club would perform the flight to “Neverland” and other scenes throughout the play without the use of cables.
When Benway first proposed the idea of renting flying cables to the drama club, she says she was asked to think of another way the characters could portray the act of flying. She came up with the idea of using trampolines and other acrobatic equipment such as spring boards, but this was even more of a concern regarding liability and insurance, she says.
After realizing that flying cables were a necessity, Benway says she approached the drama club again, she says.
“This is what we wanted to do and we really needed help doing it,” Benway says.
The drama club gave Benway’s project $4,000, but that did not cover the entire expense, she says. Benway then looked to the SA for a donation, which she received.
“We are still brainstorming other ways to raise money, so that we can give back to the SA,” Benway says.
Learning to fly
Senior Michelle Merola, who is intensely involved in the behind-the-scenes aspect of the production, says the reason flying cables have never been used at St. Michael’s is because not many shows call for flying.
Merola had a major impact in deciding which company to work with regarding the renting of the flying apparatus, she says. She found a young, leading flying company in Kentucky, ZFX, that has been extremely helpful in the whole process of renting and learning how to use the equipment.
The equipment from ZFX will allow the characters in the play to be more versatile with choreography than the equipment of other companies, Benway says.
“Their equipment was a little fancier and will allow the characters to do things such as somersaults,” she says.
A demonstration of ZFX flying equipment on YouTube Paul Rubin - Flying Choreographer www.theflyguy.com |
On April 22, the company will be on campus to teach the cast how to use the equipment as well as custom fit the equipment to the specific students.
A total of four cast members are going to be flying, while five stagehands will be operating the actual cables, Benway says. All of them will have to be involved in learning the operation and usage of the flying equipment.
In late April, ZFX is holding an open workshop in McCarthy Arts Center. There will be an hour-long session where the company will explain the flying process and why certain productions use it, Merola says. The company will likely show a film of previous productions that have used their flying equipment.
After this introduction, the public is invited to watch the characters in the cast learn how to fly, Benway says. For liability purposes, only students with a custom fit harness will be allowed to fly.
The cast has to incorporate flying rehearsals into their regular schedule, Merola says.
“We’re kind of losing time in one way, but it’s going to be worth it I think,” she says.
Working with a ZFX flying expert, Benway will help choreograph the flying sequences throughout the show, she says. Having the use of flying equipment is only going to make the production a better one.
The production is all student-organized, Merola says.
“This is completely student done and funded,” she says. “From sets to lights to costumes, it’s all students. It’s really fun to have it all done by students.”
Benway encourages people to attend the show.
A helping hand from SA
SA vice president Mallory Wood says that flying is an important aspect of the show.
 |
The production is the senior seminar project of Emily Benway, pictured here watching a rehearsal alongside props for the show. (Photo by Abby Robitaille) |
“I’ve never seen a production of ‘Peter Pan’ without flying,” she says. “It wouldn’t be a ‘Peter Pan’ show without having flying involved.”
The decision regarding the SA’s decision to grant money to the drama club for the flying equipment was reached by the board voting, Wood says.
The drama club had done a lot of leg work, and they weren’t using the SA as an ATM machine, Wood says.
The SA was a last resort for financial aid and is an investment that is going to benefit the entire campus, she says.
“I think it is a worthy cause because so many people will enjoy the flying,” Wood says.
The SA can givemoney to the drama club, but usually does not invest in senior seminar projects because it is the duty of specific departments, she says.
“I hope senators voted to give money to ‘Peter Pan’ because they felt it was a worthy endeavor and would benefit the campus versus any other ulterior motive,” Wood says.