Peter Pan on Ice coming to SWAAC

By submitted, 01/30/19 2:56 PM

HOPE – There is nothing quite as thrilling as the age-old tale of Peter Pan – until you add ice…and skaters…and singers …and circus performers.

An adventure to the mythical Neverland is on the stage performance schedule of the Southwest Arkansas Arts Council (SWAAC) in Hope. The public performance will be at 7 p.m., Friday, February 22; a special performance for children (and area students) will be at 10 a.m. the same day.

This Hope performance will the first for this troupe, which has more than 20 performances scheduled in a two-month span, making the Hope presentations a “world premier” event. The show will have the Hempstead Hall stage for the entire week preceding the first performance for practicing the show.

The magic begins when you get a close-up view inside the whimsical world of Neverland with Peter and his band of enchanting companions.

But, as everyone knows from the story, the forces of swashbuckling pirates are just around the corner.

“Captain Hook and his motley crew take the audience for a pirate-y voyage of Neverland that include incredible flips, jumps, and tricks designed to entertain, delight and enthrall the whimsical side of ‘children’ of all ages,” said George S. Smith, SWAAC executive director.

John Hollis, council president said Peter Pan is “…a one-of-a-kind, memorable adventure featuring tricks and stunts never before seen on ice and stage including live singing, edge-of-your-seat cirque tricks, and amazing skating jumps and spins by professional skaters.”Orlando, Florida-based Ice Creative Entertainment  (ICE) is the presenting agency for “Peter Pan & Friends On Ice.’

“ICE is proud to bring this performance to stages nationwide for the first time,” according to a company press release.

Smith said, “The show includes a custom soundtrack, elaborate costumes and sets, as well as state of the art ‘projection mapping’, a new technology used to turn objects into a display surface for video, including buildings or other backgrounds inherent to the story theme.”

Performers in “Peter Pan” include Chase Belmontes, national and international figure skating champion, Billboard country star Linde Lachance, Cirque Du Soliel alumnus Nate James, Canadian national ice skating medalist Spencer Barnes, international circus artist Lain Velasco, and other talented performers rounding out the 10-person cast.

For tickets, call 870-722-8565 or go online to hempsteadhall.com (events). For information on the student morning performance, contact Bobbie Smith, 501-766-5201.