Peter Pan Flies at Churchill this Weekend!

This weekend the curtain will rise on Peter Pan the musical which will be presented at Churchill High School Friday (7:30pm),  Saturday (2:00pm and 7:30pm), and Sunday (2:00pm).  Patch readers who wish to buy tickets online at wchsarts.com should be aware that online ticketing will end at noon Friday. Tickets will then be available at the box office one hour before each show.

One of the key students involved in this production will not be seen on stage despite his acting and singing skills.  Senior Aaron Ross is capping off a long and successful career in the Churchill theater and choral departments by serving as assistant director.

Fans of the arts at Churchill have seen Aaron most recently in Showstoppers performances, Blast 24, and in the play Bus Stop.  But the absolute highlight of his Churchill experience was playing the role of Carlos, the secret gay boyfriend, in the iconic number from Legally Blonde, "There! Right There!"  After bringing down the house all four nights, Aaron and the cast performed the scene at the Cappies award ceremony at the Kennedy Center, an experience, "I will never be able to forget," says Aaron.

Aaron credits his entire theater and show choir experience at Churchill for "changing my entire outlook" and for "making me the person I am today."  He adds, "the things I learned from (directors) Ms. Scionti and Mr. Barillo, and the music I've sung and my performances on stage, have made me more confident in everything I do."

And in Peter Pan, he's doing an awful lot.  As assistant director, Aaron has two main functions.  The first is working on the acting aspects of the show.  And the second is handling logistics.  Asked how he fared managing his peers, Aaron noted with a laugh, "we're all high school kids and we're not all put together, so it's alot of (shouting) 'hey, what are you doing?'"

With his trademark enthusiasm, Aaron tells the Patch, "the show is going to be awesome and I am so excited to see it on stage."  He points to Captain Hook's acting and a touching duet with Peter and Wendy as some of his favorite elements of the production.

Next year, Aaron will blaze his own trail by heading to Oral Roberts University in Oklahoma where he plans to major in international business with a minor in theology.  He will also enroll in the Air Force ROTC and finish his education with the rank of Second Lieutenant.  From there, he wants to specialize in Air Force combat rescue or become a pilot.

This weekend, the accomplished Churchill senior and future pilot will help guide his fellow students as they themselves fly to Neverland.  The Peter Pan in Potomac blog hopes all readers will do their best to come out, enjoy the show, and support over 100 students who have poured their energy and efforts into this wonderful musical.