Once they leave eighth grade, most Upper Schoolers don’t give much thought to Middle School theater. However, a handful of US musicians help out once a year with the Middle School musical. This year, five US students and two MS students played in the musical ensemble for Peter Pan. Each of the students had different reasons for deciding to help out, but they all worked together to create the music with Administrative Assistant for Admissions Office Josh Schwalbach conducting.

“It was a combination of things. Part of it was that I wanted to get involved with other piano stuff relative to the school, part of it was that [MS theater director Mary Kay] Orman  asked me and I was like, ‘Well, sure,’” freshman piano player Cole Thompson said. “I don’t think I really realized what I was doing.”

Peter Pan isn’t always thought of as a musical, but the show features songs including “I Won’t Grow Up” and “Hook’s Tango.” The cast and crew faced a lot of challenges resulting from school cancellations and sicknesses–an especially bad flu went around the final week of rehearsal–but they managed to pull the show together just in time for performances on Mar. 7 and 8.