Stagedoor Casts Terry Abbott's 'Neverland' for Spring Production at South Bay Community Church

Two Brandon High School graduates are front and center in the return of “Neverland," which means both a second staging of Terry Abbotts’s retelling of the Peter Pan story and a spring production of the musical by Stagedoor Performing Arts.

It will be Stagedoor's first production in its new home, at South Bay Community Church in Riverview.

The show was written and composed by Abbott, who graduated from Brandon High in 1986. The Stagedoor production is under the direction of Domin Pazo, who graduated from Brandon a year earlier.

“I’ve known Terry since my senior year in high school," Pazo said, "so for me to direct a piece of his is a very cool thing.”

Stagedoor, founded in Brandon in 1995 by Wayne Otto, retains its deep ties to Brandon and is testing that commitment with its first show at the South Bay church just outside of Apollo Beach.

The move became necessary when Stagedoor was told it could no longer use the stage at Limona Village Chapel in Brandon.

“We had a good turnout for ‘Neverland’ auditions,” Pazo said. “Not as large as usual, but I believe when people get used to us being out here and knowing where the venue is we’ll get more and more in the future.”

Final callbacks for casting took place Feb. 11 for a show that Pazo said is bound to be a hit with people of all ages, and especially families.

“It’s the story of Peter Pan, just told a little differently,” Pazo said. “It’s got the classic characters in it and it brings out the little kid in everybody.”

Show dates are April 8-9, 15 and 22-23. South Bay Community Church is at 13498 U.S. Highway 301 South in Riverview.

THE CAST

• Peter Pan: Andy Tekampe
• Tinkerbell: Taylyn Olney
• Captain Hook/Mr. Darling: Todd Siverling
• Storyteller: Kat Coats
• Wendy: Carolyn Diamond
• John: Josiah Jacoby
• Michael: Brendan Vance
• Mr. Smee: Ryne Faurote
• Mrs. Darling: Sian Wilson
• Tiger Lily: Olivia Figh
• Indian Chief: Mark Zimmerman

Pirates

• Allen Richardson
• Tommy McGee

Mermaids

• Jessica Jacobs
• Paula Spangler-Klein
• Rebekah Taylor

Lost Boys

• Douglas Poole
• Elizabeth Temple
• Emma Breneisen
• Mary Isabella Fraraecio
• Megan Poole
• Nathan Breneisen

Fairies

• Anne Marie Diamond
• Hailey Fonte
• Haley Wilson
• Leah Jacoby
• Mary Brook Diamond
• Shelby Zimmerman

Indians

• Alexa Figh
• Bayli Faber
• Cassidi Cutini