Peter Pan Magic

For weeks now, I have been giddy with excitement about going to see Peter Pan at Touhill. I've been more excited, in fact, than Sophia was.

I was right to be so excited. That's for sure. What I didn't know was that the company that put it on, Variety Children's Theatre, specializes in helping children with disabilities have life experiences that are often limited to children without disabilities. Being in a play, for example.

I was surprised, at first, when some of the Lost Boys and Indians were in wheelchairs. Some were disabled in other ways. It was easy to forget, though, that anyone on that stage was anywhere but Never Land. The show not only did not suffer because of their addition, it's not an exaggeration to say that it was made better. I'm glad that the first play I got to see by Variety was Peter Pan. What better way for me to be introduced to this idea than through a play written about kids who are abandoned and lost? Kids who go out of their way to care for one another and who have to learn what it would be like to grow up "normally"? It was beautiful. I cried even more than I typically do when watching Peter Pan, which is saying something.

Aside from the unique aspects of the production, it was really a great show. Sophia always loves attending the theatre. Her passion for performing gets renewed. We'll see where that leads her, but for now it sends her into a world of possibility. And I'm in favor of that.