Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, April 4, 1994                   TAG: 9404050008
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: ABINGDON                                LENGTH: Medium

`PETER PAN' OPENS NEW BARTER SEASON

Complete with flying sequences and other innovations, J.M. Barrie's story of the boy who never grows up involves local artists Charles Vess and Stevan Jackson in the design and music.

The play will open Tuesday and continue through May 21. It will play to audiences from schools during the week and to the public Wednesdays and on weekends in April and expand to a full public schedule in May.

``We've remained true to the original story, but we're adding to the magic, adventure and fantasy with an interpretation unique to local culture and history,'' said director Richard Rose, who is starting his second season as Barter's artistic director.

``The pirates are Melungeons and the Indians are Cherokee. Peter Pan, the Darling children and Tiger Lily face off with Hook in the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island,'' he said.

Collaborating with Vess and Jackson in preparing the production, Rose researched Appalachian, Cherokee and Melungeon music and art.

``The more we looked into this, the more we worked on Peter Pan, it made us wonder if J.M. Barrie had not been inspired by the stories we were researching. Where else did pirates and Indians interact? Nowhere but colonial America,'' Rose said.

``Think about it. There are no Indians in England, where Barrie lived and wrote. He would have known about the Lost Colony and the Melungeons,'' Rose said.

Vess, an illustrator whose work has ranged from an adaptation of ``Romeo and Juliet'' to Marvel Comics' ``Spiderman,'' is designing the costumes and set. Jackson, an accomplished writer, musician and story-teller, is composing original music. He is familiar with traditional Appalachian, Irish and Scottish music and has performed throughout the Southeast and in England and Scotland.

The 20-member cast includes Douglas Weston as Peter, Lisa Bansavage both as Mrs. Darling and Captain Hook, Jodi Baker as Wendy, Monica Ha as Tiger Lily, Robert Walsh as Mr. Darling, and Ken Costigan as Hook's sidekick, Smee.

Also featured will be young actors selected from Barter auditions: Colby Clugston and Seaton McClellan of Abingdon, Caleb Robinson of Bristol and Colin Spoelman of Harlan, Ky.

Reservations and further information are available by calling toll-free (800) 368-3240. The play is sponsored by Bristol Compressors, Lebanon Apparel and Blue Ridge Public Television.