Karen Appleget, executive director of the Grant County Community Theater, said the city of Sheridan has so much talent, but there has never been an outlet for it.
“We have provided an opportunity, and I think they took advantage of that opportunity,” Appleget said.
The Grant County Community Theater will host its debut production, Peter Pan, at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Sheridan Elementary School. Tickets are $10 and are available at McCoy-Tygart and The Perfect Blend.
The theater group doesn’t have its own building yet, but Appleget said that is the their “pie-in-the-sky goal.”
“We want to have our own building; that is our long-term goal,” she said. “With the amount of community support we have gotten, the goal may happen sooner than we imagine, but we are still not there.”
The theater held auditions for the play July 20, and Appleget said more than 40 people showed up, a lot more than the group expected.
“The script calls for 26, but we gave everyone a part,” she said. “We have lots of Lost Boys and Girls, Indians and pirates. We had determined, whoever wanted to be onstage, we wanted to give them an opportunity.
“We just didn’t know so many would show up. Our whole goal of the theater is to bring the performing arts to the rural community, so turning someone away, or denying them an opportunity — that’s not what we are about.”
Appleget said the cast includes a wide range of ages.
“We have two 4-year-olds who are going to be the most precious pirate and Lost Boy ever,” she said. “I don’t how old our oldest adult is, maybe 40. We have a wide range of actors.
“We were able to cast families. That is why I got into theater, because my son and daughter were interested in theater,” Appleget said. “I wanted to spend time with them and interact with them. To act with them onstage as a family was so much fun.
“We have lots of different families working on the production, and I love that about our theater, too.”
Kayla Lake, the director of Peter Pan, said she feels incredibly grateful to have been asked to direct Grant County Theater’s first production. She has been performing since she was very young and has been a part of about 40 productions, mostly with the Cleveland County Community Theater and the Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas in Pine Bluff, she said.
“[Lake] loves acting, directing and stage-managing, especially children’s shows,” Appleget said.
“To have that many families working on that production is exciting,” she said.
Zach Gwinn, a senior at Woodlawn High School, will work as the production’s stage manager. He has been involved in theater since 2015 and has been in 18 shows, including ones with the University of Arkansas at Monticello, the Arts and Science Center and the Cleveland County Community Theater.
Gwinn has experience in directing, set construction and acting, but this is his first time serving as stage manager.
In August, the Cleveland County Community Theater brought its production of Steel Magnolias to Sheridan to raise money for the Grant County Community Theater.
“We sold out,” Appleget said. “The community just ate it up. They loved it. It was great. The community just really responded to it.”
She estimated that the theater raised $2,500 from the fundraiser.
Peter Pan features Alainna Dunnahoo, 14, in the title role. She has been in a few other shows, including Guys and Dolls Jr., The Hiding Place and Hinds’ Feet on High Places. Alainna is a ninth-grader with the Ron Paul Online School. She said she enjoys dancing, art and singing in her youth band.
Her dad, Jason Dunnahoo, appears as Captain Hook. He was previously in The Hiding Place and said he is glad to have an opportunity to be onstage again.
Zoey Newcomb portrays Wendy Darling. This is Zoey’s second production, after an ensemble role in The Young Players production of Getting to Know … Oklahoma! She is in the seventh grade and attends Sheridan Middle School.
Maverick Burlison, who plays John Darling, has been performing for three years and has been in several plays at the Royal Theatre in Benton. Burlison said he is extremely thankful for the opportunity to perform with the Grant County Theater.
Baylor Groomes, 8, plays Michael Darling. Baylor is in the third grade at Poyen Elementary School.
Fallon Johnson, 14,
portrays Tiger Lilly. Fallon is in the eighth grade at Rison High School. She previously performed in Legally Blonde: The Musical at the Arts and Science Center.
Members of the ensemble include Emerson Appleget, Jackson Appleget, Lauren Appleget, Emma Barbre, Korbin Beard, Parker Beard, Loren Bell, Payton Bohler, Kenny Burleson, Jalyn Caldwell, Aurora Cox, Colin Dunnahoo, Ryan Dunnahoo, Kasey Ellerbee, Chris Goins, Lauren Goins, Presley Goins, Belle Groomes, Cameron Holmes, Emma James, Maddi Jewett, Rory Lake, Joanna Loretz, Jack Masters, Jayden Masters, Skyler McKinley, Violet Meyers, Ella Parson, Bailey Phillips, Emily Rychly, Baxley Travis, Olivia Vaughan, Harley Wagner, Kaylee Wagner and Ava Walters.
For more information, visit the theater’s Facebook page at facebook.com/grantcountytheater.
Staff writer Sam Pierce can be reached at (501) 244-4314 or spierce@arkansasonline.com.