A few weeks ago, the Sally K. Series of student-led productions presented “Lost Girl” by Kimberley Belflower, directed by Rachel Kalski (‘25). The play is a retelling of J.M. Barrie’s classic Peter Pan and tells the story of what happens after returning from Neverland through the perspective of Wendy Darling.
I was Wendy Darling. And I can’t explain how life-changing this production was for me. My name is Paula Espinosa (‘25), I’m a Theatre and English senior, and I’ve done my fair share of productions during my time here at Rollins. So, when I say that “Lost Girl” was the best production I’ve participated in, I don’t say it lightly.
To tell the history of this process, I have to start with the driving force and champion of this wonderful story, Rachel Kalski. She came to Rollins four years ago with a dream and determination: she was going to direct “Lost Girl” for her senior directing capstone. She’s told me countless times of how she had walked into then-Producing Director Thomas Oullette’s office as a freshman and said that exact statement to him, to which he was left flabbergasted. Four years have passed since then, but Kalski never wavered in her goal. Two years ago, during her sophomore year, Kalski was taking Directing I and had to pick a scene from a published play to present as her final. She picked a significant scene from “Lost Girl” where Wendy finally kisses one of the Lost Boys in a culmination of her feelings. She cast me as Wendy and my boyfriend Joe Lionetti (‘24) as Slightly, and I recall becoming obsessed with the play in a similar way to Kalski. She let me borrow her copy, and I consumed it as Wendy consumes Neverland, which is to say quickly and irreversibly. I was hooked, and I saw the magic and wonder that this play could evoke. I still remember the gasps that came from the old Lyman classroom when we kissed.
From what Kalski tells me, the faculty fought her every step of the way as she struggled to bring her dream to reality. They didn’t want her to take on “Lost Girl.” They thought it too ambitious, too nuanced, and perhaps too risky for a student director to take on. She proved them wrong.
With this production, Kalski singlehandedly changed how the Sally K. Series should function. Her ambition, vision, work ethic, thoughtfulness, and artistry served to create a safe and playful work environment for everyone involved in the production.
When asked how she believed this show to be unique from others she’s worked on, Kalski said, “I think how it truly differed was that students were really passionate about this project. On the Sally K. Series, we get to pick out the shows; on Mainstage, we don’t. So students get more passionate about shows they not only picked out but get to do all by themselves.”
The show’s sound designer, Ella Stottlemyer (‘25) chimed in on the environment, “There’s always this implicit nervousness that I get whenever I’m working with older adults, but with “Lost Girl,” it was so freeing and fun. We were allowed to be silly and laugh; we didn’t have to be serious. We could have fun with it, and that was the biggest difference: we didn’t have this air of expectation, and it still turned out great. It’s better to laugh than to be stressed.”
Our rehearsals were places of light and silliness. We tended to start every rehearsal with a fun activity; sometimes it was a round of Peter Says (taken from the classic Simon Says but Neverland-themed, obviously), or dancing to get the sillies out, or writing letters to Peter Pan. Though we weren’t the closest cast at the beginning of the process, by the end our spirited bond made our piece even stronger. Kalski said that her “favorite part of the process was that everyone started really liking it, and then people became more obsessed with it than I was.”
Sierra Haila (‘26), who played Toodles, said, “It was unlike anything I’d ever done before. It was crazy how freeing it was to work with other students and people my age.” Stage manager Yasmine Hudson (‘27) discussed how the work environment diverged from previous productions. “Working with some of the same people with a student director, the difference was massive,” she said. “Being around peers in a rehearsal space allows more creative choices to come out.” The show’s costume designer, Rileigh Erickson (‘26), said, “I feel like there was a lot more passion, and, for me personally, I put a lot into it.”
As one of Kalski’s actors, I received nuanced direction alongside motivated blocking to tell the story as powerfully as we could. Our Peter/Boy, Sam Newkirk (‘26), shared his thoughts on the process. “There was a very clear vision, and, in this production, all of us were excited to make that vision happen. We were all on the same page as to what the story meant,” Newkirk said.
Rehearsals started on January 6, giving us a month to get the show on its feet, and we hit the ground running: the entire show was blocked by the end of week one. Elated doesn’t cover what we all felt. “This production was much quicker in its base level of blocking. It was like, block as much as possible; let’s get that foundation set and then use that foundation as a guide as we build our characters,” Newkirk said.
By tackling this story together, we were all going to Neverland and coming back down to the ground. There was something so inherently nostalgic and comforting about it all. Surrounded by play and truthfulness, we felt like daring adventurers looking for the buried treasure of our childhoods.
Kalski commented on the universality of this play. “I think it’s important to understand that all of us are just grown-up kids,” she said. “I would see people in the audience really enjoying the show because they knew “Peter Pan,” and they were childish too. Whether they were old or young, they were laughing along, and they were sad. They were a part of the experience.” Victoria Pearson (‘25), who played Slightly, said, “It’s so timely as well; it’s something that everyone can relate to. We often go to the theater to escape, but we also like to see ourselves represented in the work that is being made.”
When asked what she took away from working on “Lost Girl,” set designer Avery Anger (‘25) said, “The whole reason why we do this profession is because we love it, and it’s fun; What I took away is to remember to have joy when you’re doing theater.”
College is an interesting period of our lives because we’re right in the middle of growing up. “Lost Girl” exacerbates all the feelings that come from that universal experience of feeling stuck in the past while being scared for the future. Kalski’s love for this story shone through. She knew what it meant and represented, which is that everyone is Wendy. We all have to grow up and move on at some point in our lives, whether we want to or not. Time comes for us all in the end, even Peter and Wendy.
With us, “Lost Girl” lives on. I’ll never forget, but it’s time to close the window.
Goodbye, Neverland.
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