Peter Pan

Peter Pan 

Production Portfolio 

Unit 7: 

Performing To an Audience 

Unit 11: 

Theatre for Children 

Unit 17: 

Developing Voice for the Actor 

 Production Overview 

Name: Dylan Corcoran
Role/s: John Darling
Describe the production role/s you are carrying out:	Played John Darling and helped with set changes
List the main individual tasks you will be required to undertake giving deadlines.
Task:	Deadline:
Remembering the correct timings for set changes	By the first run through
Learning all my lines	Once we had run through every scene
Working on my character development	Before the first rehearsal, I’d have to understand my character
Give details of the others you will be working with in your team. How do your tasks relate to those being undertaken in other groups?
SET TEAM -  Dylan  Kate  Ella  Donny  Dylan  Chelsea    During one of the rehearsals myself and the rest of the set team sat down and wrote down all the props required for the panto, we also noted down as to who would bring these props onto set and when they would be required. Myself, Ella, Chelsea and Kate wrote down the props needed for each scene whilst Donny wrote the set list and later printed it out so that the cast members could see before the show began.
Explain how your role will contribute to the final production:
As John Darling I had a semi-important role during scene 8, the character of John has been held captive by Hook and is forced to stand on the plank. My character acts as one of the many starting points for the final battle. My character also acts as someone who the audience can relate to as they can experience the world of neverland for the first time through my characters eyes.

  

Meeting Minutes 

(You will need to fill one of these out for each production meeting you attend) 

Production Minute Meetings
Name                 Dylan Corcoran
Date:	6th December 2018
Present:	Ella, Dylan, Donny, Kate, Chelsea
What was discussed?	Discussed the props needed during each scene and set changes.
What decisions were made?	We decided that the set list would be put up on the mirror in the dance studio so that the cast members could see, we also decided who would bring what on during what scenes.
Date of next meeting:	7th December 2018
What needs to be done before the next meeting?	We need to print out the set list and discussed with each cast member what they would be taking on and off stage and made sure that they were 100% sure of what they are doing.
How will you achieve and meet this deadline?	By creating a call sheet that tells people who is taking off the props and when they are going to take them off and on.

 Character Development  

My full name is John Darling, a Hebrew name meaning ‘Jehovah has been gracious’. I was born in the city of London, to George and Mary Darling. I am currently ten years of age and my astrological sign is Virgo. This means I am very patient and humble. I don’t have a job because I am too young but I do go to Westminster Church of England Primary School. My biggest role model is Peter Pan. Peter Pan is really heroic and adventurous. I want to be like him when I grow up! Bed time stories are my favourite thing, I’m always so excited to hear the tales mother and father come up with! Don’t tell anyone but my biggest secret is that I've met Peter Pan and flown to Neverland with him! Please don’t tell my friends but I’m really scared of the dark and pirates. I think my friends would make fun of me. I really hate Broccoli! It tastes so disgusting! But I really love my brother Michael and my sister Wendy. I think I am very smart and kind, also I think I am a bit of a dreamer. I love to imagine up stories and play them out with my brother. My favourite animal is a dog because I think they are really cute, fluffly and cuddly. In the last year I discovered the best thing anybody could ever discover! I discovered Neverland! I can’t tell you where it is or how to get there though, because it’s a secret. I promised Peter Pan I would keep it safe.  

Dramatic Action 

People think that my character is very playful and a little on the nerdier side. My character is very kind and he always says nice things about others. John discovers Neverland and that he has to grow up, even if he doesn’t want to. John’s discoveries affect Peter Pan the most, as he believes that they can stay young forever. I think it makes Peter feel a bit lonely. This information signals a development in character for John and a reason for re-evaluation for Peter. John faces captivity by Captain Hook – causing him to face one of his biggest fears. To overcome this, he uses the help from Peter and his own confidence to get out of Hook’s clutches. John’s subtext is that he fears for Peter and he is scared that he’ll never make it home.  

Characterisation 

Internals: 

My character had (and continues to have) a sheltered up-bringing. He is Christian (due to influences of his parents and those in his society). He has a few special memories one of those being: when he went to the beach and built sandcastles with his brother Michael and his sister Wendy. John is a very intellectual young man who uses his common sense. He is also right brained. John believes very firmly in honestly and loyalty to those he loves. He is usually the peace-keeper in many situations, despite his young age. 

Externals: 

John frequently dresses in comfortable clothing; at nighttime he usually wears onesies – mainly of his favourite animals or characters. John carries himself around very carefully, cautious to not cause any trouble. He has a straight posture, mainly due to learning social etiquette from his parents. John is a very well-mannered boy. He doesn’t need to hide behind props or objects as he is confident in himself.  

Objective/Obstacle/Tactics 

My character wants dominance over his fear of pirates but also to have a good time. The obstacle he faces is being captured by Captain Hook and his fear of never returning home. I want to be saved by Peter Pan from Captain Hook and also returned home by Peter Pan. John is relatively strong in vocalizing what he wants or his fears. Though, he is a child, and will rely on those older than him (Wendy) or those who have more responsibility or authority (Peter Pan), as well as those who can provide moral support when he needs it (Michael and Wendy).  

Expectations 

My character wants to overcome his fears, especially the one of pirates (this would be his win). He wants this because he is constantly overcome with fear at the thought and his friends often make fun of him for being scared of pirates. John also wants to survive all the dangers he may face in Neverland as he wants to return home at the end of his adventure. John also wants to prove (validate) that he is brave and is not the ‘scaredy-cat’ that his friends make him out to be. John wants to receive love from his role model and show Peter Pan that he admires and loves him. John’s happiness is all based around meeting his role model and joining him on adventures. 

Annotated Script 

“A little longer, please” (with Wendy and Michael).  

This line shows John’s manners but also his desire to spend some more time playing with his best friends, his brother and sister. This would be said with slight disappointment but also hope. 

“Can we have a story before bedtime?” 

This line shows how John is just like any other child before bedtime, which is ironic as he is chosen to fly with Peter Pan. It could also suggest how John really enjoys family time, but it is always cut short due to the relationships between parents and their children at the time of the play. This would be said in a soft voice, with hints of excitement. 

“Pleaaaaase.”  

This shows a desperation that John has, but also how persistent he is as a character. This would be said with the ‘e’ and ‘a’ dragged out to annoy his father, as children do. 

“Yes, Peter Pan versus the pirates!” 

This line shows clearly his favourite character is Peter Pan, and his favourite story is Peter Pan fighting and defeating the pirates. This feeds into his fear of pirates and his admiration for Peter, who can always defeat the pirates and save the day. This would be said with excitement as this story is John’s favourite.  

“I’ll be Captain Hook!” 

This line shows that John likes to be in control. If John can be Captain Hook it will be easier for him to deal with his fear as he can decide how scary the pirate will be. This will be said with fear and excitement, but also uncertainty. 

“Peter, is this the place?” 

This line shows that John needs to have the clarification and validation from Peter. He doesn’t feel comfortable in the foreign place and the person he looks to in order to feel safe is his role model. This shows how children look up to their role models. This would be said in a low mumble, but loud enough for Peter to hear. John would stand behind Peter for safety. 

“Look at them” 

Despite his well-mannered up-bringing, John is still a child and fascinated by things he is unsure of and sometimes he is unable to filter how things come out. This would be said in awe and John would start inspecting those around him. 

Rehearsal log 

19/09/18 - Auditions 

Today we had the auditions for Peter Pan, I decided to go for the role of either John or Michael Darling as I believe I am capable of accurately playing a naïve and caring character which the audience could relate to. I was very nervous for this audition as it was my first time auditioning for something as big as the panto. During the audition I became very nervous and had forgotten my lines, before deciding to start again I found myself becoming overly embarrassed and therefore wanted to give up. However, thanks to Rebecca I quickly remembered my lines and gave a better audition which would eventually get me the Part of John Darling. 

20/09/18 - Call Backs & Head Shots 

The day after the auditions a call back sheet was put up so that not only could everyone get a second chance to audition for their desired role but it would also allow Rebecca and Helen to see how we interact with each other as our characters. I found myself connecting with Donny, someone who would later play the brother to my character. I felt as if during the call backs we had made a connection as a comedic duo, this would benefit us later on during the show as we had created a better connection. 

26/09/18 - Casting was announced 

A cast list was stuck on the wall opposite the theatre. I was incredibly shocked and pleased to find I had been given the role of John. Seeing my name against John made me feel confident because despite forgetting my lines during my audition Rebecca could see that I was good enough to play the character of John. 

4/10/18 - Script readthrough 

The Whole cast including both the upper sixth and level 2 as well as my class all sat in a circle and done a read through of the script. For me, Personally I found this nerve racking as I had this fear of being judged by everyone else, however, once I had realized that everyone in the room was in the same boat as me, my fear had disappeared and I had become more comfortable.  

Once we had seen the script, we were able to understand the characters thoughts, feelings and how they would act. As a cast we had to do a task in which we would act as animals as a way to develop our characters. I decided to become a frog as they’re bouncy (much like John) and our often depicted as intelligent, a character trait which I believe John thinks he has. 

During this exercise I had a lot of fun and felt like a child for the most part however, this sometimes became a bad thing as I found myself breaking out of character and would either burst out laughing or would stop in fear of being judged. 

9/10/18 - First Rehearsal 

Today’s scene was the nursery scene. Personally, I think the way I first acted during this rehearsal didn’t quite portray my character correctly/ I don’t think I was quite in character. The director’s response was that I needed to act childish but mature at the same time. By the end of the lesson I was a little bit clearer on my character. Although I tried with my performance, there was room for improvement. My major problem with the first rehearsal was that I felt really nervous and not entirely comfortable with the set cast. This could definitely be improved and worked on. I wouldn’t say there was one set leader, I think everybody involved in the scene was ready to get on and try out their characters for the first time. I didn’t stay in character the whole rehearsal, I will admit I did get distracted quite a few times. I don’t think I projected my voice as well as I could’ve as I was quite nervous with it being the first rehearsal.  

2/10/18 - First Singing Rehearsal  

This was the first rehearsal in which we had to sing, I wasn’t too familiar with the lyrics so it took me a while to pick up the song, however, after a few attempts I found myself becoming more confident with singing. Although I don’t believe I have the greatest singing voice I still tried to do my best when it came to singing this song. 

14/10/18 - First Run Through (scenes 1 –5)  

Today was the first run through, I think I did well however there was definitely more room for improvement as I would often forget my ques and sometimes found myself being slightly out of place during scenes. I was told to act more childlike as my performance sometimes came across as forced, which I agree with it. This was the first time I had performed in costume, my costume being a monkey onesie. The use of the onesie would portray to the audience the childlikeness of John. 

23/10/18 - Production Meeting 

During this lesson Myself, Donny, Chelsea, Ella and Kate all sat together and went through the script and noted down all the necessary props needed for each scene. We had noted who would be responsible for taking certain props on and off. We decided that we would stick a sheet on the mirror that would tell people what they would be taking on and off. This decision was made so that there would be no confusion during and in-between scenes. 

29/11/18 - Art Auction 

This was the first performance of “Its Going Down” that was performed in front of an audience. If I'm being honest, I wasn’t in the best of moods on this day and that severely damaged my performance. I still tried to give my best but a part of me felt as if I had let the cast down as my character has a key part within this scene. On this day I did not have the required socks for the outfit so Instead I wore my trainers. Advertising also began on this day.  

7/12/18 - Full Day Run Through 

This was the first run through in which we had an entire day dedicated to not only acting out each scene but also practicing set changes. We also used lighting which helped us all get a sense of the atmosphere we would be dealing with when performing the panto in front an audience. I found this a fun yet frustrating experience as this was the first time, we had performed the panto with no breaks. The first scene was a bit of a mess, I didn’t what to do with myself for the first 30 seconds of the scene and I didn’t project my voice loud enough and believe this is due to nerves. These nerves would quickly disappear as I found myself getting more and more comfortable with performing under these conditions. I also think that performing the entire panto without an audience helped a lot as it prepared me for when we would perform the panto on show night.  

11/12/18 - First Show Day 

This was the first performance and I was incredibly nervous, during one of the scenes I had forgotten my line and had to be prompted by Vicky (who played wendy). Despite my error I had managed to stay on top with the tasks I had been set when taking on and off props. I had to bring on the chair for the nursery scene and then bring on the head of john and Michael’s bed. I believe I was very quick when doing this however I could have made less noise as I had knocked the staging a few times which made a loud bang that came across as unprofessional. I definitely think my weakest part within this night performance was the dance. I always felt like I was catching up with the other cast and if im being honest I was overcome with embarrassment during this moment.  

12/12/18 - Matinee/ Performing to children 

This was the show in which we performed to children. Although, I definitely had fun, this was my weakest performance. I would often break character due to the fact that some of the children would shout out during some of the scenes which would make laugh at points. I do think this was incredibly unprofessional and could’ve been avoided if I had more self-control. I did enjoy the interaction between the cast and the children as it felt as if it was more of an immersive experience for the kids. The performance of “Its going down” during this show was the strongest as the cast had become comfortable with performing the lyrics in front of an audience and therefore had more fun with the song. 

13/12/18 - Final Show 

This was my favourite night, I believe I gave my strongest perfomance due to the fact that I was comfortable with myself performing infront of an audience and would often come up with a few improv lines during the show which made the audience laugh a little. As much as I enjoyed this night, I do believe that morale was low as I could tell that some of the cast members just wanted to get it over and done with.  

Final evaluation 

The first moment that I thought I was making progress in developing my piece was when I was able to confidently project my voice. Previously, I had been having problems with my vocal projection, as I was lacking in confidence. During one rehearsal though, I found myself able to project my lines so everyone in the rehearsal room could hear me clearly, and I was performing my character in a believable way. The second time I thought I was making progress was when I developed and mastered my ability to realistically portray my character’s emotions. An example of this was when I was able to portray my character’s excitement, to the level of a child’s excitement. A third time where I thought I was making progress was when I had learned all the lines, which enabled me to become more comfortable (and natural) in my delivery. This also allowed me to become confident with stage directions, as I knew what to do whilst I was saying my lines. A final moment where I thought I was making progress was when I became more comfortable within my character, especially as the performance was nearer.  

I think one of the least useful exercises for me was when we had to jump around the room as animals. This is because I feel like it didn’t benefit me in any way, shape, or form. I would suggest an improvisation exercise as an alternative, as if in the situation where someone forgets their lines, they are able to quickly improvise and continue the scene without freezing or panicking. Another exercise that I didn’t find particularly useful was an exercise for solo singing. I didn’t find this useful as I didn’t have a solo performance and I feel I needed to work on my confidence and breathing whilst I was singing for the group. I would suggest an exercise for breathing as an alternative, as I feel this would help especially in the stand-off song, where the lyrics are quite wordy.  

I would describe the voice of my character as innocent and childlike. I watched various other portrayals of John to try and perfect my voice. I also spoke to my younger cousin and saw how he acted at the age of 10. Finally, to incorporate the upper-class tone of John into my voice, I watched clips of shows/films aimed towards the upper-class (these included Downton Abbey and Victoria). The movements of my character were very energetic and hyper. I spoke to my co-star Donny, and bounced off his character to give a sense of childlikeness and brotherhood. I watched clips from the original Peter Pan. Finally, as I work for an organisation that hosts children’s parties, it gave me a sense of how children act when they are excited. 

The final show I was truly happy with my performance and I felt very confident in my character and the portrayal of him. However, the fact that I was performing in front of a live audience for the first time fed into my nerves and made me less confident. I did however get over this as I took deep breaths and fully stepped into the role of my character. I wouldn’t have done anything differently. I think the audience found my character funny, as I would improvise lines during the performance. I think the children were able to relate to my character, and I had a few people tell me that my character was funny and very childlike. To ensure my character was relevant to a children’s audience I made my portrayal of my character very engaging and relatable by high-fiving them and waving.  

Overall, I think my delivery went well, as I was enthusiastic during the performance. Despite this, I laughed a little bit during our performance to the primary school as their comments made me laugh, causing me to momentarily come out of character. I did however bring myself back into character very quickly. My strengths were my projection, facial expressions and my engagement with the audience. I think my weakness was the dances, as I couldn’t wrap my head fully around the moves and I didn’t feel confident dancing. In the future, I will work on dancing by spending more time dedicated to learning the dance moves and being confident in them.