Performances of Peter Pan will be Thursday through Saturday, October 25-26-27 at 8 p.m. with a Sunday matinee performance on October 28 at 2 p.m. Temple High's annual musical is normally performed in the spring but was moved to the fall this year because renovations affecting the fine arts area will begin November 1. Tickets for the musical will be the same as in previous years — $10 in advance, $15 at the door and $20 for reserved seating. Reserved seats are only available online and the reserved seating area includes the first six rows of the center sections.

Students from the cast and production staff will be selling advanced tickets. Tickets are also available online (with a 50¢ convenience charge per ticket) at SeatYourself.biz.

The version being performed in Temple is the original 1954 Broadway production, which starred Mary Martin as Peter. A 1979 Broadway revival starred Sandy Duncan, while a 1990 revival featured Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby. NBC broadcast this version as "Peter Pan Live!" in 2014.

Based on J.M. Barrie's classic tale, Peter Pan is one of the most beloved and frequently performed family favorites of all time. This high-flying Tony Award-winning musical has been performed around the world and delighted audiences for 60 years.

Peter and his mischievous fairy sidekick, Tinkerbell, visit the nursery of the Darling children late one night and, with a sprinkle of pixie dust, begin a magical journey across the stars that none of them will ever forget. In the adventure of a lifetime, the travelers come face to face with the Lost Boys, a ticking crocodile, a fierce tribe of natives, a band of bungling pirates and, of course, the villainous Captain Hook.

The musical features the iconic songs, "I'm Flying," "I've Gotta Crow," "I Won't Grow Up" and "Never Never Land," and a rousing story full of magic, warmth and adventure. The actors will actually be flying with flying illusions created for the Temple High stage by ZFX Flying Effects.

CLICK HERE for the Information Page showing cast, production staff, and other information.

Natasha Tolleson, director of Temple High Theatre Arts for 27 years, has been selected as an Educator of the Year by the Texas Educational Theatre Association. The award will be presented during a banquet at the group's TheatreFest 2018 convention in Addison (Dallas) on Friday, September 28.

Natasha was previously recognized by the Texas State Thespians in 2014 when she was inducted into the Texas Thespian Hall of Fame. The University Interscholastic League named her one of the Top 15 UIL Sponsors in 2011.

This award is given "in recognition of outstanding accomplishment in the teaching of theatre" and is given annually by TETA to up to two K-12 teachers and two higher-education teachers. The other K-12 recipient is Rod Sheffield (Magnolia High), a Temple High School graduate and son of Saundra and Wade Sheffield of Temple. 

Because of construction in the Fine Arts area of Temple High, there will be differences from past years in classroom locations and when shows are normally produced.

October 25-28, 2018 — Performances of the musical Peter Pan. We won't be able to access the seating area of the auditorium after November 1. The band will start holding classes on the stage during the morning periods and will be storing equipment out in the seating area.

December 8 and 9, 2018 — Christmas Dessert Theatre in the cafeteria. Plans are to perform the musical A Charlie Brown Christmas.

January 24-27, 2019 — Theatre in the Round on the stage. Because of construction, audience members will have to enter through the doors on the front of the school, just to the right of the shop door and loading dock. Title of the play has yet to be determined.

Spring 2019 — Competition in the annual UIL One-Act Play contest.

Temple High Thespians assisted with "Fish Camp" (for incoming freshmen) on Thursday, August 2, 2018. The camp lasted from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with parents attending at 4 p.m. Thespians set-up a troupe display showing various theatre activities from last year. Sierra Amalbert is serving as Thespians President for 2018-19.

Fifteen Temple Hiigh School Thespians traveled to Lincoln, Nebraska, in June 2018 to compete at the annual International Thespian Society Convention. Twelve of the 15 students received medals and a Superior rating in the competitions. Superior is the highest score a student can receive. Temple had more entries advance from state to the national competition than any other troupe in Texas. Temple competed in group musical, duet acting, solo musical, scenic design, costume design, sound design and theatre marketing.

Beginning in the 2018-2019 school year, Temple will return to the UIL Conference 6A in the nine-member District 12. Teams will include Belton High, Copperas Cove High, Killeen High, Killeen Ellison, Killeen Harker Heights, Killeen Shoemaker, Temple High, Waco High and Waco Midway. Temple's new district will be in Region 2, having previously been in Region 3.

Out of the 260 schools that started the one-act season in the 5A classification, Temple came in 4th at the state meet on April 24, 2018 in Round Rock. Sierra Amalbert was named to the State All-Star Cast. Gabriel Salazar was named to the State Honorable Mention All-Star Cast.

The state champion was Tuloso-Midway HS, Corpus Christi, with Moon Over Buffalo. First runner-up was Austin HS with The Last Night of Ballyhoo. Second runner-up was Waxahachie HS with The Curious Incident of theDog in the Night-Time.

FINAL PERFORMANCE: Temple's final performance will be Friday, April 27, at 7 p.m. in the Temple High School Auditorium. Admission $5.

Here is Director Natasha Tolleson pictured with members of the One-Act Play team and State Theatrical Design students who are Seniors and will be graduating in June.

Front Row: Arreyon Blocker, Callie Ortega, Adara Felix, Gabriel Salazar and Bianca Gutierrez.
Back Row: Bailee Poelker, Alante Anderson, Natasha Tolleson, Grace Mellette, Robert Solar and Aaron Flores.