For the 30 students in Moody High School’s Spotlight Drama Club, this month marks a milestone. It’s only been one year since the Club was formed, and its members are already producing their first full production.

On Feb. 23 and 24 at 7 p.m., Spotlight Moody will present “Peter Pan” at the Center for Education and Performing Arts (CEPA) in Pell City. The play is open to the public, with ticket prices at $5 for students and $7 for adults available at the door.

This classic tale of the adventures Peter and Wendy experience while going head-to-head with the evil Captain Hook and a ticking crocodile is loved by all. But Club members, led by sponsor Jonathan Hood, have added their own twist to the classic tale that will thrill St. Clair audiences. 

The play is directed by MHS junior and Spotlight Club President Ashley Arrington, who has spent her afternoons this semester leading Club members through rehearsal in the Moody High lobby.

“At Moody, our students were hungry for a drama program, but we didn’t have a stage to perform on,” Arrington said this week while speaking to the Moody Chamber of Commerce. “We were so excited when we had the chance to become a Spotlight Club and perform at CEPA. And we can’t wait for you to see how hard we’ve worked on this show.”

“Peter Pan” marks the second time Spotlight Moody will perform at CEPA. The Club’s first show featured a medley of scenes and songs from classic American plays, was performed at CEPA in the fall of 2017 and brought in a crowd of approximately 200.

Spotlight is a partnership initiative between CEPA and Jefferson State Community College – St. Clair that seeks to create an all-ages, countywide drama education program. In keeping with its mission, CEPA was awarded a $2,000 grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts in 2017 for the purpose of assisting its Spotlight Clubs with their public performances, including Peter Pan.

“Moody is the one of the Spotlight program’s flagship clubs,” Spotlight Program Coordinator Lesley Warren said. “Their enthusiasm for theater is something I know the audience will feel when they perform. I hope anyone in the area who’s interested in drama or simply wants some family-friendly entertainment will come support these students and their performance.”

Warren, who launched the effort in Jan. 2017, has overseen a growing interest in the program from the community. Now, in addition to Spotlight’s main program that produces two plays at CEPA each year, there are four Spotlight clubs – Moody, Pell City, Canoe Creek (Ashville) and Victory Christian – with more than 130 students and residents directly involved.

Spotlight is supported by the Alabama State Council on the Arts, Pell City Schools, St. Clair County Schools, Honda Manufacturing of Alabama and Alabama Power.  

For more information about upcoming productions or how to start a Spotlight club at your school or in your community, contact Lesley Warren at lesley@pellcitycepa.com or visit CEPA online at pellcitycepa.com.