There's a saying in show business, that kids and animals are the most difficult to work with. They haven't met the cast of "Finding Neverland," on stage at the Orpheum Theater through Sunday.
Take, for example Sandy the dog. Rescued from a shelter and trained by Bill Berloni, the 3-year-old poodle mix has never missed a performance in the U.S. and has clocked more than 350 performances.
"Finding Neverland," based on the Academy Award-winning film of the same name, follows playwright J.M. Barrie as he struggles to write a brand new story. He finds inspiration in a widow Sylvia and her four young sons: Jack, George, Michael and Peter, who let their imaginations run wild.
Connor Casey, 11, and Wyatt Cirbus, 9, rotate playing three of the four young brothers in the show, learning multiple lines, musical performances and dance parts.
"It was my first audition," Wyatt said.
For Connor, who played Peter to a crowd that gave a standing ovation overnight, the show is a dream come true and one he said he worked very hard to get. But in between the shows, the kids still get to be kids.
"We went to the Omaha zoo. I really liked the tigers and seeing all the different animals."
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For more information: https://ticketomaha.com/Productions/finding-neverland
