Serenbe Playhouse’s Outdoor Theatre

. Thank you to Serenbe Playhouse for hosting me at a production in their myriad of outdoor theatres. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Y’all know I’ve been involved with the theatre since I was seven years old. I played “The Sun” in a class play, and never looked back. Not through middle school musicals, high school auditions and landing Alice in Wonderland, going to college with a performance degree and pivoting towards Costume Design. Through my MFA and onto designing professionally and in education for the next decade. It’s only with the births of Red and Scarlett that I’ve been forced to take more of an audience role, but I’ll never stray too far from my sewing machine and backstage. It’s in me! I also love unconventional theatre, to watch the art form shift, morph and explore. Serenbe Playhouse, in the hamlet of Serenbe, GA is what I would call a pioneer in inventive theatre.

Serenbe Playhouse has no concrete auditorium or performance space, instead choosing to explore the world around them to find an arena. The last production I saw in Serenbe was HAIR, full of friends, music and a rockin’ free spirit that denied that night’s rainy forecast with a jam session inside a barn (the pre-show meadow area found a parked  60’s era-graffitied bus filled with character. It was all the good feeling art I’ve come to love in my life. But with Serenbe a “fur piece” from my home, it’s grown to be more of a staycation location and adventure session for me.

Serenbe Playhouse’s Peter Pan

 I took a day trip to see a production of Peter Pan, Serenbe’s 45-minute children’s theatre performance. Set in a real creek bed, the show captures the playful spirit of Peter Pan and Captain Hook, either long before they met Wendy or many years after, full of play. The production takes an unexpected musical spin, creating characters that are playful, funny and childlike. After all, what kid ever wants to grow up?

As you may have seen my video above, Serenbe Playhouse has created a true amphitheater, set, lighting booth and more right in the middle of the forest. Gently mulched paths lead to the water’s edge, where you find fly lines a pirate ship and plenty of bench seating. Children gather on the roped off bankside on tarped blankets, where families are urged to bring picnics or visit Tink’s Tavern for beverages (adult ones included!). Not-so-small touches grace the theatre walkway, like Wendy’s house, The Jolly Roger and signs pointing to various locations in Neverland. Attention to detail here was great, especially considering the great lengths the company went to while creating this theatrical oasis.

If you’re ready to whisk your family to the second star to the right and straight on til’ morning, you can buy tickets on the Serenbe Playhouse website.  The show plays through the summer of 2018 until August 31st. Simply map out The Mado at Serenbe on your GPS and after arriving on the property, follow the small green signs to the theatre location. Performances are Thurs–Sat, 11:00AM, with an extra Sunday bonus at 2:00 PM. I know you and your kids will love this Neverland story about Peter and Hook working together to find peace.  Perhaps on this journey, Cpt. Hook will learn something new? I’ll see you creek side for this high flying adventure!