By Cami Dibattista

Published: Wednesday, November 14, 2012, 8:54 p.m.
Updated: Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Ever wonder how Peter Pan met Tinkerbell? Or how did he became enemies with Captain Hook? Find out at the Ligonier Town Hall when The Hollow Tree Players present their fall production of “Peter Pan – the Beginning.” The play is a prequel to the classic tale “Peter Pan” by Scottish novelist and playwright J.M. Barrie.

Public performances of the show are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m. Saturday, Tickets are $5 at the door and proceeds will be donated to “Love of Dominick.”

“We have so much fun,” said the show's director, Kim Dickert-Wallace of Ligonier. “It's a great group of women and we're contributing to a good cause. It just makes a great combination.”

The Hollow Tree Players, a non-profit theatre group, was established in 1969 as a way to bring theatre and the arts into the lives of local children. Net proceeds from every show are donated to children's charities or organizations. To date, the Hollow Tree Players have donated more $40,000.

“Peter Pan – The Beginning” will benefit “Love of Dominick”, a trust set up to cover hospital costs and necessities for a local 18-year-old boy diagnosed with a form of cancer called Ewing's Sarcoma in his left leg.

The group performs two shows a year – one in the fall and another in the spring. They welcome schools and nursing homes to come in for private viewings of the show. Each show is performed six times, but only two are open to the public.

Melissa Zimmerman, of Ligonier, president of the organization for six years, wrote the prequel. She said writing prequels is something she likes because she and her children often wonder what the characters were doing ahead of time and how they met. “My kids help me with ideas,” said Zimmerman, who said she enjoys writing plays because she likes the dialogue and knowing about how many characters she needs to write for ahead of time.

“I enjoy it so much,” Zimmerman said, “It's my therapy.”

Any individual with questions about group or who would like to help out the show in anyway, can contact Melissa Zimmerman at 724-238-0328.

To make donations directly to “Love of Dominick,” send checks to Somerset Trust c/o “Love of Dominick,” 228 West Main St, Ligonier PA 15658.

Cami DiBattista is a freelance writer for Trib Total Media.

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