‘Peter Pan, JR.’ on Hilton Head Saturday and Sunday from Main Street Youth Theatre

The interested and intrigued came early on an unusually wet and windy evening to be perfectly in place in the festive lobby at Hilton Head Island’s Main Street Youth Theatre on Wednesday evening.

Inside were crowds of people circling a show-stopping hors d’oeuvres, desserts and libations area.

Nearby, stemmed glassware were being filled with something festive and bubbly and topped with the appropriate magical fairy dust.

During the social time, friends and families greeted each other and congratulated members of the board of directors of the Main Street Youth Theatre on their project at hand.

During the social hour, many moved toward the walls of the gathering area to view close up a series of fascinating photographs of the design debut in progress.

Daniel Cort, vice chairman of the board of directors and a storied volunteer of the MSYT, welcomed everyone and invited them in to the auditorium for a “Where We’ve Been” look at the history of the organization ... “Putting Young Actors in the Spotlight since 1977.”

“Where We Are” offered the filled-to-the-brim audience a preview performance of MSYT’s “Peter Pan, JR.”

With that said, what followed was a full-scale production of “Peter Pan, JR.”

To say it captured our full attention in seconds, would be a triumph of understatement!

Before our eyes, we met Mr. and Mrs. Darling, Wendy, John and Michael ... and in no time at all, Peter Pan and “Tink” appeared.

We all felt as though we were flying as they sang “I’m Flying.” We met the pirates and Captain Hook as he charmed us with his Tango, Tarantella and his Waltz.

Then Tiger Lily and the Brave girls, the Lost Boys, Peter’s “I Won’t Grow Up,” “I Gotta Crow,” with Tiger Lilly, Lost Boys, Brave Girls and Darling Children, and ultimately, The Finale Ultimo with the entire cast.

And through it all, we heard the periodic tick-tock and random appearances of the dreaded Crocodile!

Directed and choreographed by Diane Fisher-Simmons, with musical direction by Melinda Bray Smith, the amazing storyline and astonishing performances of close to 30 performers and crew held the entire audience in thrall start to finish, ranging in age from Michael who is in the first grade and Captain Hook, a senior in high school.

The “Where We are Going” conclusion of the amazing evening came by way of the unveiling of the details of the much anticipated Live Oak Performing Arts Center in historic Bluffton.

The specifics and challenges of the brilliant project were offered by Daniel Cort, along with Pastor Michael Beaumont of Live Oak Church, Court Atkins Architects, and the Aspen Group contractors.

If you go

What: “Peter Pan, JR.”

Where: Main Street Youth Theatre at Hilton Head Prep’s Main Street Theatre, 3000 Main St., Hilton Head Island.

When: March 7 and 8, at 7 p.m. evenings, with 2 p.m. matinees

Information: 843-689-6246; msyt.org.