Growing up, children hear many fairy tales about pirates, princesses, fairies, and castles. However, no child would imagine that one day, they could be living in this mythical fairy tale reality. When Nolan Almeida first acted in a community musical theatre company at the age of seven, no one imagined he would be living out his own magical reality in the future.
Nolan Almeida, a seventeen-year-old high school student from Southern California, recently got cast as Peter Pan in the adaptation of Peter Pan the musical, the National Tour. “Nolan works hard 100% of the time. If anyone deserves to live out their dream, it’s him” (Nathan Song 10). Nolan Almeida has been performing locally since the young age of seven years old. With only ten years of experience, how did Nolan get this incredible opportunity to perform in front of many on the big stage? Many of his peers and fellow community actors here in Yorba Linda, California seem to think it’s his constant dedication to his craft and wonderful attitude towards wanting to be the best that he can be.
As well as being a hardworking student and performer, Nolan has a kind of natural talent that is extremely rare and beautiful to find. “Nolan is one of the most hardworking people I have met. He was blessed with so much natural talent but over the years he has grown into an absolute star. He is truly a triple threat. I feel so grateful to have had the opportunity to perform with him over the years” (Hayden Lee 12). Many are astounded at how Nolan received such an opportunity as a local high school student. Nolan used to attend Esperanza High School, participating in their theatre program regularly as well.
The national tour will take Nolan and the cast to cities across the country, giving audiences from coast to coast the chance to experience the timeless tale of Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, and the Darling children. In an interview shown on Broadway.com, Nolan exclaims that “there is a whole new way in which I can connect in being just a few years older than a lot of our audience and them being able to see themselves in Peter Pan.” This new adaptation of Peter Pan relates with a newer audience who can easily relate to the struggles of reality the characters in the musical face. “He [Nolan] is an amazing talent and the world isn’t ready for what Nolan will achieve in the future” (Hayden Lee 12). The national tour of “Peter Pan” is set to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for audiences nationwide, and with Nolan Almeida as the star, it’s sure to be an unforgettable journey to the magical world of Neverland.
