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MIDLAND - A dance performance of the classic children's musical "Peter and the Wolf" takes place today through Friday at the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center.

Two shows are planned each day, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Performances will run 40 minutes. Tickets are $2 a person.

The show, performed by students in the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School, is designed for children in kindergarten through grade 5, but is suitable for children up to grade 8.

This is the first production to be staged by Youtheatre, a new program of the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center. Designed to introduce young children to the arts, Youtheatre was conceived by Jennifer Roe Verba, a dance faculty member at Lincoln Park. Verba choreographed and directs this production of "Peter and the Wolf," assisted by Krista Shovlin. Gavan Pamer is producer.

Anthony Guido of Beaver Falls dances the part of Peter. Benjamin Belhumeur of Coraopolis plays the wolf. Alexa Wiegel of Canonsburg is the bird, Savannah Spratt of Rochester is the cat and Kelsi Darby of Hermitage portrays the duck. Connor Orend of Aliquippa plays the grandfather. The hunters are portrayed by Tricia Adams of Aliquippa, Erin Grabski of Beaver and Hannah Vraninin of Burgettstown.

Other students involved in the production are: Anna Kerr of New Castle, dance captain; Keith Hickey of Darlington, Marchetta Genis of Sewickley and Nicole Spencer of Monaca, understudies; Brittany Spinelli of Baden, stage manager, and Debbie Thomas of Clinton, set designer.

Kim Brown of Spotlight Costumes is designing and making the costumes for this production.

Dancers will act out the story to a classic 1994 recording of "Peter and the Wolf" by the Orchestra of the Opera National de Lyon, featuring actor Patrick Stewart as narrator.

'"Peter and the Wolf' is one of the most popular musical compositions for children," said Verba. "It introduces children to instruments of the orchestra, with each character represented by an instrument and a descriptive melody, called a leitmotif."

The character of Peter is signaled with stringed instruments. The bird is a flute, the duck an oboe, and the cat a clarinet. Peter's grandfather is a bassoon, the sound of loving authority. Three French horns warningly announce the wolf. The self-important hunters march to timani and bass drum.