If only we were kids again. We could have swordfights, dress up as pirates or fairies and live in our own magic Never Land with nothing to ever disturb us.

The bad news is that this will never happen. The good news is that adults can re-live these memories by attending “Peter Pan, Or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up” presented by ACTORS, in cooperation with Ames Children’s Theater.

“The story is as much fun as it was when you watched it as a kid,” Anne Wiltgen, who plays Peter, says. “It allows you to be that kid again.”

Wiltgen, sophomore in political science, says she loves the story of “Peter Pan” and has always connected with the main character.

After dying her hair red and collecting items from other costumes to complete her transformation into a boy who never wanted to grow up, she is ready to play her part.

“I have always been Peter Pan,” Wiltgen says. “I like crowing the best.”

The play is a non-musical version based on the original book by J.M. Barrie.

The same language used in the book 100 years ago is used in this play, Wiltgen says. It includes famous lines from the first copy that aren’t used all the time in the musical version commonly presented.

The cast consists of 35 actors, 30 of whom are Ames children. The ages of the performers range from eight to 60 years old. Wiltgen says working with all the children can be overwhelming.

“It’s really fun working with all of them, but it can be challenging to keep them all focused,” Wiltgen says.

Lynn Lloyd, the play’s co-director, agrees.

“It is hard to get so many people in such a small space, but all the children are serious theater people who want to and do a great job,” she says.

Lloyd is co-directing this play with her daughter, Amanda Lloyd Julson. This is the first time the two have worked together, but they both have directing experience.

Lloyd has been working with ACTORS for the past 25 years, both directing and acting. Julson is a children’s theatre instructor with the Des Moines Playhouse, 831 42nd St., Des Moines.

“I love the story, I love working with children and I love working with my daughter,” Lloyd says. “This has been a great experience.”

“The story is so great because when [John Caird and] Trevor Nunn wrote it, [they] included everything kids love about playing,” Wiltgen says. “It is every element of childhood rolled into one.”

Wiltgen says not only children enjoy “Peter Pan.” More and more layers are revealed in the story once audiences grow up, she says.

One of the reasons she was cast for the part, she says, is because she was older.

“It takes maturity to understand what happens,” Wiltgen says.

“I hope I bring out the deeper elements of the story.”

She says some of these elements are knowing the difference between a child and an adult and enjoying life.

Wiltgen hopes audiences have a good time and escape for the night.

“When you see this play, you can understand what it means to be a kid and when it is time to grow up,” Wiltgen says.