Audience members are encouraged to dress like pirates to receive a prize at the Pendragon Theatre box office before each show.

Director Hannah-Kathryn “HK” Wall said the actors as young as 10 dug into deep character study for this play, crafting backstories and lore for who they’re playing based on their lines, even writing her four-page essays on their characters which she keeps in a binder. Wall said this “book work” helps them understand why they say what they do and let their creativity run wild on stage.

Mason Estling, who plays Long John Silver, said his character married into the Han dynasty, helped build the Silk Road, was banished after the dynasty fell, fled to Mongolia and was taught to be a pirate by Attila the Hun.

Ada Popp, who plays Jim Hawkins, said her character wanted to be a pirate from an early age. His father was a pirate, but they never met. He once fell in a bin full of Slim Jims and got the derogatory nickname “Slim Jim Bin,” but a library teacher stuck up for him.

Ada Popp as Jim Hawkins rehearses “Treasure Island” at Camp Pendragon on Monday. The show opens tonight. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Evelyn Zander, who plays Israel Hands, said her character loves to fight. Her father was a boxer, but he was killed … by his best friend’s father, Jim. Hands’ heart is set on killing Jim.

Ruby Williams, who plays Goldie, loves gold. She said her pirate is shy, lived a tough life and that the pirates are like a second family.

The ensemble cast — those who aren’t playing the characters named in the original work — chose pirate names for themselves. They created “Wanted” posters based on their character boards, which are hung in the entranceway to the theater.

The theater is leaning into the pirate theming, with piles of gold, treasure chests and skulls adorning the entranceway. Wall said when people walk in, she wants them to suspend their disbelief and feel like they’re walking into the Admiral Benbow, the inn where the adventure begins.

Wall said the kids are working with real metal swords and daggers and that professional fight choreographer Sarah Grace Houston came in to teach them how to stage fight with them safely and convincingly. The blades are blunted, obviously, but still pointy. Wall said it’s scary to watch them fight, but really cool, too. There’s a scene in the play when nearly the entire cast swordfights on stage.

Mason Estling, Klara Weakley, Gwen Haney and Callan Gadway swordfight as they rehearse “Treasure Island” at Pendragon Theatre on Monday. The show opens tonight. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Eloise Zobel, who plays the marooned pirate Ben Gunn and is the fight director, said it is stressful work and though she feels like she’s doing it wrong, everyone still has all their fingers.

“No flesh wounds. We’re good,” Zobel said.

Several of the actors said they love the “Ben Gunn scene.” When Jim is running away from pirates, he finds Gunn, incoherent, sprawled out on the stage and talking about cheese.

Zander, personally, likes the first scene the most.

“It’s so filled with surprises,” she said.

Stevenson spent several months in Saranac Lake in 1887 and 1888 while suffering from his lifelong illness. The cottage where he stayed on Stevenson Lane is still maintained as a memorial and museum on the legendary author.

The Camp Pendragon actors got to visit the cottage this summer and learn more about the author of the work they are adapting to the stage.

Wall has worked with the kids at Camp Pendragon for four years now and said she’s watched a lot of growth in them over the years. They are serious young actors, she said.

Tonight’s show at 7 p.m. will be for wheelchair positions and specifically held seats.

Thursday’s 7 p.m. show will be the “Stage and Scoop” night, where students will receive a $10 ticket and a scoop of ice cream from Mountain Mist. The proceeds from this performance will benefit the Robert Louis Stevenson Cottage and a Stevenson expert from the cottage will hold a talkback following the performance.

Friday’s 7 p.m. show is the pirate competition night. Audience members can dress as a pirate to enter and the audience will vote for the winner following the show.

There are two shows on Saturday, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.