For BTG’s 2026 production of John & Jen, BTG reflected on the impact siblings make on our lives and looked back at the on-stage siblings that have graced our theatres throughout our history.
A Sibling’s Impact
While sibling relationships are often viewed as less central than romantic or parent-child relationships, they are frequently the longest-lasting relationships in a person’s life. During childhood, siblings typically spend a significant amount of time together through shared spaces at home, school and during activities. By the time kids with siblings are 11 years old, they’ve spent roughly 33% of their free time with them. Even as they grow older and develop outside interests and responsibilities, many siblings continue spending substantial time together, with some studies suggesting they may spend up to a third of their lives with one another.
-
- Jayne Atkinson as Eleanor of Aquitaine with Aaron Costa Ganis, Karl Gregory and Tommy Schrider as brothers Richard, John and Geoffrey in The Lion in Winter, 2013. Photo by Abby LePage.
-
- Erica Twiss as Mrs. Darling with Sam Cooper, Emma Foley and Noah Pott as siblings Michael, Wendy and John Darling in Peter Pan, 2013. Photo by Abby LePage.
-
- Kelli O’Hara with siblings Greg Naughton, James Naughton and Keira Naughton in BTG’s The Naughton Family in Concert, 2020. Photo by Emma K. Rothenberg-Ware.
-
- Alex Boyd and Darah Candida as siblings Jack and Annie in Magic Tree House: Showtime with Shakespeare, 2026. Photo by Caelan Carlough.
-
- Rose Reilly and Ava Wells-Vidal as sisters Spiker and Sponge in Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach JR., 2026. Photo by Autumn Phoenix Photography.
-
- Lillian Colvin and Lotus Cohen as sisters Elsa and Anna in Disney’s Frozen JR., 2024. Photo by Caelan Carlough.
-
- Timothy Gulan and Michael Raymond-James as brothers Gooper and Brick in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, 2016. Photo by Emma K. Rothenberg-Ware.
-
- Rebecca Brooksher and Lynnette R. Freeman as sisters Mary Todd Lincoln and Elizabeth Todd Edwards in Abe Lincoln in Illinois, 2024. Photo by David Dashiell.
-
- Kim Taylor as Mrs. Crachitt and James Taylor as Bob Crachitt, with Amy Kane, Daniel Garrity, Emilee Logan and Hanna Koczela as siblings Martha, Peter, Tiny Tim and Dorit Crachitt in A Christmas Carol, 2011. Photo by Ken Regan.
