National Theatre's Peter Pan
The perfect family musical for professional, amateur, school and youth theatre groups from International Theatre & Music. Based on J.M. Barrie's classic tale and featuring an unforgettable score by Morris Moose” Charlap and Jule Styne with lyrics by Carolyn Leigh and Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Peter Pan is one of the most beloved and frequently performed family favorites of all time.
Join all your favorite characters: Peter Pan, Wendy, John, Michael, the dastardly Captain Hook and his sidekick Smee, Tiger Lily, the Lost Boys, Pirates, Neverland Indians, Fairies, Nana the pet dog and, of course, that scary crocodile as CYT travels to Neverland like you've never experienced it before.
The musical has been around for decades and has become the perfect family fare with some additional music by Jule Styne, added to the original Peter Pan Show lyrics by Carolyn Leigh and the music of Morris (Moose) Charlap with original additional lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green.
One of the things that clearly stands out about this production of the timeless classic Peter Pan is the amount of work and the love that has been put into it. Based on the 1954 Broadway show that was brought to TV a year later, baby boomers will instantly recognize the story and the songs like I Gotta Crow” and I Won't Grow Up.” It was staged several times between 1954 and 1999, first with Mary Martin, then later with Sandy Duncan and Cathy Rigby playing the role of Peter Pan.
Get set for an awfully big adventure as the National Theatre's magical retelling of J M Barrie's PETER PAN, a thrilling story for audiences of all ages devised by the companies and directed by Olivier Award-winner Sally Cookson (Jane Eyre, A Monster Calls), will open at Troubadour White City, a new theatre in West London, this summer.
J.M. Barrie's masterful story shines especially brightly with a rich score that includes such beloved songs as Tender Shepherd,” Never Never Land” and Distant Melody.” A delightful musical featuring singing pirates, daring swordfights, and fantastical make-believe, Peter Pan is a story that is filled with magic, delight, and just a fairy dusting of heartbreak.
Peter Pan's pirate adversaries are led by a bloodthirsty female Hook - Anna Francolini might have stepped in at the last minute (to replace an injured Sophie Thompson), but she wields her iron appendage with abandon, mixing ferocity with knee-wobbling existential terrors.
For this one, the two parts that are hardest to fill would have to be Captain Hook, Pan's archenemy and of course Pan himself (always played by a female). Peter Pan was restaged on December 8, 1960, 15 this time in a 100-minute version rather than 90 minutes (not counting the commercials), 16 and with a slightly different cast because the original children had outgrown their roles.
Anna Francolini was a marvellously evil female hook, swaggering around the stage plotting all her evil intentions to capture and kill Pan. Adults and children alike instantly loved the story, and Peter Pan soon became a classic tale. Most importantly to Robbins, this deal gave him the chance to exercise his directorial voice for the first time on Broadway, and served as a valuable practice run for Peter Pan.