Don’t miss a beat of this fun filled musical adventure; complete with lost boys, high-stepping pirates, the delightfully dangerous Captain Hook and the perennial charm of the boy who won’t grow up – Peter Pan! A classic tale of youth, joy and freedom - all captured in a lavish new production of this Tony-Award winning Broadway Musical.

Fly with Peter to the “second star to the right” and join the zany antics and the wistful wonderment of Neverland. It’s a magical journey you – and your family - will never forget.

Background

Peter Pan has been a favorite of the English speaking public since he first appeared in Sir James Barrie’s novel in 1902. Peter made his first appearance on stage in England in 1904, and in 1905 the legendary Maude Adams starred in the American premiere at the Empire Theatre. Since then, there have been many productions of the play, movie and cartoon versions and even a ballet based on his adventures.

In 1911, Barrie novelized the play into a book, Peter Pan and Wendy. It is a story of a mischievous little boy who can't grow up. Peter Pan, a fierce swordfighter, spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as leader of his gang, the Lost Boys. The story features some fantastical elements, one of them being that Peter has some magical powers, such as the power to fly, and his friends include a fairy named Tinkerbell. In addition, a crocodile that has swallowed a ticking clock stalks the pirate leader, Captain Hook, Peter's nemesis.

In both the play and the novel, Peter often visits the "real world" of London to listen in on bedtime stories told by Mrs. Mary Darling to her children. One night, Peter is spotted and, while trying to escape, he loses his shadow. On returning to claim his shadow, Peter wakes Mary's daughter, Wendy Darling. When Wendy succeeds in re-attaching his shadow to him, Peter takes a fancy to her and invites her to Neverland to be a mother to his gang of Lost Boys, the children who are lost in Kensington Gardens. Wendy agrees, and her brothers John and Michael go along. The great dangerous and magical flight to Neverland is followed by many adventures. The children are blown out of the air by a cannon and Wendy is nearly killed by the Lost Boy Tootles. Peter and the Lost Boys build a little house for Wendy to live in while she recuperates (a structure that, to this day, is called a Wendy House.) Soon John and Michael adopt the ways of the Lost Boys, while Wendy plays the role of mothering them, all the while provoking the jealousy of Tinkerbell, Tiger Lily, and the mermaids. Peter is often oblivious, concentrating on real and make-believe adventures and on taunting the pirate Captain Hook. Later follow adventures at the Mermaids' Lagoon, the near deaths of Tinker Bell and Peter, a violent pirate/Indian massacre, and a climactic confrontation with Peter's nemesis, the pirate Captain Hook of the pirate ship the Jolly Roger. In the end, Wendy decides that her place is at home, much to the joy of her heartsick mother. Wendy then brings all the boys back to London. Peter remains in Neverland, promising to return and take Wendy back with him once a year to help him with his spring cleaning.

In the novel, Barrie includes an additional scene which was not in the play, but which he created for the stage under the title An Afterthought. In this scene, Peter returns to Wendy's house, not realizing that more than twenty years have passed since he took Wendy, John and Michael to Neverland, and that Wendy is now a married woman with a daughter, Jane. Confronted with the news, he breaks down and cries. Wendy leaves the room to try to think, and Peter's sobs awaken Jane, who asks him to take her with him to Neverland and to let her be his new mother. Peter joyfully accepts, and the two fly off together with Wendy sorrowfully looking off after them. Peter will now return for Jane once a year as he once promised to return for Wendy. Peter's relationship with Jane is what the Disney movie Return to Neverland is based upon, but its plot is almost totally invented for the film; it has only the slightest resemblance to Barrie.

Barrie's additional scene is almost never used in the play or film versions of Peter Pan, but it made a poignant conclusion to the famous musical production starring Mary Martin.

Appropriate for all audiences

Tickets for Peter Pan are available at The Capitol Theatre box office: 509-853-ARTS or 800-325-SEAT.

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