A musical the entire family will cherish and long remember, Peter Pan, is playing in Santa Maria’s Marian Theatre November 8 through December 23. Based on the J.M. Barrie classic tale, Peter Pan is full of magic, warmth and adventure, making it one of the most beloved stories for the stage of all time. Peter and his mischievous fairy sidekick, Tinkerbell, visit the nursery of the Darling children late one night, and with a sprinkle of pixie dust, they begin a magical adventure of a lifetime. The travelers come face to face with a ticking crocodile, a fierce Neverland tribe and a band of bungling pirates led by the villainous Captain Hook.
The cast features Acting Intern Chynna Walker as Peter Pan, George Walker as Mr. Darling/Captain Hook, Emily Task* as Mrs. Darling/Grown-Up Wendy, Amani Dorn* as Smee, Peter S. Hadres* as Starkey, Andrew Philpot* as Noodler, Yusef Seevers as Cecco, and Katie Fuchs-Wackowski as Tiger Lily. The Darling children are played by second year actor Madison Davis as Wendy, young performers Maddie Almaguer and Beck Mortensen as John and Joss Robertson and Claire Guyader as Michael. Conservatory acting students round out the cast.
The creative team is under the direction of Artistic Director Mark Booher with Assistant Director Kitty Balay, Choreographer Katie Fuchs-Wackowski, Music Director Callum Morris, Scenic Designer Jason Bolen, Costume Designer Eddy L. Barrows, Lighting Designer Tim Thistleton, Sound Designer Elisabeth Weidner, Fight Choreographer Peter S. Hadres, Voice and Dialect Coach Kitty Balay, and Production Stage Manager Christine Collins*.
This Tony Award-winning musical has been performed around the world for over 60 years. J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan character first appeared in the novel, The Little White Bird, in 1902. It was transformed into an inventive new work for the stage in 1904 as Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up. It was expanded into a novel, Peter and Wendy in 1911. The fully realized musical, starring Mary Martin, was born in 1954 after Edwin Lester acquired the American rights, and Jerome Robbins headed the team with Lyricists Betty Comden and Adolph Green and Composer Jule Styne. The hit Broadway production was followed by television broadcasts of the show in 1955, 1956 and 1960. The musical has also seen numerous revivals on Broadway. The 1979 revival featured Sandy Duncan in the title role, while subsequent revivals have featured Cathy Rigby.
“PCPA’s Peter Pan will deliver a highly immersive and personal experience to the audience unlike anything else,” said Director Mark Booher. “The designers are creating an environment so that the actors and the audience can have the liveliest interchange possible. Our audience is going to be in contact with the play in a way that we don’t often get to experience. So much of the play is going to happen right out with the audience,” explained Booher, “And yes, Peter Pan and the Darling children are going to fly!”
One important goal has been to create an environment where children, young and old, can show up and be aroused by a sense of magic. Particularly for adults who may have lost touch with those magical elements of childhood, this is a chance to rekindle that youthful belief as it is actually playing out right here in the moment.
Booher said, “Young audiences can take away from this, the possibility of a place of your own making that you can be captivated by – imaginary worlds, and worlds of possibility that you could make if only you’re set free to dream and believe.”
Peter Pan is generously sponsored by Joan Gellert-Sargen, Jerry & Sharon Melson, Ng & Ng Dental & Eyecare Center and Ron Tindall, RN.
Tickets will range from $33.50 to $55 with discounts for senior, student, child and military. Pricing will vary based on day, time and may increase upon demand. For more information or to buy tickets, please visit pcpa.org, or call the Box Office at (805) 922-8313.
*Member, Actors’ Equity Association
For 55 years, PCPA, a professional conservatory theatre, has infused the national theatre scene with thousands of trained actors and theatrical technicians.