Why not add a little faith, trust, and pixie dust to your latest trip to the theater? Beloved classic Peter Pan has just landed at the Kravis Center, and it was a real joy getting to embrace my inner child for opening night. Audiences were first introduced to Peter Pan with the 1904 play and 1911 novel of the same name, both by J.M. Barrie. Since then, the famous tale of “the boy who wouldn’t grow up” has since sparked a wide variety of acclaimed adaptations, including the 1953 Disney film and 1954 Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, the latter of which this national tour is based on. Directed by Lonny Price, with a new book by Larissa Fasthorse, whose additions alter the outdated and problematic portrayals of women and Indigenous cultures that were present in older productions, the show is sure to delight audience members of all ages.
It’s likely that you already know the story of Peter Pan, but it never hurts to have a quick refresher. The show opens in the Darling children’s bedroom, where Wendy (Hawa Kamara), John (Levi Chrisopulos), and Michael (Camden Kwok) are seeing their parents (Shefali Deshpande and Cody Garcia) off for a night out, wishing they could embark on their own adventures. Under the not-so-watchful eye of their babysitter Liza (Hannah Schmidt), who’s too busy going down a social media rabbit hole, Peter Pan (Jonah Barricklo) sneaks in to find his shadow. Before long, Peter has swept the children away to Neverland, along with his loyal, sassy sidekick Tinker Bell (depicted as a little ball of light, designed by Paul Kieve), even teaching the trio to fly along the way. While there, the group forms friendships with the mischievous crew of Lost Boys, as well as the courageous Tiger Lily (Bailey Frankenberg) and her friends.
Can they all work together to defeat the evil Captain Hook (played also by Cody Garcia) and his gang of pirates, including his second-in-command, Smee (Kurt Perry)? And when the night comes to an end, will Wendy and her brothers decide to leave Neverland behind—even if it means “growing up?”
I was truly blown away by this cast! They all did an amazing job of bringing new life to these well-loved characters. Jonah Barricklo harnesses the childlike whimsy of Peter Pan, but also impresses in the show’s more emotionally demanding moments, including when he talks about being abandoned by his family and when he pleads for the audience to clap if they believe in fairies, keeping the magic alive (needless to say, to hearty applause).
Hawa Kamara’s Wendy was one of my personal favorite performances, too. Wendy is such a great character, in my opinion, because she has so many layers to her—she’s mature and responsible, always trying to take care of everyone around her, but she also has big dreams and is a hopeless romantic. Her journey is especially interesting in this production because she isn’t necessarily opposed to growing up; in fact, she’s excited to, hoping to have a successful career in the medical field as a surgeon. I wished she had even more moments to shine (especially with Kamara’s beautiful singing voice)!
Levi Chrisopulos and Camden Kwok are laugh-out-loud funny as John and Michael, showcasing so much personality in their roles; John is a curious child who loves to learn, and Michael is precocious and playful with a serious sweet tooth. I loved the depth and strength Bailey Frankenberg lends to Tiger Lily’s character, and Cody Garcia absolutely commands the stage as Captain Hook. You might think you know these characters, but each cast member brings something new and exciting to their stories, while also preserving the qualities audience members already enjoy. In my opinion, it’s the perfect combination!
One thing I will say is that while there are certain parts of the narrative where it made sense to approach it through a contemporary lens—the inaccurate and harmful depictions of the groups previously mentioned, for one—I didn’t entirely feel like some of the modern references fit in with the story, like starting the musical with Wendy filming a TikTok dance and having the terminally-online Liza help babysit the children instead of including Nana the dog, too. Maybe being the dog person that I am, I just missed Nana, but I do think part of the reason why Peter Pan works so well is because its story and message feel so timeless, and referencing modern culture might make it feel more dated in some ways. Still, that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the show! And besides, let’s face it, we can all relate to spending hours scrolling through social media or trying to teach ourselves a dance just that went viral.
