Sandy Duncan's "I'm Flying"

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 12/3/14 at 2:25am

So, in the lead up to NBC's newest television production of Peter Pan, we have seen someone share Duncan and company's "Ugg-a-Wugg", but really, that can't show Duncan in her full glory.
Though I only know Duncan's Pan from video - archive recording and otherwise, just as I know Martin's, her a Peter captured my heart and she remains my definitive Pan.
While Ms. Williams has yet to become anyone's Pan, she will define him for a new generation of audience and the previews so far have me thrilled because, while very different than Duncan, she seems to find his spirit more in the vein of Duncan than Martin or Rigby.

So here, enjoy MY favorite Pan delivering a thrilling and delightfully boyish Pan, from the stage of Lunt-Fontanne, for the tv show Omnibus.

I can watch this for HOURS.

Sandy Duncan, Marsha Kramer, Alexander Winter and Jonathan Ward -

[StageManager2]

Posted: 12/3/14 at 2:40am

I thought the flying, when Charlotte d'Amboise et al. performed the exact same scene at Mary Martin's Kennedy Center Honors tribute in 1989, was far more impressive:

http://youtu.be/pJJqcEI1pnU?t=14m52s

They did more than just swing back and forth.

[mikey2573]

Posted: 12/3/14 at 3:58pm

Duncan's flying number is absolute perfection. The Mary Martin tribute version...meh.

I love the way Duncan lands, always on one foot and then she goes into a walk, and always light as a feather. Look at how she lands on the mantel of the fireplace, never touching the wall for balance like in the other video (and Cathy Rigby used the wall as well). And when she is spinning her arms and legs right before the first section of the song ends, she lands right into a walk again. And her twirl does not wobble like she is on a wire. Others may have been mre athletic, or did more "tricks", or maybe were more graceful; but Duncan looks like she's been flying all her life. And she did it all with vision in only one eye.
Like I said before, PERFECTION!

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 12/3/14 at 4:21pm

Exactly. Duncan's ability in the air is so gracefully natural and fluid... Perfectly seamless and beyond second nature.
Not to mention her ability to seem perfectly boyish, perfectly Duncan and deliciously cocky without ever forcing it.

The Martin tribute is serviceable, and one of d'Amboise's better outings in the musical stage, but as a whole, not even near topping my list of Pans or flying. The Darling children alone are a case study in how adults should not. Behave when playing children on stage and the point made about how they do more than swing is, to be, a bit hollow because that, much like the "just swing back and forth" is part of a standard Peter Pan rental package that ANYONE can get from Flying by Foy. That is the alternate rental for theaters that do not have the fly height or open space to allow for pendulum swings. Updated On: 12/3/14 at 04:21 PM

[lovebwy]

Posted: 12/3/14 at 4:24pm

I got to see this when I was 9 years old. Loved it then, and now.

BTW, Alexander Winter is better known these days as William "Bill" S. Preston Esq. from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/3/14 at 6:48pm

Here's Sandy singing "Never Land":

[Tink2]

Posted: 12/3/14 at 7:01pm

I was lucky enough to see Sandy as Peter Pan on Broadway! I absolutely loved this show. I think Sandy was perfection in this role. Not only was her flying the best, but she actually walked and acted like a boy, as opposed to Mary Martin. So much energy and enthusiasm. I was as excited as the little ones when she flew straight out over the audience!

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 12/3/14 at 7:57pm

F*cking awesome! Thanks for sharing!!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/3/14 at 8:00pm

Notice what she does with the word "time" at about the 3:19 point.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 12:51am

Wow, she's amazing! The only female Peter I've ever seen who really did it like a boy (and amazingly too it seems).

[StageManager2]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 3:22am

From OP's link, I just noticed starting at 3:16 Michael doesn't have his Teddy bear when he rejoins Wendy and John in the air, but then in the next shot at 3:22 he has it again, only to lose it again at 3:23 when they float back down. What gives?

http://youtu.be/1XQgQKwHus8?t=3m16s

.

Updated On: 12/4/14 at 03:22 AM

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 4:05am

It is a pre-filmed tv performance, as evidenced alone by the cut to Peter's curtain call audience flight and then immediately back to the on stage pendulum swing during the flying ballet.

Updated On: 12/4/14 at 04:05 AM

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 7:23am

Saw it at the Kennedy Center the summer before I moved to NYC, and then, the show moved, too. Saw it twice more during its run. Never tired of it. Was rooting for Duncan to take the Tony, but it was the year that a certain other young singing actress launched a role that defined her. This remains a magical, emotional marker that's era evocative for me, and still timeless.

Updated On: 12/4/14 at 07:23 AM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 8:11am

Nicely said.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 9:16am

This was the first Broadway show I took my daughter to..and I remember when Sandy does the flying over the audience, she flew practically in front of us in the front Mezz and smiled right at my daughter. I don't think either of us will ever forget that moment.

It's hard to watch this without getting emotional and teary. Sandy was just fabulous...

This was probably a bad thing to watch right before tonight..it's going to be hard to not compare.


Updated On: 12/4/14 at 09:16 AM

[MVintheheartland]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 9:45am

OMG, thanks for posting this. I just sat and watched it with a big old grin on my face. I think I'll watch it again.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 1:41pm

I love how the flying in the tribute version is exactly the same as in the Duncan version but somebody thought it was much more impressive.

[mikey2573]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 6:32pm

THere is also this abbreviated version of the same number done for the Tony Awards:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmcTgcws0K8&list=UUVB72JP4eC_pZ_5-pqZi0Yw

[promisespromises2]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 6:53pm

Brilliant. How contagious is that audience's applause and laughter and wonderment. I definitely got teary-eyed watching that!

[Spil.Berg]

Posted: 12/5/14 at 4:56am

the really should revive this on Broadway

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 12/5/14 at 7:17pm

I wholeheartedly agree with the accounts of Miss Duncan's triumph as Pan.

And she did it all with only one working eye!

[Tom5]

Posted: 12/5/14 at 8:42pm

Yes, no depth perception. But her Peter is very deep indeed and simply bursting with charisma.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 12/7/14 at 4:09pm

Perfect as the fun & magic depicted in the clip was missing in the live broadcast on NBC...Allison Williams lacked what Duncan has!