Christian Borle will Play Smee/Mr.Darling For NBC

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 4:24pm

http://www.deadline.com/2014/08/peter-pan-nbc-live-christian-borle-mr-darling/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[jbroadway4]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 4:32pm

Congrats Christian!!! Hopefully, this means Laura Benanti will be Mrs.Darling.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 4:33pm

Please bring back Benanti! Let them pull an "American Horror Story" and have Christian and Laura back for every musical they do. lol. (Yes, I'm aware AHS is not the first show to do that. haha.)

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 4:36pm

He is perfect for Smee!!

[JohnyBroadway]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 4:37pm

Is Benati also to old to play Tiger Lily too?

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 4:38pm

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/193902-Producers-Aim-to-Cast-Native-American-as-Tiger-Lily-for-NBCs-Live-Peter-Pan

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 4:43pm

I'm excited for Christian Borle, but I wonder why they're departing from the traditional Mr. Darling/Captain Hook casting for this production.

[JohnyBroadway]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 4:47pm

Oh that's awesome about the casting for Tiger Lily. I wasn't sure if they were taking a Sondra Lee approach.

[ifuweregay93]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 4:48pm

It may be an age sort of thing, where Christopher Walken is a bit older to be playing the father of a 5-7 year old Michael, but that may just be my thought.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 5:08pm

Cyril Ritchard was 63 and gay when he played Mr. Darling on Broadway and no one cared about the likelihood he could father Michael.

givesmevoice, I came to post just for this reason as well. Mr. Darling and Captain Hook have always been played by the same actor. Dating back to JM Barrie's play. Even in the Disney cartoon, it's the same voice actor. That was the whole point. You can't just ignore 100 years of tradition.

I'm fine with Christian Borle as Smee. But as a life long Peter Pan fan, casting him as Mr. Darling bothers me immensely.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 5:24pm

This is an odd choice (not having Hook be Mr. Darling), but I'm sure Borle will pull it off nicely.

I know I'm not the only one who would love for Ariane Rinehart to come back and play Wendy

[Musical Master]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 5:56pm

This is an interesting choice to have Mr. Darling be Smee rather than Hook, but Christian Borle will play the parts very well.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 5:58pm

Carrie Underwood for Wendy!

[lambchop2]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 6:20pm

I wonder if it could be some type of contract issue with Walken? Maybe he would only agree to play the one role.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 6:20pm

"I know I'm not the only one who would love for Ariane Rinehart to come back and play Wendy"

I was totally thinking that. But it should at least be someone who is her age - or younger. Not a 30 year old Wendy..I hope they get "kids" for all the "kids".

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 6:24pm

Toaster Strudel Boy for John!

[DigificWriter]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 6:26pm

There are logistical issues with using minors for the roles of Wendy, Michael, John, and the Lost Boys that makes me think that we'll see teenagers or young adults in those roles rather than children, but we'll see what NBC decides to do.

As far as Borle being double-cast as Smee and Mr. Darling, I agree that it's an interesting decision to deviate from the tradition, but I'm interested to see what they do with it.

Updated On: 8/6/14 at 06:26 PM

[grandpianoalex]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 6:27pm

The final scene? Mr. Darling AND Smee are in it. How will that be done?

[sabrelady]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 6:51pm

one of them will be shot from the back.

[JohnyBroadway]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 7:03pm

Smee is only featured in the finale in the Rigby version. I imagine they are using the original 1954 script. And as for Wendy being played by a 30 year old. Look how old Elisa Saguardia was.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 7:20pm

Okay, tradition off the table.
There are incredibly specific reasons and themes behind Barrie writing Mr. Darling and Hook to be played by the same actor. Quite different than mere tradition. Ignoring that is NOT a good sign to me. Not at all.
Walken should be Me Darling with a trophy wife...

As far as 30 year old Wendys go, Sargardia's Wendy is still perfection and I wish she worked in the theatre more. I always loved her.
In the 1979 revival, Marsha Kramer was no spring chicken as she played Wendy, but was and is, by all accounts, brilliant in the role. Video documentation exists.

Updated On: 8/6/14 at 07:20 PM

[MaddieBB12]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 7:36pm

While I think Borle is a WONDERFUL choice, I must agree that the symbolism that comes with Mr. Darling and Hook being played by the same actor adds a whole other layer to the show.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 7:53pm

I am sure there were many "30 year old Wendys" that were simply wonderful. However, it would be my choice..that if someone is supposed to be 14 for example, hire someone not more than a few years older. I also feel that having younger people in the cast will appeal to the audience more...just my personal opinion.

I also think older on stage is a lot different than older on TV...television is less forgiving than stage in hiding people's true ages. They used kids for Sound of Music..I am sure they could handle a few youngsters in the cast.

[DigificWriter]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 7:58pm

"They used kids in The Sound of Music."

The Sound of Music doesn't involve wire-work that would require the production to operate under very stringent rules having to do with liability and labor regulations.

[theatregeek6]

Posted: 8/6/14 at 8:48pm

Awesome - PLEASE Laura Benanti as Mrs.Darling


Oh. And can we see either if these awesome talents on the board in NY after this?