If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
#0If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 3:50pm
And will Mary Martin be in the upcoming tour?
My grandpa said she was great!
Marquise
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/1/04
#1re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 3:51pmbecause he's really a drag queen.
theatreboi11
Broadway Star Joined: 5/9/05
#2re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 3:55pmHunny sorry to break it to you but Mary Martin is dead....
#3re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 3:55pm
I'm not sure if this is an honest question given the Mary Martin reference... but an honest answer is that in England in 1904, most boys roles were played by women, a tradition that started initially because of the strict British child labor laws.
At the time of the first production of PAN, there had been several stage hits, such as LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY which all featured female stars playing young boys.
It's perhaps interesting to note that in the original production, Michael was also played by a woman as were most of the lost boys.
#4re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 3:56pm
Dead?
But I just watched her on the video!
https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?lastpage=on&thread=855093&dt=061805034638
#5re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 3:56pmIn england where it premiered in 1905-ish, the ingenue lead was most times played by a woman. When it came to America, Maude Adams played it, and except for the 2003 movie, it's been played by a woman ever since.
stonewall2
Broadway Star Joined: 9/12/04
#6re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 3:58pmIt is awfully hard to "fly" a 200 pound man, but I don't see any reason why a younger guy-or boy- couldn't play the role........
Plum
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/4/04
#7re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 3:59pmIsn't Peter prepubescent? Easier to have a woman in the role than to hire a boy and worry about when his voice will change.
#8re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 4:00pm
Well not "ever since"...the show had several productions in London with a male lead, but not until the 1980s. It would be interesting to see a boy do the play on Broadway, but not the musical. Those songs in the Mary Martin version would sound awfully queer sung by a guy.
And Peter probably is prepubescent but he's usually played by post menopausal women. Go figure.
Updated On: 6/18/05 at 04:00 PM
#9re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 4:01pmConsidering "Lovely Lady" (wasn't the name of the song) would be weird by a guy.
Marquise
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/1/04
#10re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 4:01pmhe's a sissy-boy. that's why he's always played by a girl.
#13re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 4:06pmI was rooted for Captain Hook.
#14re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 4:06pm
My goodness! No one knows where to address the Peter Pan questions around here. Tsk tsk.
1) Mary Martin, God rest her soul, is no longer with us. She originated the role of "Peter Pan" in the Charlap/Leigh/Styne/Comden/Green musical on Broadway in 1954. In 1955 it aired on television and was VERY high in ratings. This was a LIVE telecast. There was such demand for it, they did another LIVE telecast in 1956. Still more demand. In 1960, where the show had been closed on Broadway for a while, Mary Martin reunited the cast and did another broadcast, this time in color.
2) The role has been played by women for several reasons:
a) Due to child labor laws, children seldom worked in major stage productions - at least not in large roles. And Peter Pan/Wendy/Michael/John are HUGE roles.
b) It would be quite uncomfortable for a male to fly - especially with those primitive harnesses. Still, males did fly. It just hurt more than with a female. 
c) It became a tradition. Women have traditionally played "Peter Pan" for 100 years. There have been males in the roles, both in professional and regional productions.
d) A woman is more lightweight.
e) A woman looks more like a little boy than a fully grown man.
3) Maude Adams was the first AMERICAN Peter Pan. The first Peter Pan ever was Nina Bouicault in London on December 27, 1904. Maude Adams originated the role on Broadway on November 6, 1905.
4) Visit https://www.peterpanfan.com/new/home.php for more Peter Pan information. 
--Aristotle
joeybiltmore1
Leading Actor Joined: 2/22/05
#15re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 4:07pmAlso, there's something creepy about a male Peter Pan saying "Oh, I know lots of fairies. But most of them are dead now".
#16re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 4:09pm
"Oh, I know lots of fairies. But most of them are dead now"
Sounds like something Harvey Fierstein would say during the "Looking back" section of the Tony's.
Cap'n - I was joking. Look at the link all the way at the top.
November 6, 1905 - a day before my birthday!
Updated On: 6/18/05 at 04:09 PM
#17re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 4:11pm
The Charlap/Leigh/Styne/Comden/Green musical was written with Mary Martin in mind. The songs were for her. They knew her voice - therefore it wasn't written so that a man could sing them, but so that Mary Martin could sing them.
There are other Peter Pan musical adapations, one by Stiles & Drewe (Honk, Just So, Mary Poppins) and another by Piers Chater-Robinson.
The orignal play was entitled "Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up." A new adaptation of the play is entitled "Peter Pan: A Fantasy In Five Acts" by John Caird.
FYI: The novel PETER & WENDY was written SIX YEARS after the play. Most believe the novel came first.
--Aristotle
#18re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 4:12pmThenardier - and deprive myself of sharing my wealth of Peter Pan knowledge? HAH!
--Aristotle
#19re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 4:15pm
I am sorry.
If I wanted to give you a heart attack, I'd say my friend was in the movie, Hook....but you probably only care about the musical.
#20re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 4:17pm
I care about ALL incarnations of the story.
Friend in the film? That's it? Hah!
--Aristotle
#21re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 4:19pmSorry - what, were YOU in the movie?
#22re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 4:21pm
I didn't ACT in it, no.
--Aristotle
#23re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 4:21pmLOl and in the new movie the guy looks like a girl!its because we live in a society controlled my sexist people!
Tenorific2
Leading Actor Joined: 2/16/05
#24re: If Peter Pan is a guy, why do women play him?
Posted: 6/18/05 at 4:26pm
Scott Leiendecker played "Peter" in a recent production that used the MM score. I also believe a recent production in England, with Craig Purnell as Captain Hook, and some guy whose name I can't remember as Peter. It can be done, but people don't seem to want to do it.
Wasn't MJ supposed to play him? God help us!!
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