PETER PAN flies again as television musical.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 10:58am

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=11138.


Hey I'm all for it. I loved this musical as a kid. But are they using the same songs as the Broadway production or is it going to be a new adaptation?

[Pippin]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 11:02am

ohhh, I hope they get that Mary Martin. she would be lovely.

[EmieMarie]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 11:02am

oh goody! I love peter pan!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 11:35am

Oh my goodness! Ever since I read the news this morning I have been on the phone NON-STOP that I forgot to post the news on BroadwayWorld!

I CANNOT BELIEVE IT!

Okay guys, here is the deal...

December 2004 was the 50th anniversary of the musical and the 100th anniversary of PETER PAN (the play). NBC planned on airing the Mary Martin 1956 (then live) black and white telecast while a 50th Anniversary DVD of the 1960 color broadcast AND the original 1955 live telecast (remastered to the best of their ability) on DVD.

However it NEVER happened and NBC wouldn't return my phone calls. Perhaps this is why? As the Variety article states, they have been trying for three years.

There goes my phone again -

[rentmovie1205]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 11:43am

Okay so I know Peter Pan is usually played by a woman but in the non musical movie that came out a few years ago they got Jeremy Sumpter he was good, but which male actor/singer could they get if they wanted to go with a male as peter pan? My opinion is Jesse McCartney because he's been on broadway, he has talent and he can sing. Just an opinion I don't want grief about my thought.
IM me on aol BBear2183.

[seymour krelborn]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 11:47am

I have a feeling Victor Garber will be Captain Hook ( i'm not complaining, I really hope he is!)

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 11:52am

Tim Curry for Captain Hook!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 11:54am

In a break from tradition, I wonder if they might consider casting an actual young male child actor in the role? There are several VERY talented ones out there who could handle the score. Is there anything in the book that might not work if a young male actor (instead of an adult female actor) were playing the role?

Updated On: 7/26/06 at 11:54 AM

[seymour krelborn]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 11:55am

Tim would be wonderful!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 12:02pm

Margo - the score was written for Mary Martin, a woman. While yes, a boy could definitely handle it and there is nothing in the book to prevent the casting of a boy, it wouldn't be believable.

And they are MODERNIZING it?? Nuh-uh. They would have to butcher the score in order to make it work. What they need to do is either do the Stiles & Drewe musical, an original musical, or keep with tradition and hire an adult actress.

But I can already forecast what will happen. They will hire a boy and they will modernize it but keep tradition and it won't work out. Oh God I'm crying already.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 12:08pm

I don't think the Comden/Green/Styne PETER PAN works well when played by an actual boy. Those songs: "I Gotta Crow," "Neverland" "I'm Flying" just seem so - fey - when sung by a male. I mean did anyone see Robert Johanson or B.D. Wong sing those song? It was like being at Wigstock.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 12:10pm

Not to be argumentatitive (and you may be right), but why would a 14 year old boy playing Peter Pan be more unbelievable than a nearly 50 year old woman doing it? As much as I loved seeing the Martin tv version when I was young, I never for one second believed she was a boy and actually found it odd that she was cast in the role to begin with (though, due to her charm I nevertheless enjoyed her performance).

Updated On: 7/26/06 at 12:10 PM

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 12:11pm

No male. No modernizing it. Those things would just kill it!

Captain Hook should be Tim Curry, Victor Garber, or Nathan Lane (I know! I know! But I think he would do a good job!)

Smee: Michale McGrath!!!

Updated On: 7/26/06 at 12:11 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 12:12pm

Dakota Fanning is clearing her schedule to play Peter Pan.

Seriously though, the big question is will it be a politically correct version? What about Indians?

[rclocalz]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 12:13pm

I'm rooting for a boy:)

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 12:14pm

the indians most likely will be played by unknowns. Not that I have a problem with that! Just saying. Same with the lost boys.

Updated On: 7/26/06 at 12:14 PM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 12:14pm

Do you know who would be a great Peter Pan? Bryce Dallas Howard. Don't hold LADY IN THE WATER against her - she is a total delight in Kenneth Branaugh's upcoming film version of AS YOU LIKE IT as Rosalind. She would be the perfect Peter Pan.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 12:14pm

MB, I can totally see that. One of the hesitations I had when I first posted the question was the thought of a boy singing "Neverland." That lyric really sounds like something a mother-like figure (or an older woman in general) would say to a child and would likely sound odd coming out of the mouth of a teenage boy.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 12:17pm

Howard is an interesting choice. I saw her Rosalind when she did AS YOU LIKE IT at the Public a couple of seasons back and she certainly exudes a certain natural charm and spunkiness that would work well as Peter.

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 12:18pm

I'm not familiar with her work. Who is she?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 12:24pm

She's Ron Howard's daughter (she's tall and pretty and has his red hair) who just graduated from Tisch a few years back, paid her dues for a couple of years doing a variety of roles off- and off-off-Broadway (she's not a great actress yet, but certainly displayed a certain spark and presence), and in the last few years has begun to get roles in some decent/notable Hollywood films (The Village, Manderly, Lady in the Water).

Updated On: 7/26/06 at 12:24 PM

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 12:26pm

Ah. Ok! Thanks!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 12:28pm

I think she showed a lot of promise in her stage work and has been impressive in her film work, particularly as Rosalind in AS YOU LIKE IT (I didn't see her do it at the Public).

She also sings: she is on one of the demos of A TALE OF TWO CITIES musical.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 12:40pm

I'm all for a boy playing the role. I'll have no issue with a boy singing Neverland.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/26/06 at 12:42pm

Thats cause you like boys...

I'm just teasing. But maybe they could do the whole thing with a framing device of Michael Jackson reading the story aloud at Neverland ranch with the kids drinking the hot chocolate he talked about in that interview. "It's charmin'! "




Updated On: 7/26/06 at 12:42 PM