GIRLS Star Allison Williams To Play Peter Pan In NBC Production

[mikey2573]

meh.....She looks awfully "girly". At least Martin, Duncan and Rigby had a squarish and boyish looking core (meaning they did not have huge hooters I guess).
Sounds like nobody of worth was interested in the part.
I hope she can pull it off; it is not an easy part to play convincingly by any means. Why do you think they keep using the same actresses over and over?
I still wish that NBC had televised the Duncan version back in the 80s. it almost happened until Tartikoff left NBC.

[Sutton Ross]

"And who ARE you people who don't watch Girls?"

I know, right?

[finebydesign]

"Sounds like nobody or worth was interested in the part. "

I'm kinda getting that sense as well.

[rjm516]

I saw a middle school version of Peter Pan last week and a boy played Peter so NOT NEVER. Also it was the worst torture of my life. Anyway, Wendy seemed like the biggest role to me, so I hope they get someone amazing (hoping for bway person!) for that.

[mikey2573]

There was also the Nunn/Caird version (not a musical) where Peter was played by a man (I think it was Barrie biographer Andrew Birkin who said something to the effect that, "they had to strap the guy's testicles to his leg". Also, don't forget Bobby Driscoll who was the model and voice of the Disney animated Pan. I think Jeremy Sumpter played a convincing Pan in that movie from about 10 years ago (again not a musical). My thinking is if they had found some teen heartthrob to play the part, they could have transposed the music into a more suitable key. Again, if just appears as if no one of note was all that interested, so they went with someone that most people will not know.
I wonder if they will keep "Oh My Mysterious Lady".

[SporkGoddess]

She's a great singer, but I don't think that she's a very strong actress. Guess we'll see, though!

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Whatever, we can complain just fine, it's not like it's going to affect any decisions being made in any way. That's the point of a message board, to voice our opinion, she's a big girl, she can take it.
I find the choice utterly bland, since I find her to be oh so bland. I thought they'd really shock everyone with a big name for the cast, but I guess not.
Besty made a good point about the ratings for GIRLS. And no, I don't think Christopher Walker can single-handedly attract the kind of audience Carrie Underwood could. At the same time, perhaps now that they did the special last year and since they got a recognizable title, they are confident audiences will still see it during the holidays (especially since they have virtually no competition). That seems plausible, and if that's the case, good for them, as others have said it'd be nice if this opened the door for less recognizable names to be cast.

[Sutton Ross]

Laura Benanti Peter Pan audition

[lovepuppy]

Not my first choice or even first consideration for the role, but actually, it could work out better for her, and for NBC. NBC took a lot of flack for the fact that Underwood could certainly sing, but wasn't directed well to act. This way, they get a mid-level actress--who CAN act and CAN sing (bonus), and get bigger stars to cameo for the rest. Like, Christopher Walken as Capt. Hook, who has already been announced. Tiger Lilly and Wendy will probably be the marketable ones aside him.

There will be criticism of Williams, and of the entire thing, just like last time, but it could be win-win for all of them by not banking so much on the title role as a "big star." And, it could be star-making for Williams if all the other pieces fit together. I keep thinking of all the unfortunate technical issues from the last one, but a live musical having not been done on TV for 60 years, they get a bit of a pass for being a guinea pig...

[harris007]

I can't beleve they did cast him ,he's awesome.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgiApSLinOg

[musicaljen]

My heart goes out for Williams, since I just saw a clip of her singing and although I
have never seen her in anything before, I think she is very talented.
I believe that doing Peter Pan as a follow up for sound of music was NBC's biggest
mistake followed by Greenblatt's statement that the main role will likely be going to
a male instead of a female. But we all make mistakes.
My prediction would be around a million to two million viewers, if they are lucky. The Sound of Music along with Carrie Underwood were advertised a year in advance
And it also cannot be compared to Peter Pan who has a very poor libretto. Fingers crossed they will begin working on The Music Man soon. Pan is something I myself going to skip

[cknick]

How can you say Pan has a "poor libretto?" The depth of those characters is remarkable. It's very similar to the original Barrie play, if I'm remembering rightly.

[adamgreer]

Tiger Lilly and Wendy will probably be the marketable ones aside him.

Tiger Lily will be played by a Native American female. They've announced a nationwide search for her.

Otherwise I agree. They'll try to find a name for Wendy and probably Mr. and Mrs. Darling (unless they intend to have Walken double as the former).

[adamgreer]

Anyone know what version of the show they're doing?

I hope we get the extended dance section in Ugg A Wugg that was added in the Rigby version.

As I remember in the Martin version, there were random costumed animals that made appearances- it looked quite hokey. I have no idea if this was so,etching added for that broadcast or was always there. That version also had Liza the maid going to Neverland, somewhat randomly.

[HorseTears]

Hey, MusicalJen - I forget, is Allison Williams considered a graduate performer or not?

[best12bars]

"And who ARE you people who don't watch Girls?"

I know, right?

We would be the other 200 million people who live in this country who don't watch the show. You're among the less than 1 million people who do.

Not exactly a ratings bonanza.

[PalJoey]

Actually, besty, it's a huge cultural phenomenon.

Lena Dunham's comic voice and the style of filming have made it speak for this generation of single women. If the ratings are not what they were for Sex and the City or Friends or Mary Tyler Moore, it's partially because of the way the TV industry is fragmented with cable and things like Netflix nowadays.

But you really should watch some of it. You probably would like it.

[madbrian]

Has SNL announced its hosts for the fall? I wouldn't be surprised to see Ms. Williams get a hosting gig in advance of the Pan broadcast.

[Patash]

"It seems strange to go from casting a massively popular singer last year to casting a pretty much unknown this year. "

Maybe they learned their lesson that "massively popular" does not translate to "good"?

[east side story]

Allison did not go to Yale School of Drama. She did her undergrad in English.

She has grown so much as an actress in the last two or three years, but still has occasional line readings on GIRLS that make one cringe.

[Patash]

"Tiger Lily will be played by a Native American female. They've announced a nationwide search for her."

Hooray. Isn't Cher 1/16 Native American?

[ErinDillyFan]

A strange choice. Not well known, not a stage actress, not great singer. I assume they did their homework and she will do fine.

I was really hoping for Chris Colfer.

[Patash]

"I was really hoping for Chris Colfer."

Well to each his own, but a very effeminite male Peter Pan does not appeal nearly as much as a tom boyish female one to me. (Not that Allison Williams is at all tomboy like.

[HorseTears]

Besty, I was being a touch facetious. Though, PJ is right, the show's cultural influence is bigger than its ratings suggest - especially with the kids 30-and-under. It seems like practically every one of my close friends watches GIRLS. I'd be shocked if any of them watch much higher rated shows like 2 1/2 Men or Mike & Molly.

[Larcen26]

I have a one sentence summary of why some people have a problem with her casting.

It is crude and rude and will probably annoy some people, but it is surprisingly succinct and accurate and has little to do with her ability to act boyish.




I shouldn't want to bang Peter Pan.

[Jordan Catalano]

"Hooray. Isn't Cher 1/16 Native American?"

All I've ever wanted is for Tiger Lily to sing "Half Breed"