Berkeley Playhouse Opens Family Series with PETER PAN Today

Berkeley Playhouse at the historic Julia Morgan Theater begins the family series of their eighth season with Peter Pan. The show is directed by Producing Artistic Director Daren A.C. Carollo (Berkeley Playhouse's Hairspray; Broadway: A Time to Kill; Off-Broadway: bare The Musical; Regional: Diablo Theatre Company, Solano College Theatre, Napa Valley Opera House, Ohlone College, Town Hall Theatre Company, DRAA's On Broadway, El Campanil Theatre, Contra Costa Civic Theatre, Role Players Ensemble) and choreographed by Matthew McCoy (Berkeley Playhouse: Fiddler on the Roof, Shrek the Musical, The Music Man; Director: Champions of Magic, LIVE!, Artistic Director: Bay Area Musicals). Previews begin today, October 29. The show runs from November 1 to December 6, 2015 at the Julia Morgan Theater, 2640 College Ave. in Berkeley. Tickets are now available through the Box Office. Please call (510) 845-8542 x351 or visit berkeleyplayhouse.org.

The story of the boy who wouldn't grow up, Peter Pan, who takes the Darling children (Wendy, John, and Michael) to have adventures in Neverland is almost universally known. Less known is that the musical premiered in 1954 at the Curran Theater in San Francisco and was written as a star vehicle for Mary Martin, who would be inextricably linked to the role after it aired on NBC the following year. Originally proposed as a play with a few songs by "Moose" Charlap and Carolyn Leigh, it was developed into a full-fledged musical with additional music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. With Leigh and Comden both working on the show, it is the earliest musical to have two female authors as primary contributors. When Trude Rittmam - an arranger who also composed incidental music for Tinker Bell and the Pirates - is included, there are three female authors of Peter Pan.

Says Founding Artistic Director, Elizabeth McKoy: "Peter Pan is one of those shows that reminds us what is magical about going to the theatre, and that imagination is at the heart of what we do! It's the seminal 'all ages' musical: it makes the child think about getting older and growing up, and the adult remember and cherish their youth. I directed this show in our first season, so it's only fitting that our new Producing Artistic Director Daren A.C. Carollo should direct it as part of the first season he helped to shape from start to finish at the playhouse."

Carollo's creative team includes: Vocal Direction by Michael Patrick (Bay Area Children's Theater, Center REP, Contra Costa Civic Theatre, San Francisco Opera Guild, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, The Willows Theater); Conducting by Tania Johnson (Always...Patsy Cline! at with Altarena Playhouse [Theatre Bay Area Award for Outstanding Music Direction], Where The Mountain Meets The Moon with Bay Area Children's Theatre); Set Design by Brian Watson (Technical Director of Los Medanos College, Big Idea Theatre, Light Opera Theatre of Sacramento, Sacramento Theatre Company, Resurrection Theatre); Lighting Design by Mark Thomas (Berkeley Playhouse, Barry Manilow at the Las Vegas Hilton, Teatro ZinZanni, State of Grace - a collaboration with visual artist Anne Patterson at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, Letter from Birmingham Jail with Anna Deavere Smith); Costume Design by Brooke Jennings (We Players, The Magic Theater, Custom Made Theater Company, The Breadbox, Virago Theatre, OnTheHouse Theater, City Lights Theater, and Santa Cruz Shakespeare); Sound Design by Taylor Gonzalez (Berkeley Playhouse, San Francisco Mime Troupe's Youth Theater Project); and Fight Choreography by Joel Roster (Berkeley Playhouse, SHN, Center REP, Contra Costa Musical Theatre, Ray of Light Theatre, Diablo Theatre Company, and many others).

THE CAST: The cast off 28 will be headed by Amanda Sylvia (National Tour: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day [Alexander]; Center REP; American Musical Theatre of San Jose, Broadway By the Bay) as Peter Pan, Tom Reardon in his 20th production with Daren A.C. Carollo, (Berkeley Playhouse: Mary Poppins [Mr. Banks]. Guys & Dolls [Sky], White Christmas [Bob], Legally Blonde [Callahan], My Fair Lady [Higgins], The Music Man [Harold Hill], Chicago [Billy Flynn], Bye Bye Birdie [Albert], Thoroughly Modern Millie [Trevor], and Anything Goes [Billy]) as Captain Hook, Anya Absten (Berkeley Playhouse: Hairspray [Tammy]; Contra Costa Musical Theatre: Tarzan [Jane]; Broadway By the Bay: CATS [Rumpleteazer]) as Tiger Lily, Billy Raphael (Berkeley Playhouse: Fiddler on the Roof [Nachum], Mary Poppins [Robertson Ay], The Music Man [Marcellus]; Shotgun Players: Twelfth Night [Toby Belch]; Contra Costa Civic Theatre: The Drowsy Chaperone [Tall Brother] and Lost in Yonkers [Uncle Louie]) as Smee. The Darling children, Wendy, John, and Michael will be played by alternating casts of young actors: Rachel Sue and Lucy Swinson will play Wendy; Jacob Henrie-Naffaa and Max Lewis will play John; and Luka Henrie-Naffaa and Elijah Cooper will play Michael. Also in the cast: Emily Hippert, Loren Breidenbach, Sophie Eckber, Dominic Dagdagan, Vida Mae Fernandez, Miko Ison, Jacob Kwong, Megan McGrath, Ryan Meulpolder, Amanda Neiman, Adam Niemann, Allison Paraiso, David Rukin, Carina Lastimosa Salazar, Kaylamay Suarz, Branden Thomas, Denise Wagner, Marianna Wolff.

CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF OAKLAND

Berkeley Playhouse will partner with UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Foundation (Oakland Children's Hospital) to run a toy-drive during each performance of Peter Pan. Patron's who donate a new toy will receive a discount on their tickets. Say's Carollo, "Although he hoped we would all maintain a youthful exuberance, Barrie very much wanted to see every child grow happy and healthy, which is why he granted all royalties of Peter Pan to The Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in perpetuity. We felt it only fitting this holiday season, to partner with our only local children's hospital to bring joy to children who are going through a difficult time in their lives."