FINDING NEVERLAND to Make Regional Premiere at Heindl Center for the Performing Arts
Performances will run July 31 to August 2.
DeSoto Family Theatre will present the regional premiere of the musical “Finding Neverland” as part of its 2026 season. Featuring over 25 local performers of all ages, this production showcases the Mid-South's ever-growing fine arts community and the diverse talent from across the region. Taking place July 31-Aug. 2 at the Heindl Center for the Performing Arts in Senatobia, DeSoto Family Theatre's presentation features a range of theatrical achievements, including visual technical effects and a never-before-seen set developed by Front Row Theatrical.
Based on the Academy Award-winning film of the same title starring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet and the play “The Man Who Was Peter Pan,” “Finding Neverland” tells the true story of the relationship between playwright J.M. Barrie and the family that inspired him to write “Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up.” When Barrie meets Sylvia Llewelyn Davies and her four sons playing in Kensington Park in London in 1904, he is inspired by their adventures and particularly her son, Peter, who is dealing with grief. Barrie helps him to learn to play again and becomes inspired to write his next work, ultimately creating the new art form of children's theater.
Ashley McCormack, a DeSoto County native, will play Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, the character she also professionally portrayed in the 2019-20 Broadway national tour. Other cast members include Bentley Black as J.M. Barrie, Jimbo Lattimore as Charles Frohman/Hook, Tracy Thomas as Mrs. du Maurier and 12-year-old McCager Carver as Peter. The production is assistant directed by Mary Helen McCord, vocal directed by Melanie Ozburn and choreographed by K. Brooke Jerome. Licensed by Music Theatre International, “Finding Neverland” features music and lyrics by Gary Barlow and Eliot Kennedy and a book by James Graham.
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