threesixty° entertainment presents the spectacular new threesixty° stage production of PETER PAN, J M Barrie's classic story performed in a state-of-the-art theater tent for a limited engagement in Pemberton Place®, adjacent to the World of Cola-Cola®, in the heart of Downtown Atlanta. Performances start Friday, January 21. Conceived by an award-winning creative team and featuring 23 actors, stunning puppets, epic music, dazzling flying sequences, and the world's first 360-degree CGI theater set, PETER PAN is an extraordinary experience.
This engagement will be the United States East Coast premiere of the threesixty° PETER PAN. Atlanta will be only the fourth location in the world to host this production, following London, San Francisco and Orange County, California.
One of the most striking elements of this new production is the setting in which it is presented. The threesixty° Theatre, allows for performance "in the round" in a 1,300 seat theater-tent, which will stand between the World of Coca-Cola and the Georgia Aquarium in Pemberton Place.
The entire interior of the tent is lit with more than 15,000 square feet of Hi-Resolution video -- three times the size of Imax screens -- so that both cast and audience are immersed in a CGI Neverland. When Peter and Wendy fly to Neverland, the audience flies with them over 400 square miles of virtual London and beyond.
Tickets, priced from $35 to $75 (previews all seats $50), go on sale Monday, October 25 online at peterpantheshow.com, and by phone at 1-888-ppantix (1-888-772-6849). For inquiries about group ticket discounts for 12 or more, call 404-881-2000. Premium ticket packages are also available, and include admission to the performance, drink voucher, souvenir brochure, and PETER PAN audio book. Special behind-the-scenes "Into Neverland" tours will be available weekly throughout the run.
The threesixty° PETER PAN first captivated audiences in London, where it started performances on May 26, 2009 in Kensington Gardens, where J M Barrie was first inspired to write the story. It played a sixteen-week sold-out engagement to 200,000 people - including a Royal Gala for the Prince's Trust for Children and the Arts, attended by their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (
Prince Charles and Camilla). In addition, an impressive parade of international celebrities enthusiastically attended with their families throughout the summer.
The U.S. premiere was on April 27, 2010 at Ferry Park on the Embarcadero in San Francisco. The engagement continued through September 5 before travelling to the Orange County Performing Arts Center, where it is now performing.
Theater patrons are also encouraged as well to enhance their trip to Neverland with food and beverage available in the Pavilion. (Please note however no outside food or beverage is allowed on site). At some performances, the audience can begin their journey even before the performance commences. PETER PAN is accompanied by a behind the scenes "Into Neverland" tour given weekly.
Robert Butters, threesixty° producer, said, "We are honored that Peter Pan and The threesixty° Theatre have found such a treasured home in Pemberton Place in Atlanta, alongside two of the premiere attractions in the entire Southeast region of the country - World of Coca-Cola and the Georgia Aquarium. This ideal location, adjacent to Centennial Olympic Park, places us in the company of many of the best known landmarks in Atlanta -- CNN Center, Philips Arena, and the Georgia Dome."
threesixty° entertainment, a theatrical
Production Company based in London with Charlie Burnell, Matthew Churchill, and Robert Butters as principals, commissioned a first class creative team to develop this production of PETER PAN. The cast of PETER PAN features members of the original London production joined by American actors, making it a truly international company.
One of the London Observer's "Hot 10 Must Do" events for 2009, the show was described by The Daily Express as "An immensely thrilling ride. A gem to be enjoyed whether you are 8, 18 or 80." The Independent said, "The atmosphere is perfect, the costumes outstanding. The dream world of Neverland is sensationally complemented by
William Dudley's cinematic projections. How we cheered!"
Following the success in London, PETER PAN came to the United States, premiering in San Francisco on April 27. Robert Hurwitt in the San Francisco Chronicle wrote, "As promised, the high- and low-tech special effects in the threesixty° Theatre are spectacular and highly entertaining. I found much of the show beguiling. My grandchildren were delighted."
Paul Hodgins in the Orange County Register wrote that PETER PAN "celebrates the magic of the story -- joyous, playful and uplifting - and is grandly and unabashedly theatrical. Peter, Tinker Bell and the Darlings effortlessly spin as if weightless. They look like kids who are really flying, and loving it ... helped hugely by the beautifully rendered computer-generated images. Twelve projectors provide a 360-degree view of Edwardian era London, tropical Never Land, even a look underneath the ocean. The images are entrancing, seamless and detailed. The producers clearly went to considerable lengths to put together a top-drawer cast as well. This production's Tinker Bell is a revelation: she's one of the Lost Boys and easily holds her own in their rambunctious world.
Ben Harrison's directing style is undeniably English - respectful, not rushed, paying attention to character relationships. It leaves you with the feeling that Barrie's century-old tale is in the hands of people who understand him and his story, too."
Richard Stayton in the Los Angeles Times wrote, "A multimedia, immersive "Peter Pan" provides enough spectacle and aerial acrobatics to compete with any Cirque show. It is the ultimate kid-friendly environment for the ultimate kid-friendly play - tiered rows near the stage locate every playgoer within a 360-degree circle of action, providing intimate close-ups of the performers and sensational CGI flying simulations and spectacular video projections."
David Littlejohn in the Wall St. Journal said that PETER PAN is "unforgettable. Visually dazzling. Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Wendy and her two brothers fly against an unbelievably complex computer-generated cyclorama of a zooming, whirling, looming and receding London circa 1904. Once in Neverland, the surrounding computer-generated scenery continues to enrapture, surrounding both the audience and the 23 living actors."
Peter Pan, The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up was created by Scottish novelist and playwright J M Barrie. One night, Peter flies into the London nursery of the Darling children, Wendy, John and Michael, teaches them to fly and leads them to the magical Neverland, "second to the right and straight on till morning," where they live with Tinker Bell, the Lost Boys and meet the notorious Captain Hook.
The tale of Peter Pan has been adapted many times since then including the
Walt Disney animated film and a Broadway musical. However, it was not until this 2009 production, presented by threesixty° entertainment, that a production was performed in London's Kensington Gardens, where J M Barrie was first inspired to create him and where the original statue of Peter Pan has stood since 1912. This 21st century PETER PAN mixes history and magic in equal measure to present a Peter Pan story for adults and children alike.
PETER PAN, directed by
Ben Harrison and designed by
William Dudley, is adapted by Tanya Ronder from the Barrie story, with music composed by Benjamin Wallfisch. Dudley has received more theatre awards and accolades in the United Kingdom than any theatre artist save
Judi Dench. Choreography is by Fleur Darkin, sound design by
Gregory Clarke, lighting design by
Mark Henderson, fight direction by Nicholas Hall, puppetry design by Sue Buckmaster and illusions by
Paul Kieve.
By arrangement with the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity and Samuel French Limited, this production of PETER PAN is produced by Charlie Burnell, Matthew Churchill, and Robert Butters for threesixty° entertainment.
About this production of PETER PAN
12 projectors, delivering 360 degree projection
10 million pixels
15,000 square feet of CGI
400 square miles of virtual London circa 1904 were rendered
The largest surround CGI venue in the world
The world's first fully 360-degree projected movie for live theater performance
The tent, which stands 100 feet high, was shipped via boat, 6,000 miles from London to San Francisco.
200 computers took four weeks to create the images - it would have taken eight years for a single computer to render
For more information about PETER PAN, please visit www.peterpantheshow.com
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