Custom Made Theatre to Present PETER/WENDY, 11/15-12/15

New York-based director Jeremy Bloom brings his heartfelt and sorrowful PETER/WENDY to Custom Made's 15th anniversary season. The show runs Nov. 15-Dec. 15.

In recreating J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan and Wendy for our times, Bloom transforms the uniquely hallowed cathedral space of The Gough Street Playhouse into the world of Never-Never Land, as his seven pajama-clad performers fly, dance, and move around the space in perfect sync.

NYC -basEd Bloom is a protégé of Mary Zimmerman (Metamorphosis, The Little White Bird), and recently served as assistant director for herArabian Nights at our own Berkeley Repertory Theatre. He shares her aesthetic for theatre stripped down to its bare elements, ensemble-based storytelling, and fanciful, yet faithful, adaptation.

Bloom explains his PETER/WENDY, saying "it's not some new crazy adaptation, but the story stripped down to its bare elements. The book was intended to be read aloud to children, but it was also written and continuously rewritten by a person in a state of perpetual loss. All of the characters are fiercely grown up enough to have ideas about death and to be exhilarated by good storytelling."

Bloom has reversed the usual "Peter Pan" image by having six women portray all the characters in the book, including Hook, Smee, and Mr. Darling, while the only male in the cast portrays Peter.

Bloom uses "happy thoughts" from the audience each night, as well as passers-by on the street, to create the pixie dust needed to makePETER/WENDY fly. He then employs his unique bare-bones, "image-staging" which involves the use of hand-held lights, the simplest of sets, and narrative movement to retell the tale of the one boy who never grew up, inspired by the dark and delightful words of its creator, J.M. Barrie.

Custom Made is thrilled to introduce Mr. Bloom, and his seven San Francisco performers, to the Bay Area in this special holiday show.

The show is scored by the indie band, The Books, http://www.thebooksmusic.com

PETER/WENDY was incubated at the cell,: a 21st century New York City salon, in partnership with Rady&Bloom Collective Playmaking. It played at the cell in May and June of this year.

PETER/WENDY is intended for adults of all ages, and children above the age of 12.

Learn more & buy tickets at (415) 798-CMTC, http://www.custommade.org.

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