Woodminster Summer Musicals Opens Season With PETER PAN 7/10 Thru 7/19

Rehearsals have begun for the 43rd Season of the Woodminster Summer Musicals. The season will open with "Peter Pan," playing July 10-19. This famous version of the story by Sir James M. Barrie about the boy who can fly originally opened on Broadway in 1954 and was first produced for television by NBC in 1955. Mary Martin in the title role and Cyril Ritchard as Captain Hook both won Tony awards for their performances, and the show's music, including songs like "I Won't Grow Up" and "Never Never Land," has become part of our cultural landscape.

Information about tickets is available on the Woodminster website, www.woodminster.com, or by calling 510-531-9597. General admission tickets are $25-$40, with a $2 discount for children 16 and younger, and for seniors 62 and older, and are also available through www.ticketweb.com.

Season tickets are still available for the 2009 season, which also includes "Singin' In The Rain" (August) and "Brigadoon" (September). Season tickets provide about a 15% discount over single general admission tickets. Groups of 25 or more can get a block of tickets for about half price. Season tickets and group tickets are available through the Woodminster box office.

"Peter Pan" is also 2009's "Double Kids Come Free" show, through a special sponsorship by Chevron USA. Woodminster's traditional "Kids Come Free" program provides free tickets for children 16 and younger who attend with paying adults (limitations apply.) Usually, one adult can bring one child or teen 16 or younger for free. For "Peter Pan" only, one paying adult can bring TWO kids for free for any performance. For details about the "Kids Come Free" program or information about tickets, check www.woodminster.com or call 510-531-9597. Other "Kids Come Free" sponsors include the East Bay Community Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, Target Stores, Alexander & Baldwin/Matson Navigation Corporation, Clorox, Mechanics Bank, and the Reach A Star Foundation.

The 2009 Woodminster production of "Peter Pan" will feature New York actress Susan Tilson in the title role. Susan grew up in Oakland, attended Skyline High School, and performed on the Woodminster stage as a teenager before going on to a professional Broadway career. She is a favorite with Woodminster audiences, and has recently been seen as Gertrude McFuzz in "Seussical" (2008), Anna in "The King and I" (2006), Maria in "The Sound of Music" (2002), and Eliza Doolittle in "My Fair Lady" (2001).

The role of Captain Hook will be played by another professional actor who is a Woodminster favorite, Robert Moorhead. Robert has most recently been seen at Woodminster as the Tin Man in "The Wizard of Oz" (2007) and Father in "Ragtime" (2006). Hook's sidekick, Smee, is played by Los Angeles actor John Tichenor, most recently seen at Woodminster as the Scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz" (2007).

The role of Wendy Darling will be played by DeAnna Ott, most recently seen as Alice in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" (2008). Grant Lowenstein (The Mayor of the Munchkins in "The Wizard of Oz" 2007 and Edgar in "Ragtime" 2006) will play John Darling. The role of Michael Darling will be played by Woodminster newcomer Anthony Ferguson. Nana the dog and Croc the crocodile will be played by Todd Schlader.

The rest of the cast of 30 are professional and non-professional performers from 15 Bay Area cities, as well as Los Angeles and New York. A full cast list can be accessed at http://www.woodminster.com/Webpages/Musicals/PeterPan09/peterpancast.html.

Woodminster's "Peter Pan" will be directed by Joel Schlader, with choreography by Bong Dizon, Vocal Direction by Kim Vetterli, and Music Direction by Richard Vetterli. Costumes are by Alison Morris, with props and the Na-Na and Croc costumes by Christina Weiland. The flying will be arranged by Flying by Foy, a company founded in 1950 by Peter Foy after he developed a revolutionary stage flying system for the original Broadway production of "Peter Pan."

The Woodminster Summer Musicals are performed under the stars at Woodminster Amphitheater, an open-air performance facility in Joaquin Miller Park high in the Oakland Hills. The park's spectacular views and serene woodsy environment made it the perfect setting for the amphitheater, cascades, reflecting pool, and paths that were originally built as a WPA project in 1939-40. For many East Bay families, it is a long-standing summer tradition to enjoy a picnic in the park and then see a musical at Woodminster.