Peter Pan - 1954 - Broadway Articles Page 1

Broadway performer Sondra Lee died of natural causes in her New York City apartment at age 97. Throughout her nine-decade career, Lee won awards as a dancer, actor, teacher, author, stage director, playwright, theatre and film consultant and painter.

The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced full casting for the London premiere of Ella Hickson's exhilarating take on JM Barrie's beloved classic, Wendy & Peter Pan, directed by Jonathan Munby.

For years, Broadway musicals have spawned multiple film adaptations, from the early days of cinema to Steven Spielberg's remake of West Side Story. Take a look at our list of 15 musicals that have danced their way to the screen more than once!

​​​​​​​In today’s culture, it is hard to find anyone who doesn’t have some experience with the story of Peter Pan. For many, their first exposure to the “boy who refused to grow up” was through Walt Disney’s classic 1953 animated film. Others first journeyed off to Neverland with Peter and Wendy by reading the original 1904 play by J.M. Barrie. And in between (and beyond) have come many different iterations of this timeless adventure. But for musical theatre fans, there is just one PETER PAN – the classic 1954 stage musical which starred Mary Martin and was captured for posterity through a 1955 NBC broadcast. So how does one take a story with its beautiful score but also some troublesome stereotypes and bring it to an audience in 2025? That is just what Larissa FastHorse and the team bringing PETER PAN to life on the stage at the fabulous Fox Theatre have done – taken a classic and updated it for a new generation. And in the role of Tiger Lily, Bailey Frankenberg has a front row seat to what makes this story so magical. I had the chance to catch up with Bailey and hear all about her career and what it is like to play an iconic (but updated) heroine as well as serve as Fight and Flight captain for the show.

Theater fans have a long and affectionate history with the musical “Peter Pan,” and the J.M. Barrie play, “Peter Pan; or the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up,” and subsequent novelization, “Peter and Wendy,” of the classic story of the little boy who can fly that inspired it.

What did our critic think of PETER PAN AND TINKER BELL: A PIRATE'S CHRISTMAS at Scherr Forum Theater?

Peter Pan dazzles with stunning sets, magical flying effects, and catchy new songs. This Peter Pan may never want to grow up, but it certainly deserves to be part of the conversation on how we tell timeless stories for modern audiences.

These are some of the first lyrics that made me fall in love with musical theatre. I have been a fan of Peter Pan as long as I can remember, and was always jumping around my room, trying to fly. When I worked at Walt Disney World, Peter Pan and Tinkerbell were my favorite characters to work with, and before I left Disney, I got a tattoo of Peter's shadow, to always remind me to embrace my inner child.

Cal State's Fullerton's Department of Theatre and Dance will present celebrated Spanish poet and playwright Federico García Lorca's “Blood Wedding.”

Aimed at offering a more progressive framework that tweaks the infamous story, this admirable revised version reflects a purposefully modern approach to the classic story, attempting to balance the original's charm and whimsy with contemporary sensibilities. This brand new national tour continues at Segerstrom Center for the Arts thru August 18.

Dancer Bobby Banas has passed away. Learn more about Banas' life and work.

Which classic books have been made for the stage? Check out the full list here!

What did our critic think of PETER PAN at Broadway San Jose?

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST)  has announced the cast and creative team of the highly anticipated The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale. Based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkien, this production comes to the stage in a US premiere production directed by Paul Hart, July 19–September 1, 2024 in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare.

Sir J.M. Barrie’s classic tale and 1904 play, tells the story of reference to Native Americans who inhabit a fictitious island known as Neverland. Referred to as “Piccaninny Warriors,” include Tiger Lily and her tribe as they steal pockets from the Lost Boys and try to claim the island as their own, reclaiming it from those who began to take it away from them.

This newest adaptation of PETER PAN unquestionably corrects injustices that never should have been committed in the first place. But by flying Peter so enthusiastically into 2024, the creative team has stripped him and his story of some of their magic, making the boy who wouldn't grow up more out of touch than out of time.

Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is August 25, 2023 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.

Maestro, the Leonard Bernstein biopic starring Bradley Cooper, will premiere at the Venice Film Festival. Directed by Cooper, the film also stars Carey Mulligan, Matt Bomer, and Maya Hawke. The film is produced by Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Bradley Cooper, Fred Berner, and Amy Durning.

The new Charlotte Ballet production of PETER PAN, choreographed by Christopher Stuart, is the most inclusive and politically correct I've seen, retaining sets and costumes from previous editions while completely changing the music. Plenty of delightful surprises and only one SOS: it's a no-fly zone.

This April, Broadway fans can keep busy with the premiere of two musical series, the return of Schmigadoon and the premiere of Paramount+'s new Grease prequel series, The Rise of the Pink Ladies, along with more exciting releases. Check out the April 2023 Broadway Streaming Guide below!

A diverse, dynamic company of actors have been cast in an exciting new production of Lord of the Flies, which premieres at Leeds Playhouse on 18 March-8 April before touring to Belgrade Theatre Coventry, Rose Theatre and Northern Stage.

Rose Theatre and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Theatres have announced a new production of William Shakespeare's Richard III. Following her critically acclaimed production of Richard II at Shakespeare's Globe, Adjoa Andoh (Lady Danbury in Bridgerton) returns to the stage to direct and star as Shakespeare's iconic antihero, Richard III.

Van Eaton Galleries, the world record-breaking auction house and exhibition gallery has announced its first in-person on-site auction to be held at their new gallery. “Exploring the Disney Universe” is a two-day auction offering over 1,550 rare Disney artifacts.

Maryland Ensemble Theatre (MET)'s FUN Company raises the curtain on local youth in Peter Pan, Jr. for the family. Peter Pan, Jr. features a robust cast of beloved ensemble characters; Pirates, Lost Boys, and Brave Girls are the mainstay of this timeless production. Peter Pan, Jr. is adapted for the youth stage and provides a unique experience for each performer to explore and create memorable characters in an ensemble, developing invaluable skills to grow as an actor.

Sarah Silverman will join the previously announced Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Matt Bomer and Maya Hawke in the cast. Cooper developed the new biopic together with Leonard Bernstein’s family. Maestro is Cooper's follow-up to his directorial debut, A Star is Born.