Peter Pan Soars at Tibbits
Contact: Christine Delaney 517-278-6029
COLDWATER – Tibbits Summer Theatre continues in July with Broadway’s timeless classic “Peter Pan,” running July 9 through July 18, 2015.
This high-flying Tony Award-winning musical whisks audiences away to a place where dreams are born and no one ever grows up. Peter, played by Lizzy Palmer, and his fairy sidekick Tinkerbell visit the Darling children’s nursery late one night. The children played by Ashley Smith, William Rivera and Grant Rupp, with a sprinkle of fairy dust, soar with Peter to Neverland on the adventure of a lifetime. The travelers come face to face with danger as they encounter a ticking crocodile, a band of pirates, a fierce Native tribe and the villainous Captain Hook.
Directed by Kevin Halpin, with musical direction by Cheryl Van Duzen and choreography by Dougie Robbins. The show’s cast also includes a company of 20 actors from across the country plus a couple of locals. Benjamin Shimkus, Davis Wayne, Stuart Kofron, Vince Orbona, Isaac Jankowski and Jacob Covert play the Lost Boys. Tiger Lily, played by Jessica Bracy, leads the mischievous Native tribe of Jaclyn Collins, Allison Canning, Holly Fuller, Nikki Ferrara, and Ashley Smith. They join in friendship with the Lost Boys after Peter calls for a truce. “Peter Pan” is the perfect show for the child in all of us who dreamed of soaring high and staying a kid forever.
Artistic Director Charles Burr, who plays Hook, recounts his early captivation with the show and its air-bound acrobatics. “I am quite sure that I do what I do today due to the three and a half year-old me watching Mary Martin fly across my television screen,” he says. “The company Flying by Foy has flown Peter since the beginning—and they will be right here to do the same at Tibbits.”
Sponsor for “Peter Pan” is PNC bank which has been supporting Summer Theatre since 2011. PNC Financial Services Group is one of the nation’s largest financial services companies helping to build strong communities and create financial opportunities for individuals, families and businesses. Performances of “Peter Pan” are at 8 p.m. July 9, 10, 16 and 17, with matinee performances at 2 p.m. July 9, 11, 15 and 18. The show is rated G and appropriate for the entire family.
Tickets for “Peter Pan” are $33 for reserved seating with discounts for members, groups and students. General seating in the upper balcony is available for $12. For the best value passbooks offer the option of six tickets to be used throughout the summer and offer nearly a 10 percent discount. Passbooks must be purchased in advance and are designed for seeing multiple shows.
Tickets are available online at Tibbits.org, through the Tibbits box office at the theatre 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays or by calling 517-278-6029. All performances are held at the beautiful historic Tibbits Opera House, 14 S. Hanchett Street, Coldwater. For more information, call or visit Tibbits.org.
History of Peter Pan
Written by Sir J.M. Barrie, “Peter Pan” the play debuted in London in 1904 with Nina Boucicault as Peter and Gerald DuMaurier, uncle to the boys who inspired the story, as Hook. On Broadway in 1905 it starred Maude Adams, who played the Tibbits in its early years. In the early 1950s, Pan took Broadway again with movie stars Jean Arthur and Boris Karloff featuring incidental songs by Leonard Bernstein.
In 1954 the full-fledged musical arrived with Mary Martin in one of her signature roles and the foppish Hook of Cyril Ritchard. It was broadcast live on television in 1955 and was then performed again in 1960 and taped for future airings.
Lyrics for the Broadway show were written by Carolyn Leigh with additional lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, music by Morris (Moose) Charlap and additional music by Jule Styne. It was originally directed, choreographed and adapted by Jerome Robbins.