The classic story of the boy who never grew up is being told for a new generation through a national tour of “Peter Pan,” the 1954 musical based on Sir J.M. Barrie’s 1904 play. Directed by Lonny Price, this production is more female-empowered and inclusive while retaining much of the original’s magic. There’s still flying, fairy dust and beautiful music, but now — thanks to additional book writing by Native American playwright Larissa FastHorse — women and Indigenous characters are portrayed with the respect that 21st century audiences rightfully expect.
Likely the most noticeable change for those with a passing familiarity, Price and FastHorse set the opening scenes in modern-day America rather than Edwardian London. When the curtain comes up on the Darling home, Wendy (Hawa Kamara) and her reluctant brother John (William Foon on opening night) are filming a dance for a social media challenge. Before Mr. and Mrs. Darling (Cody Garcia and Shefali Deshpande) leave the two with their youngest brother, Michael (Reed Epley on opening night), they wonder how concerned to be that their sitter (Hannah Schmidt) spends her working hours texting and watching videos on her phone.
In my view, the modern setting could have been established without the too-cute references to social media, but hey, that’s just the opinion of one millennial. What works better in the opening scenes is Wendy’s transformation into an aspiring surgeon. Anatomical drawings hang above her bed, and she offers to darn her father’s sleeve with her suturing kit — a skill that comes in handy when a strange boy later appears in the children’s bedroom, crying because his shadow won’t stick to him.
Many previous productions have cast an adult woman in the title role, beginning with Mary Martin in the original Broadway company. But this tour entrusts the part to 16-year-old Nolan Almeida, a dynamic performer with a strong, youthful voice and unruly curls framing his mischievous face. I actually would have guessed that Almeida is a little older, given his confident stage presence. He deftly balances Peter’s boyish enthusiasm with the character’s melancholy side as the perpetually lost boy.
With the help of slick projections by David Bengali, the four children soar to Neverland in flying sequences choreographed by Paul Rubin. There, the Darlings meet Peter’s band of Lost Boys and a tribe led by Tiger Lily (Raye Zaragoza). In the original musical, Tiger Lily and company were portrayed as stereotypes of Native Americans, complete with a cringeworthy song that caricatures their language as gibberish. This song is replaced, but even better, FastHorse gives the tribe a backstory to explain how they ended up on this magical island.
In her telling, each tribe member is the last of their people, and they have taken refuge on the island in hopes of preserving their cultures and someday returning home. Thus, the costumes, designed by Sarafina Bush, reflect a variety of cultures. Their relationship to the island, eloquently articulated by Tiger Lily, reminds me of Shakespeare scholar and playwright Madeline Sayet’s anti-colonialist reading of “The Tempest” in her solo play, “Where We Belong.” It’s moving to see Indigenous artists reinterpret classics with obvious care both for the beloved originals and for those who have been harmed or excluded by them.
Tiger Lily and Wendy advocate for equal leadership roles with Peter and fight alongside him against the pirates (led by Garcia’s delightfully campy, Scottish-accented Captain Hook). Wendy also sings one of the show’s most poignant songs, “Distant Melody,” which was given to Peter in the original. She retains her role as make-believe mother to the Lost Boys, telling them the bedtime stories that first drew Peter to the Darlings’ window. The power of storytelling comes through beautifully here.
This version loses some of Barrie’s darker edges, dropping Peter’s famous line, “To die will be an awfully big adventure,” and its counterpart, “To live would be an awfully big adventure.” I have mixed feelings about this. I certainly understand the case for removing any potential glorification of death. But as a preteen who was obsessed with the “Peter Pan” musical, novel and 2003 live-action film, I found a lot of meaning in the painful tension between the costs of growing up and what Peter loses when he refuses.
So, while this new production perhaps skews a little younger than moody 12-year-olds, it’s a wholesome, joyful introduction to a classic story. As for this grown-up, I’m quite happy to have the lovely melodies of Morris Charlap and Jule Styne running through my head after revisiting a childhood favorite.
Emily McClanathan is a freelance critic.
Review: “Peter Pan” (3.5 stars)
When: Through April 7
Where: Nederlander Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St.
Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Tickets: $50-$135 at www.broadwayinchicago.com
