"Peter Pan," now at the 5th Ave-nue Theatre, delivers a production that personifies the charming cliché "children of all ages." For two-plus hours, the hearts of several generations beat as one, as J.M. Barrie's century-old children's classic continues to enchant.
The musical's original creators include a prestigious bunch of Broadway icons. Moose Charlop first wrote music with lyrics by Carolyn Leigh. But before the show opened on Broadway in 1954, Jule Styne had composed additional music, with lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green.
Every generation has a Peter Pan. Maud Adams debuted in the nonmusical role in 1904. Then came the musical Pans: Mary Martin added another notch to her legendary career in 1954, Sandy Duncan launched a long run as Pan in 1979, and in 1991 Cathy Rigby made the role hers. She's been flying ever since, but this, she claims, is her farewell tour. Next year, she's putting away her green tights forever.
According to Barrie 's tale, all you have to do is think lovely things. For 5th Avenue audiences, that starts with Rigby and her utterly believable and energetic performance. At 51 - the former Olympic medal gymnast turns 52 this Sunday - Rigby still lights up the stage. Not only with her graceful airborne acrobatics, but with her strong, melodic voice and youthful exuberance.
Directed by Glenn Casale, the latest incarnation of "Peter Pan" may be a bit darker and more rambunctious than previous versions, but it's still the same Neverland adventure, still the same journey - second star to the right, then straight on till morning. And we still have the same cocksure boy who refuses to grow up.
At the Darlings' Victorian household, a human-inhabited St. Bernard named Nana, complete with lace hat, plays nursemaid to the children; she thinks the little Darlings are her puppies. When Nana barks up a storm at Peter's arrival, Daddy Darling demotes and banishes her back to dog life - outside.
In flies Peter, along with his possessive, outspoken and faithful laser-beam fairy sidekick Tinker Bell. Much to Tink's irriation, Peter soon entices the Darling children - especially motherly Wendy - with promises of daring exploits. After a flying lesson, they're off to Neverland, where they meet the Lost Boys, Peter's boyish cohorts who at one time or another fell out of their baby carriages and into Peter's domain.
The Pan pack attracts one adventure after another, including spirited skirmishes with Tiger Lily and her tribe as well as daring encounters with the ever-swarmy, inept pirate crew led by the malevolent Captain Hook. And wherever he goes, so does his uninvited nemesis, a ticking crocodile that has already devoured one of Hook's hands and hungrily anticipates his pirate snack. It's just a matter of time for the reptilian stalker, his red eyes bulging and beaming like taillights that somehow wound up on the wrong end.
Captain Hook strikes a magnificent pose, all gussied up in red, with his brunette King Charles ringlets and shiny silver hook that doubles as a musical cymbal. Hooks off to Broadway swell Howard McGillin, who does double-duty as the perfidious pirate pansy Hook and the children's father, George Darling, a tradition forged by Barrie when he concocted the story for his adopted children. McGillin makes a terrific villain, as comedic as he is evil. You don't often see his caliber of talent in touring musicals. Plus he's always ready with an instant ad-lib, as when the audience starting hissing him on opening night: "You will encourage me."
As Smee, the captain's right-hook man, Patrick Richwood keeps us chuckling with his nonsensical antics. He polishes Hook's hook, blows on the pirate chief's bottom when he accidentally sits on a hot chimney and stands in as Hook's dance partner for the tango, tarantella and waltz.
Dana Solimando shows off her dancing talents, as well as the sexy side of the Indian maiden Tiger Lily, while Elisa Sagardia imbues Wendy with a perfect combination of girlish innocence and motherly aspirations. Every member of the supporting cast does his or her part to make this family musical a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
The show's cheery score includes lively tunes like "I Gotta Crow" and "I Won't Grow Up," the rousing crowd favorite "I'm Flying" and the heartfelt ballad "Neverland." The Indian number, "Ugg-a-Wugg," has undergone a politically correct makeover; it's now a foot-stomping percussion frenzy that borrows from "Stomp" and the drum tradition of tribal rituals.
But the silliest song, at least for this critic, will forever be "Captain Hook's Waltz," when Mrs. Hook's little baby boy croons and minces across his ship's deck in three-quarter time and asks with glorious narcissistic panache, "Who's the slimiest slime of them all?"
John Iocovelli's storybook set designs are more lavish than most touring shows: the Darlings' inviting house, Neverland's plush trees with feather-plumed foliage, Peter's underground safe house topped by mushroom chimneys and the pirate's ship rampant with skull-and-crossbone décor.
Rigby's flying sequences, designed by Paul Rubin of ZFX, Inc., never disappoint. Her graceful athletic spins take a piece of our hearts with her with every time she flies forth. So another generation of kiddies gets to boo the pirates, cheer Peter and the Lost Boys - and save Tinker Bell when she drinks the poison. Even hard-hearted cynics clap for the feisty fairy.
Sadly, some of us must grow up as soon as we leave the theater, but for two-plus hours and three acts, we blissfully revisit the joys of childhood. In the final moments of the show, as Rigby soars out over the audience to spread her glittering fairy dust, we even scramble to nab a few precious sparkles. Yes, you can sometimes see her wires, but who cares? The magic endures.
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