The flying scenes were fantastic, the music was superb, the dancing was also so wonderful that we think that you should all run out and catch it the last day (29th). Every part was so well-done that we spent the whole time just marveling at the talent. We also had fun yelling, "We believe in fairies!" (Even Dad!) The dog, a person, took off her head for the curtain calls. (Well, actually, one of the cast members took it off.) She was great! I still wonder she, as the crocodile, managed to crawl around and snap jaws at the same time. Of course, the scene-stealers were Peter, Wendy and Captan Hook. Smee was also great. I cannot believe the dances those pirates did: comic but with great skill. The Lost Boys and the Indians were also great. I think the whole thing was too wonderful to express. I'm glad that I don't have to review it for the paper. Who would you not compliment? Four pages later. . .
At one point, the set's drawer stuck and as Mrs. Darling struggled to open it and then Mr. Darling, in an effort to be helpful, jerked it from the case. They ad-libbed. He said the contents had all spilled and made more work for them. And she said they really needed to get that drawer fixed.
BYU’s musical is based on the award-winning 1953 Broadway play. Music is by Moose Charlap, and lyrics are by Carolyn Leigh, with additional music by Jules Styne and additional lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, all Broadway legends. The director is Tim Threlfall.
Threlfall believes the play is an allegory for the creation of the world and the fall of Adam and Eve.
“On one level, Barrie’s classic adventure is an Adam-and-Eve parable,” Threlfall said in the program. "While Neverland is fun, exciting, adventurous and devoid of responsibility — much like the Garden of Eden — the Lost Boys are discontented there, like Eve.”
“Even in their youthful innocence and naivete, the Lost Boys are willing to sacrifice eternal youth and freedom for something potentially more rewarding,” Threlfall said. “All the Lost Boys, as well as the Darling children, make a choice that sets them on the road to ‘eternal life’ rather than the ‘eternal existence’ of Neverland.”
The stage used a massive projection screen as the backdrop for a rather simple set. My, how great that set was. Various locations were projected onto this screen: starting and ending with the Darling family nursery, the rooftops of London and the jungles of Neverland to the deck of Captain Hook's ship and back to the nursery. Tinker Bell was a green laser light (or a beam of light of some sort).
Peter was played by Bronwyn Tarboton. She must be an acrobat because she was a great flyer but also a very athletic dancer. She has a great voice as well. Ivan Hoffman was Captain Hook and Mr. Darling and I cannot express what a talent he is. Jillian Bjorn was Wendy, Joseph Thompson was Michael, Sam Bostwick was John, Lena Latu was Mrs. Darling, Daysha Hanneman was Tiger Lily, Jordan Dickison was Smee and Ari Strickland was Nana and the Crocodile. Tinkerbell also appears as an animation provided by Shane Hunt.
The program states that, "Other production staff members include musical director Gayle Lockwood, choreographer Pat Debenham, Jayna Butler, stage manager Lindsi Neilson, scenic designer Benjamin Sanders, costume designer Shelby Luke, makeup and hair designers Shiloh White and Danielle Cluff, lighting designer Michael Handley and sound designer Troy Streeter. The actors’ flying moves are coached by Brad Allen. Rigging is by Flying by Foy."
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