Peter Pan: Rediscover magic at Nederlander Theatre

When Peter Pan flies through Wendy Darling’s window trailing a cloud of shimmering fairy dust, you know instantly that you’re in for a great adventure. With whimsical set designs, twinkling fairies, talking moons, wickedly wonderful pirates and a climactic finale, this production is a memorable experience for the young and the young at heart.

Every member of the cast shines- from the youngest “Michael”, played by Reed Epley, to the duality of “Captain Hook” and “Mr. Darling,” both characters portrayed impeccably by Cody Garcia. Throughout the 90-minute spectacle, each actor seamlessly embodies their character, captivating the audience with their performances.

Nola Almeida, as “Peter Pan,” not only mesmerizes with his singing and dancing, but also astounds with his gymnastic abilities. His skills flying around the set suspended from wires, doing backflips and rollovers, was nothing short of remarkable. And the scene where Peter, Wendy, John and Michael fly to Neverland will be forever etched in my memory. There were gasps throughout the audience with visuals that I won’t describe here and ruin it for you. But, trust me, you should see Peter Pan while you can and definitely bring the young ones.

All around us, the little ones were completely engaged in what they were seeing onstage. Shouting out comments like “oh, no Tink, don’t die!” And when Peter Pan said the only way to bring Tink back to life was for the audience to clap to show they believed in fairies, the applause was thunderous.

In an ABC-7 interview, Larissa Fasthorse, an additional book writer for the play, shared, “It’s such a beloved story for generations, so we really wanted to be sure we kept everything that people loved about ‘Peter Pan.’ We kept the magic, we kept the things that you experienced as a child, and then we updated it, so it doesn’t cause harm.”

Fasthorse spoke about one of the play’s updates to make it more inclusive. In the original story, the tribe who live in Neverland was portrayed as on unnamed group that was hunted. As indigenous people, Fasthorse’s parents didn’t want her to witness this portrayal. So, the tribe is now depicted as the last members of extinct cultures, with each actor’s costume based on their actual identity. 

There are so many “wow” moments and the story is so engaging. I only had two complaints- the music played during the opening and intermission was way too loud and made me wish I’d brought earplugs. And, in act 2, the pirates sing, “We Hate Those Kids” which I thought was a little inappropriate for all the kids watching in the audience.

Based on Sir James M. Barrie's classic tale and originally directed, choreographed, and adapted by Broadway legend Jerome Robbins, ‘Peter Pan’ features a score by Morris (Moose) Charlap; lyrics by Carolyn Leigh; additional lyrics by Betty Comden, Adolph Green, and Amanda Green; and additional music by Jule Styne. This newly imagined production is directed by Lonnie Price, with additional book by Larissa Fasthorse and choreography by Lorin Latarro.

Overall, this is a magical must-see. See Peter Pan if you can. Remove yourself from reality for two hours and take this wondrous trip to Neverland. It’s a journey that will linger in your memory long after the final curtain call.

(This hit Broadway musical is only at the Nederlander Theatre through April 7. Tickets can be found at broadwayinchicago.com)