Explore this Show

Overview

Synopsis

Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Would Never Grow Up (also known by its alternative title Peter and Wendy) is the stage play version of the classic book Peter Pan, written by J. M. Barrie in the early 1900s. Barrie’s well-known tale has been cherished for over a century, spawning countless recreations in the shape of a Broadway musical, both live action and animated movies, and various other media spinoffs from the original story. Peter Pan follows the straightforward narrative of the book it accompanies. In London live the Darlings, Mr. and Mrs., and their three children, Wendy, John, and Michael. Their efforts to maintain status in society occasionally strain the family, but Mrs. Darling is adamant that her children have room to grow into themselves with imagination and independence, so their lives go rather unremarkably well. All this changes with the arrival of Peter Pan, a young boy who escaped to a magical world called Neverland in his childhood and who has never grown with the passage of time. Peter begins to visit the Darlings’ window to eavesdrop on the bedtime stories Mrs. Darling tells her children. Mrs. Darling, who caught Peter one night, has stolen his shadow and hidden it in a drawer. In search for it, Peter enters the nursery of the Darling house with his fairy Tinkerbell one evening when the parents are out and befriends Wendy, John, and Michael. He teaches the three to fly and they happily accompany him to Neverland to stay for awhile with Peter and the Lost Boys, sons who were lost by their mothers in childhood and took up residence in Neverland instead. As soon as Wendy, John, and Michael arrive, a myriad of adventures meets them and their newly formed ‘family’ with Wendy as the mother and Peter as the father of the whole brood. Peter and his Lost Boys see fantasy everywhere they go in Neverland, playing house, swimming with mermaids, teaming up with tribes of natives, and most prominently, constantly clashing with Peter’s archnemesis, the cruel pirate Captain Hook and his gruesome shipmates. But, as Wendy and her brothers learn as their visit lengthens, not all children are meant to stay young, living in dreams and playing pretend. With this version of Peter Pan, we experience Peter, Wendy, and their companions the way they were first introduced to mainstream audiences in 1904. Returning to the source material offers an opportunity to explore in new ways the ever-relevant themes of innocence and what it means to let it go, the necessity of childhood, and the way a child’s world can be eternally shaped by the pressures exerted from outside society. When J. M. Barrie first wrote this tale, it was in defence of children being asked to grow up too soon, by a world who demanded too much of them. It is poignant how much those same ideals can reach audiences today.

Show Information

Based On Book By
Sir James M. Barrie
Based on the Play/Book/Film
Peter Pan
Category
Play
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
5
First Produced
1904
Genres
Comedy, Fairy Tale/Fantasy
Settings
Period, Fantasy/Imaginary, Multiple Settings, Simple/No Set
Time & Place
london, neverland, early 1900s
Cast Size
large
Licensor
Samuel French
Ideal For
College/University, Community Theatre, Diverse Cast, High School, Large Cast, Middle School, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Female, Star Vehicle Male, Theatre For Young Audiences (TYA)/Children's, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Child, Early Teen, Late Teen, Young Adult, Mature Adult Characters

Context

Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Mrs. Mary Darling

Lead

Female

Mr. George Darling

Lead

Male

Wendy Darling

Lead

Female

Peter Pan

Lead

Either Gender

Captain Hook

Lead

Male

John Darling

Supporting

Male

Michael Darling

Supporting

Male

Nana

Supporting

Either Gender

Smee

Supporting

Male

Tiger Lily

Supporting

Female

Liza

Supporting

Female

Pirates

Featured

Male

Natives/"Indians"

Featured

Either Gender

Lost Boys

Featured

Male

Crocodile

Featured

Either Gender

Neverland Animals

Ensemble

Either Gender

Songs

Sorry, we currently do not have content for this section.

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

All monologues are the property and copyright of their owners.. Monologues are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this monologue, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

Sorry! We do not currently have terms for this guide.

Videos

Quizzes

Themes, Symbols & Motifs

Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.

Quote Analysis

Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.

Guide Written By: