27-01-2025
Boston production of "Peter Pan" puts a modern spin on the classic fairytale
BOSTON - "Peter Pan" has made its high-flying return to Boston. While this version is different than any other you may have seen before, it's bound to have you hooked!
A different "Peter Pan" adaptation
The new adaptation of the beloved story updates some key characters. Bailey Frankenberg has three key roles in this production: Fight captain, co-flight captain, and Tiger Lily.
She says, "Coming onto this project as an Indigenous person, as a Native American, I think is really special to be a part of this first wave."
"Larissa Fasthorse, our playwright, has completely changed Tiger Lily's tribe and made it so that they contribute to the magic of Neverland, as opposed to just being stereotypical, racist, gibberish people. It's really elevated the entire story," Actor Cody Garcia, who portrays Captain Hook, tells WBZ-TV.
"She's not a chief's daughter like she was in the older versions. She's the lead warrior of her own tribe of people," Frankenberg agrees.
As Boston Conservatory graduate Garcia explains, Tiger Lily isn't the only character that's gotten an update.
"I love taking a big old Boston Red Sox bat and just shattering people's expectations. I was really excited to get my hands on this version of Captain Hook and bring audiences an entirely new perspective. I wanted to make this version very different from every other version that you've seen."
Peter Pan and the Darling children still follow the second star to the right and straight on until morning. But there's more than just aerial tricks to this production. Spectacular fight scenes dazzle the crowd.
Frankenberg says, "It's mostly swords. There's a moment or two of what we would call like unarmed, where somebody gets hit in the face, somebody gets hit in the face with the hook. Actually, there's a couple moments where people get hit in the face with the hook. So there's a lot of kind of slapstick moments."
Appealing to younger people
The company is confident the audience, especially the young theater-goers, will embrace this new take on the classic.
"I hope they take away that you can be strong, that you can head up to the villain, and you don't have to be the damsel tied to the rock anymore," Frankenberg says. " You can be the one who's actually saving the day."
Garcia adds, "I hope that people come with an open mind. People come wanting to see something that is maybe a little bit different from the Peter Pan that they know."
You can see Peter Pan the Musical at the Citizen's Opera House in Boston through February 2nd.
