★★★½☆ - Satisfying
Super Summer Theatre and Huntsman Entertainment present “Peter Pan – A Musical Adventure,” a satisfying three and a half star winner for both children and adults that brings a truly magical world to life before our eyes. Performances continue through August 18th at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park.
“Peter Pan – A Musical Adventure,” is the 1996 version featuring a score by the British team of composer George Stiles and lyricist Anthony Drewe, and book written by Willis Hall (based on the original play by J.M. Barrie). The songs are different from those we know from the original version of “Peter Pan” but they are clever and truly add to the telling of the story -- in particular “One Big Adventure” and “Just Beyond The Stars” along with “The Cleverness of Me”. [Nothing to hum or as memorable to audiences as “I Got To Crow” or “I Won’t Grow Up”.]
However, the essential story remains the same: Peter and his mischievous sidekick, Tinkerbell – handily portrayed by Vanessa Lopez, who uses American sign language to communicate onstage -- visit the nursery of the Darling children late one night and with a sprinkle of pixie dust begin a fantastical journey across the stars to new lands that none of them will ever forget. Wendy, John and Michael arrive in Neverland to meet up with the Lost Boys, an all-female Indian Tribe, and Pan’s nemesis Captain Hook (with his motley crew of pirates).