This weekend at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center, ballet lovers can take flight across the starry skies of London to the twisted forests of Neverland and the rowdy decks of Captain Hook’s Jolly Roger when Lincoln Park’s production of Peter Pan Dancing Through Neverland brings a high-flying favorite to the MainStage Theater for just two weekends.
In this rendition of the timeless tale, Lincoln Park artists don’t just dance – they fly.
Here's a great promo video: https://app.box.com/s/
Created by innovative director and choreographer Jennifer Verba, this adventurous version of Peter Pan features gravity-defying flight sequences, intricate sets and charismatic characters. Fans of classic ballet and fairy tales alike will be captivated by the show’s dreamlike settings—all populated by effervescent dancers, lost boys, forest fairies, epic battles and more.
Helping to bring J.M. Barrie’s iconic story to life are the production’s evocative costumes and sets from the Eugene Ballet Company in Oregon.
“We were inspired primarily by Barrie’s Annotated Peter Pan to dive deeper into the story and employ dozens of different costumes,” said Verba. “And while this production is derived mostly by the book we also use the Disney movie that we all watched as a child and ‘Hook The Movie’ which was one of my favorites.”
Augmenting the story’s sense of wonder, magic and imagination is the musical score and Verba’s personal view of the story of Peter Pan.
“Peter Pan Dancing Through Neverland is different from other productions in the sense that it is all original choreography,” she said. “The music is from a variety of composers that was personally pieced together to make the production entertaining.
Like many other Peter Pan ballets, Verba has several characters flying, sometimes five at a time.
“There will be six characters who will be flying during this production at one point or another,” said Verba. “The characters that will be flying are Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Wendy, John, Michael and even Captain Hook.
“Five cast members can be in the air at once, on stage, which is going to be pretty spectacular.”
This full-length dance and musical theater performance promises to please adults and children of every age – complete with humor, suspense, and adventure along with all of the romance of classical dance.
On Saturday, May 6th – Lincoln Park invites Girl Scout Troops to join them for a special event before the show. Girl Scout Troops will have the chance to earn credits towards a badge, engage with other troops, enjoy some refreshments then watch this original dance adventure. Plus the cast and crew are offering a Q&A session after the show to all audience members! If you want to learn more about the Girl Scout Day contact Lindsay Courteau, Marketing Manager at (724) 340-4449.
The show’s run time is approximately 90 minutes with a 15-minute intermission.
Tickets are $20, $18 and $15 and are available by calling (724) 576-4644 (option 2 for the box office) or online at www.LincolnParkArts.org.
Performances:
Friday and Saturday, May 5 and 6 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 6 at 2:00 pm
Sunday, May 7 at 2:00 pm
A special weekday matinee for student and senior groups will be held on Friday, May 5 at 10:00 am. Contact Judy Zarra at (724) 576-4644, option 2 for details and tickets.
