Peter Pan

Peter Pan (1905). James M. Barrie's whimsical tale of a boy who refuses to grow up and who takes other children to his special never‐land was first offered to American playgoers in 1905 with Maude Adams, for whom it was written, in the title role. To no small extent because it is a play to which children can be taken, it has never lost its appeal. Later Peter Pans have included Marilyn Miller, Eva Le Gallienne, and Jean Arthur. Leonard Bernstein composed incidental music for this last production. A musical version, with music by Mark Charlap and Jule Styne and lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green, was offered in 1954 with Mary Martin as Peter and Cyril Ritchard as Hook. It was directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins and ran 152 performances in the Winter Garden Theatre. Notable songs: I'm Flying; Neverland; I Won't Grow Up; Tender Shepherd; I've Got to Crow. The musical was revived in 1979 with Sandy Duncan as star and ran 551 performances, the longest Broadway run of any production of Peter Pan. Cathy Rigby was Peter in successful revivals on tour and on Broadway in 1990, 1991, and 1998. Carolyn LEIGH (1926–83), the lyricist who often worked with composer Cy Coleman, was known for her brassy, confident lyrics. Born in the Bronx and educated at Queens College, Leigh wrote for radio and television before finding success with some best‐selling pop songs in the 1950s. In addition to Peter Pan, her Broadway musicals were Wildcat (1960), Little Me (1962), and How Now Dow Jones (1967).

Peter Pan (musical), J. M. Barrie's enduring children's story which has inspired a number of musical adaptations, mostly American; the first appeared in 1905 in New York. A production in 1924 contained two songs by Jerome Kern. Another version in 1950 was again notable for musical contributions from an important composer, Leonard Bernstein it ran for 321 performances. A more lasting version appeared in 1954 opening at the Winter Garden, New York, with music by Moose Charlap and Carolyn Leigh. Jule Styne, among others, later contributed additional numbers. A German translation appeared at the Theater des Westens, Berlin, in 1984. Meanwhile, American interest in the story continued with another production in 1979, which overtook previous versions by achieving a run of 551 performances. London's West End saw a similar version in the mid‐1980s. Yet another Peter Pan opened in New York in 1990 for a short six‐week season, forming part of the show's nation‐wide tour.

— Tom Higgins