Cumberland County Playhouse Peter Pan

The joyful family musical PETER PAN, filled with flying kids, bumbling but nasty pirates, dozens of Lost Boys and the dancin’ Neverland Indians, opens at Cumberland County Playhouse in Crossville, TN on Feb 1st and runs through April 13th. Based on the play by J.M. Barrie, which has inspired films like Finding Neverland, Hook!, and many others, PETER PAN is sponsored by Dr. Stanley Bise, M.D., with added support from CCP Education Sponsor, Hughes Real Estate Services. The Playhouse kids, teens, professionals and volunteers take us to Neverland with fabulous onstage flying by international special effects company, Hall Enterprises. Founder and East Tennessean Delbert Hall of Johnson City, former faculty for theater at Tennessee Governor’s School of the Arts, will choreograph the flying of Peter, Wendy, John, and Michael himself.

Playhouse teens Austin Price and Loren Safdie of Cumberland County, experienced young professionals and interns trained in CCP programs and productions, bring genuine youth to the role of Peter, with popular Jason Ross as the villainous and funny Captain Hook.

Lauren Tranberg of Cumberland County and Jessica Owensby of Knox County alternate the role of Wendy, with Logan Malicoat of Roane County and Crystal-Marie Alberson of Overton County alternating as 9 year old Michael. Ian Sweitzer and Leigh Smith of Cumberland County portray 12 year old John, with Sara Nelson of Cumberland County and Lani Short of Putnam County in the role of Tiger Lily. CCP favorite Daniel Black romps as Mr. Smee, and Carol Irvin steals scenes (and generates howls) as the nursemaid sheepdog, Nana.

CCP provides performing arts training and experience to hundreds of area youth each year. Stars of PETER PAN include Tennessee kids and teens and adults from a dozen counties who join with the professional company to portray the Lost Boys, Indians, and Pirates.

PETER PAN is directed by CCP Producing Director Jim Crabtree and CCP leading lady Nicole Begue, with choreography and musical staging by Michele Colvin, and the professional CCP orchestra and musical direction by Ron Murphy. The CCP’S stunning scenic production by nationally prominent designer Joe Varga has been rented for productions nationwide, is being expanded and renewed, and will be seen in a later ’08 production by Ohio’s prestigious Otterbein College Theater. Costumes by the late Mary Crabtree are from the Playhouse archives, coordinated and recreated by Renee Luttrell and Knoxville’s Quinn Fortune.

Tickets for PETER PAN are $20 for Adults, $19 for Seniors, and $11 for Kids/Students. Tickets can be purchased from the Playhouse Box Office at (931) 484 – 5000. Visit us online at www.ccplayhouse.com to view our full season schedule and additional information.

Posted 1.21.08

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