By Rebekah Weaver
If you see Peter Pan at the Hopebox Theatre in Kaysville, UT, you get a great two-for-one deal: not only will you get to see a fabulously fun play, but you’ll support an important cause.
The Hopebox Theatre is a unique place whose mission is supporting families battling cancer. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales go to a designated patient. For Peter Pan, that recipient is Garrett Kay, a teenager fighting leukemia. You can read his story and the stories of past recipients on the Hopebox Theatre’s website. If you attend the play, you also have the option to donate directly to Garrett’s treatment.
Though the Hopebox Theatre’s mission is focused on helping cancer patients, they also can put on a really impressive production. Their venue is small, which the cast uses to their advantage by connecting with the close-up audience. I was particularly impressed with the sets, built by Curtis Dalton and designed by Heather Steed, Corinne Hoffmann, Trevor Wirth, and Wes Wright. Thanks to Peter Pan and the Darling children flying, the sets require a little technical expertise, and the designers came through and made the sets beautiful and evocative in the process.
If your only exposure to the story of Peter Pan is through the Disney movie, you’ll enjoy different songs and a slightly different storyline. The play is by J.M. Barrie, but Jerome Robbins adapted it as a musical in 1954, with music by Morris Charlap and lyrics by Carolyn Leigh. Though this musical might not be as familiar as the Disney movie, it keeps the same sense of wonder and delight, and from what I could see, the children in the audience loved the play just as much as the adults.
The Hopebox Theatre has two casts for Peter Pan, both of them quite large ensembles. I saw the Hook cast, and I was thoroughly impressed. Joshua Rogers as Peter Pan and Hailey Christensen lead the cast as Peter Pan and Wendy Darling, and both are very talented singers with a lot of charisma. Though the cast members are too numerous for me to go through individually, I’d like to specifically comment on:
- Jake Anderson as Captain Hook. He is extraordinarily funny.
- Crystl Naylor as Mrs. Darling. She has a stunning singing voice, and I wish I could have heard it more than in just “Tender Shepherd.”
- Catherine Haney as Tiger Lily, thanks to the strength and confidence she brings to the role.
- Peyton Davis and Ethan West as John and Michael Darling. They bring a lot of fun to the play.
I also very much enjoyed the large ensembles, including the very funny pirates (particularly in “Hook’s Tango” and related songs), the raucous lost boys, the fierce Indians, and the graceful pixies, thanks to Jan Williams as director and choreographer and Dede Williams as choreographer. Megan Cash deserves a shout out for her work as the music director as well.
Since the play would not be possible without other members of the production staff, I’d also like to acknowledge:
- Derek Raynor as lighting designer
- Jackie Barrett as soundboard designer
- The eight women who designed the fabulous and whimsical costumes: Taya Christensen, Laura Malmstrom, Lexie Ostler, Shantell Eisenbarth, Kelsey Porter, Lib Thatcher Marsh, Lydia Jorgensen, and Caroline Whitmore
These talented folks made this play an immersive experience that kept me involved the entire time.
Lastly, while I thoroughly enjoyed this play, I do have one issue I need to mention. Since the original Peter Pan stories and plays come from the early 1900s, the depiction of the Indians is problematic at best, especially by modern standards. I do wish that the director had chosen to adapt the script to present the Indians in a more sensitive way, though I recognize the limitations of the source material. At a minimum, I think the play would be better off without any mention of the word “redskin.” Still, I want to emphasize that I believe the cast did their best with their roles, and I applaud their efforts.
In short, Peter Pan is a fun time, especially for kids and those who are kids at heart. Go see it at the Hopebox Theatre and support Garrett in his fight for his life while enjoying this delightful play.
The Hopebox Theatre Presents Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie and Jerome Robbins. Lyrics by Carolyn Leigh and music by Morris Charlap.
The Hopebox Theatre, 1700 Frontage Rd, Kaysville, UT 84037
August 4–25; Monday, Wednesday, Friday-Saturday 7:30 PM; Saturday 2:00 PM,
Tickets: $10–15
The Hopebox Theatre Facebook Page
Peter Pan Facebook Event
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