From Arden Theatre Company:
Arden Theatre Company celebrates the 20th anniversary season of Arden Children’s Theatre with Peter Pan, adapted to the stage by Douglas Irvine from the books by J.M. Barrie. Whit MacLaughlin directs on the Arden’s F. Otto Haas Stage at 40 N. Second St. in Old City. The Honorary Producer is the Hamilton Family Foundation.
Ever since J.M. Barrie’s story first appeared in 1904, countless versions have been produced on stage and in film. This version, by Scottish playwright Douglas Irvine, gets at the heart of J.M. Barrie’s stories with bold theatricality, and celebrates the joy of storytelling and the power of imagination.
This is the Arden’s 20th anniversary of Arden Children’s Theatre and Director, Whit MacLaughlin’s, 20th Arden Children’s Theatre production.
Arden Producing Artistic Director Terrence J. Nolen says, “We have been very fortunate to have a director of Whit’s caliber to help us tell these stories over the past 20 years. He is committed to finding the most inventive and honest way possible to bring these classics to life in new and imaginative ways.”
Director Whit MacLaughlin says, “When I started directing for Arden Children’s Theatre, my kids were very young and I felt like I was making a show for them every year. It’s been a wonderful bond for our family, and I like being a hero once a year for my daughters.”
He adds, “I have always approached children’s theatre in the same way I approach any other work. Always with respect for the story that is being told. It’s important to find ways to honor the adult in the child, as well as the child in the adult. In this version of Peter Pan, you’ll find that both the boys and girls are heroic and everyone gets to be a swashbuckler. This is definitely a Peter Pan like you’ve never seen before.”
The role of Captain Hook is being played by Barrymore Award-winning actress Catherine Slusar. Slusar has extensive experience on local stages and has appeared previously in Arden Children’s Theatre productions including The Borrowers, the BFG and Sideways Stories from the Wayside School. She is the winner of the 2001 F. Otto Haas for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist and the 2015 Barrymore Award for Leading Actress in a Play for her role as Martha in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf at Theatre Exile.
The rest of the cast includes Jo Vito Ramirez as Peter and Emilie Krause as Wendy. Eliana Fabiyi, Brandon Pierce and Leah Walton round out the cast.
Show information, special events and performances
Previews of Peter Pan begin on Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2017 and continue through Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017 at 12noon. The show opens on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2016 at 7p.m. and runs through Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018. A full calendar of events can be found here. Opening Night Sponsors are Harmelin Media, Franklin Fountain and Whole Foods Market.
Peter Pan includes weekday matinee performances for students and weekend performances for families. Single ticket prices start at $34 for adults and $18 for children, with discounts available for groups of 20 or more, seniors, students, military, and educators. Arden Children’s Theatre 2-play subscriptions are available for $26 – $50. Call the Arden Box Office at 215.922.1122, visit the website or walk-up at the box office at 40 N. Second St.
Post-show question and answer sessions follow each performance. Audience members can also meet and greet cast members in the lobby following each performance.
The Arden is wheelchair accessible and provides assisted listening devices and large-print programs at every performance. Open Captioned and Audio Described performances will take place on Friday, Jan. 12 at 10 a.m. and Saturday, Jan. 13 at 4 p.m. Reservations are required for accessible seating and may be made by calling the Arden’s Box Office.
