Complete Cast Announced for Peter Pan Starring Cathy Rigby; NYC-Bound Tour Takes Flight Aug. 24

By Kenneth Jones
08 Jul 2011

Cathy Rigby
Cathy Rigby

The pirates, Indians, lost boys and British siblings surrounding Cathy Rigby's Peter Pan, on tour starting this August, have been revealed. Broadway's Tom Hewitt and Kim Crosby had previously been announced.

In addition to limber actress and former Olympic gymnast Rigby, who recreates her Tony Award-nominated turn as J.M. Barrie's boy who wouldn't grow up, the company features Broadway stars Hewitt (The Rocky Horror Show) as Capt. Hook/Mr. Darling and Crosby (Into the Woods) as Mrs. Darling and others.

The news national tour lanches at the Hershey Theatre in Hershey, PA, Aug. 24-28. The New York City stop on the tour is Dec. 14-30 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Director Glenn Casale's cast will feature Krista Buccellato as Wendy; Cade Canon Ball as John; Julia Massey and Jordyn Davis alternating as Michael; Desiree Davar as Tiger Lily/Liza; James Leo Ryan as Smee; Carly Bracco as Tootles/Jane; Dane Wagner as Slightly; Shanon Mari Mills as Curly; Joven Calloway as Twin No. 1; Marc Nunez as Twin No. 2; Michael Shepperd as Starkey; Steven Strafford as Cecco; Shannon Stoeke as Bill Jukes; Clark Roberts as Pirate/Nana/Croc; John Todd as Pirate/Indian; Jasmine Ejan as Female Indian; Seth Belliston as Pirate/Indian; J David Anderson as Pirate/Indian; Andrew Wilson as Pirate/Indian; Rod Roberts as Male Swing/Dance Captain; Melissa Roberts as Female Swing.

Starting with the original 1954 Broadway musical version of the Barrie play, Peter Pan has offered young people from several generations a first brush with musical theatre. Carolyn Leigh and Moose Charlap wrote most of the songs, with contributions by Betty Comden & Adolph Green and Jule Styne. The score includes "I'm Flying," "Neverland," "I Gotta Crow," "Wendy," "Ugg-a-Wugg," "Hook's Waltz," "Distant Melody" and more. Mary Martin created the part on Broadway (and in a TV version); Sandy Duncan flew in the late 1970s Broadway revival; and Rigby brought her boyish, elfin looks and acrobatic flying skills to several productions since the early 1990s (on tour, on Broadway, in a cable TV presentation). She retired her wires several years ago, but, clearly, could not resist returning to the role (she's now in her 50s).

Rigby and her producer husband Tom McCoy reinvented the script with their collaborators (director Glenn Casale and choreographer Patti Colombo) starting in the mid-1990s. In particular, the references to Native Americans were softened, and the tribal song "Ugg-a-Wugg" is now a primal percussion number that has brought down the house as never before. (A cast album and TV soundtrack document their fresh take on the score; the first stereo recording of the show tunes).

Rigby was a Best Actress Tony Award nominee for playing the part in 1990-91; that version (which played played two Broadway engagements starting in fall 1990 and again in fall 1991) was directed by Fran Soeder. The revised version by Casale and Colombo toured and landed on Broadway in 1998-99, earning a Tony nomination as Best Revival of a Musical. Parents who were children when they first knew the property were now returning with their own kids and finding themselves surprised at Rigby's athleticism; Mary Martin and Sandy Duncan ever walked on their hands.

Rigby has played more than 3,000 performances in the show. She won an Emmy Award for the TV version of the show (which used elements of the 1999 revival).

The 2011 creative team includes musical director Keith Levenson; scenic designer John Iacovelli; costume designer Shigeru Yaji; lighting designer Michael Gilliam; flying by Paul Rubin Enterprises; sound designer Sound Advice LLC; fight director Sean Boyd; prop coordinator Terry Hanrahan; wig and hair designer Mitchell Hale; and new orchestrator Notion Music Inc.

The 2011 tour dates includes:

Hershey, PA (Hershey Theatre) Aug. 24-28

Vienna, VA (Wolf Trap) Sept. 1-4

Oklahoma City, OK (Civic Center Music Hall) Sept. 13-18

Jackson, MS (Thalia Mara Hall) Sept. 20-22

Lexington, KY (Lexington Opera House) Sept. 23-25

Binghamton, NY (Forum Theatre) Oct. 25-27

Worchester, MA (Hanover Theatre) Oct. 28-30

Greenville, SC (Peace Center) Nov. 1-6

Tampa, FL (Tampa Bay PAC) Nov. 8-13

Utica, NY (Stanley PAC) Nov. 15-17

Elmira, NY (Clemens Center) Nov. 18-20

Hartford, CT (Bushnell Center) Nov. 22-27

New York, NY (Theater at MSG) Dec. 14-30

More 2011 dates, and dates in 2012-13, will be announced. Visit cathyrigbyispeterpan.com.