‘Finding Neverland’
One of the more creative productions with twists on beloved stories, “Finding Neverland” is a new musical based on the film of the same name that netted seven Oscar nominations, including one for Johnny Depp as best actor in the role of author J.M. Barrie as he finds the story that will change his career and life.
The story of the film and the Broadway show, which previewed at A.R.T. in Boston before moving to Broadway this spring, brings home a message that is slightly the opposite of the original “Peter Pan.” While “Peter Pan” drives home the point that you can’t remain a child forever, “Finding Neverland” focuses on how you must never forget to be a child.
After his last play flopped, Barrie has a chance meeting in the park with Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, a widowed mother of four children, and takes to her children, as he and his wife do not have any of their own. Watching them play, he gets the idea for “Peter Pan,” which he brings to producer Charles Frohman. Frohman takes a leap of faith on Barrie’s show to bring the joy of reconnecting with childhood to the masses, peppering the audience opening night with local children to infect the audience with laughter.
Matthew Morrison of “Glee” fame plays author Barrie, and Kelsey Grammer visibly has a ball as both Frohman and, in a small scene, Captain Hook. Laura Michelle Kelly, from Tim Burton’s film adaptation of “Sweeney Todd” and “Mary Poppins,” plays Davies.
“‘Finding Neverland’ has all of the components of a hit Broadway musical; the show’s message about never letting go of your inner child is something that audiences of all ages are connecting with,” Lee said. “This is a perfect show for the young and young at heart.”
www.findingneverlandthemusical.com
Coming Soon
One of the most anticipated shows coming out later this year is an adaptation of the Alice Walker novel “The Color Purple.” Produced by Oprah Winfrey and starring “American Idol”-star-turned-Broadway-sensation Jennifer Hudson, the new musical is set to open December 10 following a successful run of an earlier version in London.
Broadway goers are also waiting for the transfer of an unlikely sounding hit with a solid off-Broadway track record — “Hamilton” — which will be transferring to Broadway later in the summer. Written and scored by spoken-word specialist Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also wrote “In the Heights” for Broadway, “Hamilton” has already garnered dozens of award nominations for its original run.
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Julian Fellows of “Downton Abbey” fame are venturing into the realm of rock with their new musical “School of Rock: The Musical,” which follows a would-be rock star stuck teaching at a prep school who tries to make his fifth-graders into the rock band he’s always wanted.
On the nonmusical side, two highly anticipated productions are bringing stalwarts of the screen to town: “The Gin Game,” staring the formidable James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson, and the thriller “Misery,” written by Stephen King and directed by and starring Bruce Willis.
