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Post by jo on Mar 14, 2014 17:36:44 GMT -5
If a musical PETER PAN will be NBC's Christmas offering, that should be a good introduction to the forthcoming prequel story of PAN ( tentative title), with Hugh as Blackbeard. I have not had a chance to see the actual musical( was there ever a filmed version with Mary Martin or other later versions) -- but I do remember seeing a Peter Pan movie although I cannot remember who were in it. The PAN movie, however, will be a prequel and will not have the same character emphasis ( hardly any Wendy and no Tinkerbell!). It would have been better if the sequence of release to audiences were in the reverse. But to have the NBC musical pave the way for the family-friendly PAN prequel story would be excellent promotion! It is going to be a Peter Pan year from the yearend! EDIT: What luck -- someone has uploaded the full musical on You Tube -- it is the 1960 TV version with Mary Martin! I understand that there was an earlier version in 1955? www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJFtCfHDFfwJo |
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Post by njr on Mar 14, 2014 18:12:29 GMT -5
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Post by JH4HJ on Mar 14, 2014 19:04:01 GMT -5
What luck -- someone has uploaded the full musical on You Tube -- it is the 1960 TV version with Mary Martin! I understand that there was an earlier version in 1955? www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJFtCfHDFfwThe 1955 version is in black and white. 1960 is the first year it was broadcast in color. The lead actors are the same. The kids had to change of course. If Kathleen Nolan is Wendy, it's from the '50s (there were multiple broadcasts). If Maureen Bailey is Wendy it's the 1960 version, which was recorded and then rebroadcast for many years. |
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Post by jo on Mar 14, 2014 19:50:48 GMT -5
Thanks, Nancy and Valerie! I have completed watching the 1960 version -- it is really material for the stage! It is portrayed as a musical comedy (almost a parody, in some instances, especially in the portrayal of some of the citizens of Neverland), which is going to be a bit more farfetched from the new film, the prequel story of PAN. Back to the musical -- *There is one song that is so beautiful and resonant -- ONCE UPON A TIME AND LONG AGO. **It resonates on a very personal level for me. **That song must have been the major basis for the script for PAN by Jason Fuchs. The prequel is premised ( Possible SPOILER ALERT)............ on young Peter's search for the mother he never knew! *Such lovely English accents for some of the cast. I wonder -- will the NBC musical cast British actors for some of the parts ( Cyril Ritchard was terrific as Captain Hook)! Hugh should be alright with an English accent, too -- shouldn't he  *Given the controversy about Rooney Mara taking the role of Tiger Lily in the PAN movie, it is almost amusing to see Tiger Lily with blonde hair on the Mary Martin TV special *How will they cast the musical for the new NBC special -- will a young man or boy portray Peter? Personally, I would like to see that happen. Mary is a legend, but the credibility is strained a little with her in the role. Her singing is fab, but I would have loved to have heard how a young man or a boy sings the part... Btw, I was lucky to have seen Mary in her last Broadway play ( "I DO, I DO", with Robert Preston, a two-hander based on The Fourposter). That was a very long time ago. *Will they re-imagine the show? We will not likely see a telecast here of the new NBC musical, but hopefully, the internet will show us some clips. Jo |
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Post by mamaleh on Mar 17, 2014 8:52:07 GMT -5
I used to look forward to the almost annual showing of PETER PAN during my childhood. I really think that's where my love of musicals took off--and from the TV versions of CINDERELLA, too. I'd love to see PP as NBC's next foray into the genre. My admiration for the inimitable Cyril Ritchard reemerged some years later on a school outing to the Broadway musical THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT, THE SMELL OF THE CROWD, when I was reminded how charismatic he could be, especially on stage.
Ellen
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Post by jo on Mar 17, 2014 9:25:46 GMT -5
LOLOL! I didn't know Cyril Ritchard was Australian!! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyril_RitchardIt looks like Aussies make good film/stage pirates, starting with Errol Flynn, and including Anthony Warlow  Jo |
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Post by mamaleh on Mar 17, 2014 11:14:00 GMT -5
I didn't know that either! He always spoke such (to my ears, anyway) pristine "British."
Ellen
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Post by JH4HJ on Mar 17, 2014 12:40:44 GMT -5
I didn't know that either! He always spoke such (to my ears, anyway) pristine "British." As a kid I had a record of Prokofiev's Peter And The Wolf, which he narrated - loved his voice. I saw him in Roar Of The Greasepaint, Smell Of The Crowd with Anthony Newley, and got to talk with him for a sec when I saw Sugar years later. You could hear it in his "off stage" voice just a tad. If I hadn't known Peter by then I don't think I would have realized what I was hearing. He was a wonderful actor, not as tall as I'd expected... very sweet and absolutely charming. [Tangent -- BTW: Errol Flynn and Rod Taylor were also from Down Under.] |
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Post by mamaleh on May 12, 2014 10:59:14 GMT -5
According to a poster on Broadwayworld.com, it was decided today at the upfronts (where TV networks parade their upcoming goodies to entice advertisers) that THE MUSIC MAN will be NBC's follow-up to PETER PAN, which followed on from THE SOUND OF MUSIC.
Kind of a ho-hum choice, but inevitable, I guess. It does have to appeal to a mass audience. I was not overly fond of the Matthew Broderick-Kristin Chenoweth version several years ago. I hope this one is better. (Hey, Hugh has "Rock Island" from TMM's score memorized. Hint, hint!)
Ellen
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jo
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Post by jo on May 12, 2014 19:00:15 GMT -5
LOL - maybe he can be roped in for a surprise cameo...and he can do all 8 roles! Except I don't know how he can do it, if this is supposed to be filmed live Maybe he can borrow how Quicksilver does it in DAYS OF MEN FUTURE PAST? Jo |
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Post by jo on Jul 13, 2014 15:10:41 GMT -5
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Post by JH4HJ on Jul 14, 2014 12:26:29 GMT -5
Chris Walken will be Captain Hook I like Christopher Walken (I had the pleasure of meeting him, MANY years ago during Lion In Winter) but he would not be on my Short List for this role. He has an odd, "hesitant" speech pattern that does not suit Capt. Hook IMHO, though he can sing, do that little pirate jig and certainly does a great job with "evil" characters. Anything that brings *live* theater to millions will always be a PLUS in my book, regardless. Wow! 65 million viewers in 1955? That must have been nearly every TV in America - including mine.  ...trying to picture Capt. Hook in tap shoes. . . OK, now trying NOT to picture it. smiley-signs140 Full article (you can vote for an actress to play Peter Pan here) |
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Post by mamaleh on Jul 14, 2014 13:11:40 GMT -5
Well, as I recall, there was no tap dance, but didn't Hook dance a waltz, tarantella and tango? Close enough.  I tend to agree, Valerie. I'm a big Walken fan but can't quite envision him as Hook--unless they take a radically different approach to the character. Ellen |
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Post by jo on Jul 14, 2014 19:00:36 GMT -5
In relation to PAN, which will be released the following summer after the NBC live musical is aired, there will be some confusion as to the castings. In PAN, Tiger Lily and young Captain Hook ( James) develop a romantic interest together. But with the casting of Chris Walken and presumably a young actress as Tiger Lily in the Peter Pan musical, people will find the differing age gaps confusing smiley-rolleyes010 Jo |
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Post by suefb on Jul 14, 2014 19:46:31 GMT -5
Hi, Jo - I enjoy reading many of your posts, but I'd prefer not to read PAN spoilers like this In random threads. Or anywhere, actually, but especially in an unlabelled thread. Thanks for your consideration!
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Post by jo on Jul 14, 2014 20:19:15 GMT -5
Sorry, Suefb, I hadn't realized that this is not the PAN thread and people may be wary of reading related spoilers. I will mark it accordingly ( too late for you in this case...but will try to avoid future incidents) Please do me a favor -- could you edit your reply so the spoiler tags can be attached ( as I have edited my post). Thanks! Jo |
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Post by suefb on Jul 14, 2014 20:26:56 GMT -5
Thanks, jo, and yes, I've edited my post as well. |
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Post by jo on Jul 30, 2014 9:10:04 GMT -5
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Post by mamaleh on Jul 30, 2014 9:43:47 GMT -5
I've never heard her sing, but she must be OK or else she would not have been cast. Two things strike me about the casting: They're going the traditional route of having a woman play Peter. Will that hold up today, for a generation not accustomed to Mary Martin or even Cathy Rigby? What will they think--that Peter suffers from gynecomastia? Also, does GIRLS have a wide enough following so that people will tune in to see one of its cast members? It's on HBO and therefore has a limited audience--and probably not the same audience for a family-friendly PETER PAN.
But hey, at least it's not Miley Cyrus.
Ellen
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Post by jo on Jul 30, 2014 9:58:00 GMT -5
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Post by jo on Jul 31, 2014 7:31:42 GMT -5
Discussions on message boards re the casting -- here's the BWW thread: www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.php?thread=1075222&dt=91And the ATC thread -- www.talkinbroadway.com/allthatchat/d.php?id=2225722There will some great confusion when PAN is released some 7 months after the airing of the NBC revival. In the NBC musical -- *Peter will be played by a fully grown woman ( who is 5'6" and not exactly model-thin but quite a goodlooking actress) *Main adversary is 71-year old Christopher Walken who plays Captain Hook ( vs dashing Hugh Jackman, albeit bald and bemoustached who plays Blackbeard). *Captain Hook is going to be quite ...ahem... mature (in the person of C. Walken), as against the male romantic lead in the person of Garrett Hedlund, playing the young James Hook. *Tiger Lily will be portrayed by a Native American actress ( according to one poster, casting notices have been put put)...while Rooney Mara plays a feisty version of the Native Neverlander Tiger Lily. *Also, will they be looking for the character who will be played by Amanda Seyfried in PAN? Hopefully, the NBC musical will pave some of the way for the release of PAN. Although MB posters are not hopeful that there is not enough star power in the NBC musical to draw the sizable audience that was attracted by The Sound of Music. Jo |
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Post by jo on Sept 25, 2014 16:07:55 GMT -5
 Peter ( Allison Williams) and Capt Hook ( Christopher Walken). Is it only me but "Peter" looks too girly to me. I know he is supposed to be played by an actress ( just like Mary Martin did) but Allison doesn't seem to have that rare stage charm? This is going to generate some comparisons when PAN is released in July the following year -- we have already seen the adorable Levi Miller in that Ice Bucket challenge video with Hugh. And Blackbeard is the meaner pirate than the comical-looking Hook here. Well, at least the NBC movie is going to be a revival of the musical ( I was able to see the Mary Martin/Cyril Pritchard version on YouTube). Jo |
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Post by jo on Mar 31, 2015 8:25:57 GMT -5
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