By Samantha Finglass
Photos by Jeremy Daniel
For those who want to be reminded that they never truly have to grow up, enchanting magic is coming to Rudder Auditorium as MSC OPAS concludes the 2018-2019 season with Finding Neverland on April 10 and 11.
Finding Neverland is a blend of the Academy Award-winning Miramax motion picture of the same name by David Magee and the play The Man Who was Peter Pan by Allan Knee brought together in a musical to bring the magic of Peter Pan to center stage.
“Finding Neverland is the story of James M. Barrie and how he came to write Peter Pan,” says Anne Black, executive director of MSC OPAS. “When people hear ‘Finding Neverland’ they think, ‘This is about Peter Pan.’ It’s not about Peter and Wendy and the Lost Boys, except for how they exist in Barrie’s writings.”
Although the musical does not tell the story of Captain Hook chasing Tinkerbell through Neverland, it doesn’t lack the magic and whimsy audiences know and love of Peter Pan. “Expect wonderful music, a beautiful story, and things you never knew about Peter Pan,” says Black.
Finding Neverland is not re-telling the story you already know, but rather diving deeper into where the characters came from. “My favorite part would be when you get to see the idea truly come to life,” says Black. “The show is about Barrie and the family he got close to and how they inspired the story of Peter Pan you are probably familiar with.”
Originally directed by Tony Award-winner Dianne Pauls; Mia Walker, tour director, and Camden Loesner, associate choreographer, reconstructed the show for tour while maintaining the mesmerizing visuals and magical tunes. “Finding Neverland had a great Broadway run and we’re really excited to share it with our community,” says Black.
The show closes MSC OPAS’s 46th season. By including Finding Neverland, the season is rounded out with a show that seems familiar at first glance, but gives audiences a new perspective on a tale they love.
“We try to have a good mix and we hope along the way people trust us to go see something they haven’t seen before,” says Black. Finding Neverland hits a sweet-spot by combining both a new perspective and the timeless imagination of a classic story.
Finding Neverland will be at Rudder Auditorium on April 10 and 11 at 7:30pm. Tickets are on sale now through the MSC Box Office or online at www.MSCOPAS.org.
