The Boy Who Never Grew Up

My 8 year old niece and 5 year old nephew were here for a visit. One night I took my niece out to see Peter Pan at the Three Sixty tent in the Tribune Freedom Center. She had seen the musical at her school and really wanted to see it again. As we neared the compound, it appeared to be a whole tent city that travels with the show. They had concession and merchandise stands but also a photo exhibit of Peter Pan throughout the years as well as production shots of the current traveling production. It's like entering a new world, a great way to get you into the atmosphere of the show.

This was a straight play with some music all performed on an arena stage. Great cast and a very delightful and naughty Tinkerbell plus some unique puppetry involving Nana and the Crocodile, are major parts of this play. But the highlight of this production is the CGI projected onto the ceiling of the tent so that flying scenes where actors were suspended on wires are so breathtaking. Particularly when Peter, Wendy, John and Michael were flying over the London skyline. It's visually perfect complete with the Royal Albert Hall, Parliament, the Thames and even St. Paul's Cathedral. As an audience member, you feel like you're flying with them. My niece was so enthralled and my excitement actually comes from watching her reactions. It's so refreshing seeing a show through my niece's experience. In fact, there were a lot of children in the audience that night and one of the best parts of the show came from a 6 year old boy in front of us. In the scene where Peter kisses Wendy, the boy with pirate sword in hand retorts a resounding "EEEwwww!" much to everyone's delight.

I have to say though that my niece and I did miss the hearing Peter sing "I Won't Grow Up" and other songs from the musical.

Here are more photos from The Three Sixty Tent City: