GOTTA CROW ABOUT "PETER PAN" AT UCONN

                                   RILEY COSTELLO AS PETER PAN

                                 TERRENCE MANN AS CAPTAIN HOOK (AND MR. DARLING)

Put on your magic flying shoes, sprinkle yourself with fairy dust and take off for the wondrous world called Neverland, where boys choose not to grow up. Come meet and share an  adventurous visit with that eternal youth, Peter Pan, who professes to dislike grown ups so much he vows never to be one.

The Connecticut Repertory Theatre at the University of Connecticut has assembled a truly superb production of J. M. Barrie‘s classic tale “Peter Pan The Musical” set to delight children and adults alike from Tuesday to Sunday, until July 3 at the Jorgensen Auditorium on the campus at Storrs. You are guaranteed to love everyone from Tinker Bell and the Darling children, Tiger Lily and her Indian tribe, Peter and his band of Lost Boys, ostriches and crocodiles, and all the residents of the island of Neverland except for the crochety and controlling devil of a ship captain, the wonderful Terrence Mann as Captain Hook.

When Peter Pan, the exceptional and talented Riley Costello and his luminous pal Tinker Bell fly through the bedroom window of the Darling children, Wendy (Maggie Bera), Michael (Atticus L. Burrello) and John (Troyer Coultas), all their lives are changed forever. Peter persuades them all to join him and he flies with his new friends to Neverland to meet the Lost Boys. There Wendy becomes “mother,” telling bedtime stories and sewing socks and pockets. On this island, they encounter a tribe of friendly Indians led by Tiger Lily (Annie Wallace) and a band of mean spirited pirates, including the ever smiling Smee (Jonathan Cobrda) led by Captain Hook.

Both Tinker Bell and Peter prove their courage, as the young audience gets to decide that fairies really exist by shouting and clapping their belief. Cassie Abate  directs and choreographs this charming story of one boy who defied the ordinary rules of childhood.

For tickets ($10-55) call Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Jorgensen Auditorium, University of Connecticut campus, Storrs at 860-486-2113. Performances are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.

Every dance from the tango to the tarantella to the waltz are deliciously lively and the songs composed by Carolyn Leigh, Morris Charlap, Betty Comden and Jule Styne are tempting you for some sing-along fun. As always, the scenery by Tim Brown, including projections, are great and the clever costumes by Lisa Loen are colorfully creative.

Take a child by the hand and fly off on a magical adventure, where crocodiles (Alessandro Viviano) tell time and big fluffy sheep dogs (Sean Ormond) serve as nursemaids.