Customer Reviews

Peter Pan

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have seen Mary Martin in the 60's video and Sandy Duncan live as Peter but when I saw Cathy Rigby live as Peter I discovered she was the best! Now this contemporary version of the musical is captured for all time in beautiful color and stereo sound. (Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound on DVD)

The Tony Award nominee and Olympic gymnast plays the role of Peter with an English accent and "boyish" ways that are just delightful. Miss Rigby's rich trained singing voice will definitely surprise you. Paul Schoeffler's shenanigans as Captain Hook is hilarious. The singing and dancing the pirates and Indians do is just awesome! Watching the extended dancing in the "Ugh-A-Wug" song was breathtaking. There's even an added scene not in the 60's version. And, of course, the flying is out of this world!

The classic Broadway and television musical PETER PAN has come back to life thanks to acclaimed gymnast and Broadway star Cathy Rigby, who has made the role her own in several Broadway incarnations and national tours over the last decade.

Cathy Rigby's PETER PAN maintains the spirit and integrity of the much-loved Mary Martin version but adds a few modern touches to keep in step with theatregoers. Choreographer Patti Colombo offers a breathtaking new STOMP-like spin to the "Ugg-A-Wugg" musical number, and takes advantage of Rigby's history as an Olympic gymnast in the "I'm Flying" ballet.

Filmed before a live audience during a performance at the La Mirada Theatre, this new PETER PAN features an impressive supporting cast headed by Paul Schoeffler in the traditional dual-roles of Mr Darling and Captain Hook. Elisa Sagardia plays a delightful Wendy and Barbara McCulloh is a touching Mrs Darling as well as a cunning Mermaid in the Marooner's Rock scene.

Dana Solimando plays both maid Liza as well as Tiger Lily (which sadly means the omission of "Liza's Ballet" which was a highlight in the Mary Martin version). Aileen Quinn (who played the title role in the film version of ANNIE as well as the Canon MovieTales version of THE FROG PRINCE) makes a welcome appearance as Lost Boy Tootles. Drake English and Barry Cavanagh play Wendy's younger siblings John and Michael.

This is a thrilling production with superb theatrical values. It should be a mandatory DVD in any Broadway-lovers collection.

The DVD includes backstage footage and sing-along supplements.

Cathy Rigby as Peter Pan? Who would have thought! As it turns out, this former Olympic gymnast is just wonderful! According to her bio, after her gymnastic career was over she studied acting, singing and dancing. Well it paid off! Overall, I think she is the best actress to play Peter so far! It's no wonder she was nominated for a Tony award for "best actress in a musical" in this role. Although her singing voice isn't as good as Mary Martin's, her voice is trained and very pleasant to listen to. Her acting is superb. I get the sense she created her rendition of Peter from the James Barrie book not from watching the Mary Martin video. She plays him very boyish. And, true to the book, sometimes cocky and rude but still lovable. At 47 years old her athletic abilities are still prominent and the flying sequences have taken on new heights as Cathy even flies with vertical flips! Paul Schoeffler, who plays the father and Captain Hook, is a very good actor and singer and his portrayal of Captain Hook is strong and powerful. The actor who plays Smee is funny and they are hilarious together. The Darling children are very well cast with the actress playing Wendy doing a wonderful job being smitten with Peter. The choreographer has done a great job! The dancing the lost boys, pirates and Indians do is exciting and fun to watch. My only complaints are technical ones. Why wasn't this shot in a wide screen version? (After all, it's a stage show and there's a lot to see.) Why are there some close ups when there should be wider shots? Why aren't the voices prominent in the center speaker on the DVD Dolby 5.1 Digital version? Even with those things, I highly recommend this version of Peter Pan. I understand why this production was nominated for a Tony award for "Best Revival of a Musical". Enjoy!

After seeing this edition of Peter Pan on Broadway, I was quite excited over the fact that it had come out in video form. My excitement diminshed as I began to watch the show. Though I will rate the performance 4 stars, I would rate the editing of the performance for videotape 2 stars. Whoever edited the tape gets a failing grade. Too many times you can clearly see that Ms. Rigby is lip synching the songs. Though this might make for a better tape, there are times when you hear her voice but her mouth has stopped moving. The biggest disappointment was the fact that the video version did not have the sequence showing when the Darling nursery stage set "breaks apart", and the stage is transformed into a vision of a star filled night as Peter Pan and the children fly off to NeverLand. Seeing this live on Broadway only builds ones excitement. Not seeing it on the video makes me feel short changed.

I must agree with a few others on here that I was disappointed with this version of 'Peter Pan'.

PROS:
-Cathy Rigby's skill as an olympic gymnast really gave Peter a great element of athleticism. Great voice and fun actress.
-Scenic design and set design all really nicely done, a bit predictable, but predictable is what an audience wants to see when they to to a production of 'Peter Pan'

CONS:
-The cuts! Like others have said, this production is totally rushed and they made some weird cuts.
-The face value acting doesn't go deep enough into the characters. While all these performers are skilled individuals, I was not impressed with their acting. However, this could be partially the fault of the director as well.
-The lip synching was a huuuuuuge disappointment!
-I don't understand what the deal is with the adults playing lost boys. Yes, adult performers can often perform more sophisticated choreography, but a certain nostalgia and innocence is brought to the production when actual kids are invovled.

With all that said, I think that kids would love this video. However, as a musical theatre student there are several shortcomings to this production overall. Nice musical, so-so interpretation. :)

I have watched this video twice since I bought it and each time I see something new I like in it. I think Cathy Rigby as Peter is just supurb. I too remember and have a copy of the earlier version with Mary martin (hallmark hall of fame 1960) which I recorded from the tv presentation and as much as I like Miss Martin's rendition of Peter I have to admit Cathy is better. The Uga-awug-wa dance and drum sticks chorus with the Indians, lost boys, and Peter is great and makes you want to get up and dance with them. Cathy can play that drum too. The flying sequences are just awsome and best of all you don't see the cables which, unfortunately, you do in the TV version with Martin. How a California girl can talk like a true cockney and make you believe it is astounding. You'd sware she'd been born in Soho. I highly recommend this video to anyone who loves stage plays and children's tales. Cap'in Hook is just great! I bought the VHS version and it is great. Thanks A&E. Alex Thompson.

I had the pleasure of seeing this production in Dallas on its way to Broadway, and just finished viewing the DVD. I've hoped for some time that the Rigby version would be filmed, and I'm not disappointed! I also love the Mary Martin (I grew up with it), but the Rigby version is much closer to the original play that James M. Barrie wrote, and to Peter and Wendy, the book which followed. Rigby's Peter is boyish, cocky, sometimes rude and unthinking - not always sweet. This is the way James Barrie originally wrote the character! The relationship with Wendy, and Peter's refusal to grow up (a somewhat tragic decision, as it means he must eventually lose Wendy, or any other chance at a real relationship) is front and center, as it should be. The Indians are a British child's dream of Native Americans, again, much more like Barrie wrote them. There are scenes in this version that have been in no other (Marooner's Rock), and the flying and other special effects are absolutely superb! In addition, the DVD features the entire stage production --- the broadcast version on A&E cut some scenes, but they are present in the DVD (I don't know about the video). The background information about the production is also very interesting. A great version of Peter Pan - probably the closest we have to the original story --- adventure, magic, fun - and some of the deeper shadings (what we gain and lose by "growing up") that are overlooked in most versions. Highly recommended!

I've recently taken a liking to theater, and this Peter Pan is something that has inspired me to do so even more. Everything about it was awesome. But what makes Peter Pan the most enjoyable, as it is for the many Peter Pan takes, is the music. Such songs as Ugg-A-Wugg, I've Gotta Crow, and I Won't Grow Up just stick with you. And Cathy Rigby displayed Peter Pan wonderfully, along with the rest of the cast. I can't leave out the choreography, it's awesome! Too bad the show was retired, it would be *magical* to see it in person.

HI! Even though I am 16 years old I loved this show. When my mom told me it was on A&E my first thought was 'Oh terrific a boring broadway play. On Peter Pan how thrilling!' But when I saw it I was HOOKED!!! I think Cathy Rigby does an excellent job with being Peter Pan she is better then Mary Martin's version. The flying they do is superb especially at the end where she flys over the audence. The Lost Boys are very talented even though there are 2 girls in it (Tootles) and one of the (Twins). The songs in it are terrific!! Such as "Ugga a Wug", "Wendy" and "I won't grow up" it makes you just wanna dance a sing along with them!!! The only thing that's bad is that there is not enough wider shots. And when you watch the A&E version they cut some of the good parts out. So I suggests you get the video instead...

This new Peter Pan is excellent family entertainment. The acting is much more subtle than the Mary Martin version and Cathy Rigby is surprisingly effective in the role. Her gymnastics background is particularly evident in the truly spectacular flying scenes. The three Darling children are all excellent actors and singers -- Wendy in particular. Cathy Rigby is a very good singer and a competent actress, but I missed the enthusiam and strong voice that Mary Martin brought to the role. The overall production is lusher than the 1950's version -- sets, costumes and lighting are all much improved. If there is a weak link in Peter Pan, it is in the role of Tiger Lily. Her voice is too soft, although she is a good dancer. It does seem, however, that casting the role with a real Native American would have worked better. In closing, this production is a definite improvement over the Mary Martin version and I highly recommend it.