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Peter Pan (1954 Musical)
''Peter Pan'' is a musical based on J. M. Barrie's 1904 play ''Peter Pan'' and his 1911 novelization of it, ''Peter and Wendy''. The music is mostly by Moose Charlap, with additional music by Jule Styne, and most of the lyrics were written by Carolyn Leigh, with additional lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The original 1954 Broadway production, starring Mary Martin as Peter and Cyril Ritchard as Captain Hook, earned Tony Awards for both stars. It was followed by NBC telecasts of it in 1955, 1956, and 1960 with the same stars, plus several rebroadcasts of the 1960 telecast. In 2014, the musical was broadcast on NBC featuring several new numbers, and starring Allison Williams and Christopher Walken. The show has enjoyed several revivals onstage. Background and original 1954 production Several productions of Peter Pan were staged early in the 20th century, starting in London in 1904, starring Nina Boucicault as Peter and on Broadway in 1905, starring Maude Adams. In a nod ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jule Styne
Jule Styne (; born Julius Kerwin Stein; December 31, 1905 – September 20, 1994) was an English-American songwriter and composer best known for a series of Broadway musicals, including several famous frequently-revived shows that also became successful films: ''Gypsy,'' '' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,'' and '' Funny Girl.'' Early life Styne was born to a Jewish family in London, England. His parents, Anna Kertman and Isadore Stein, were emigrants from Ukraine, the Russian Empire, and ran a small grocery. Even before his family left Britain, he did impressions on the stage of well-known singers, including Harry Lauder, who saw him perform and advised him to take up the piano. At the age of eight, he moved with his family to Chicago, where he began taking piano lessons. He proved to be a prodigy and performed with the Chicago, St. Louis, and Detroit Symphonies before he was ten years old. Career Before Styne attended Chicago Musical College, he had already attracted the attention o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cyril Ritchard
Cyril Joseph Trimnell-Ritchard (1 December 1898 – 18 December 1977), known professionally as Cyril Ritchard, was an Australian stage, screen and television actor, and director. He is best remembered today for his performance as Captain Hook in the Mary Martin musical production of ''Peter Pan''. In 1945, he played Gabriele Eisenstein in '' Gay Rosalinda'' at the Palace theatre in London, a version of Strauss's ''Die Fledermaus'' by Erich Wolfgang Korngold in which he appeared with Peter Graves. The show was conducted by Richard Tauber and ran for almost a year. Life and career Ritchard was born in the Sydney suburb of Surry Hills, one of five siblings born to Sydney-born parents: Herbert Trimnell-Ritchard, a Protestant grocer, and Margaret, sometimes called "Marguerite" ( Collins), a Roman Catholic, in whose faith the children were raised. Educated by the Jesuits at St Aloysius' College, Cyril studied medicine at University of Sydney until he abandoned his career in medicine i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Curran Theatre
The Curran Theatre, located at 445 Geary Street between Taylor and Mason Streets in the Theatre District of San Francisco, California opened in February 1922, and was named after its first owner, Homer Curran. As of 2014, the theater is owned by Carole Shorenstein Hays. History American theatrical producer Homer Curran operated another theater with his name for several years, prior to building this Curran Theatre; however, the original Curran Theatre had various names before and after this time, whereas this Curran Theatre has never had another name. It opened in February 1922 and was initially a Shubert house. Later, it was a showcase for Theatre Guild presentations. Subsequently, it became closely associated with the San Francisco Civic Light Opera (CLO), which also operated the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera. The CLO obtained numerous prestigious bookings and produced their own shows, often with stars as the lead roles. Curran wrote the book for the musical ''Song of Norw ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Comden And Green
Comden and Green refers to the 60-year writing partnership of Betty Comden (1917–2006) and Adolph Green (1914–2002). They first met at the New York City nightclub Village Gate in 1941, writing the lyrics for a play titled ''The Revuers''. They debuted with the play '' On the Town'' (1944) as book writers and lyricists, as well as part of the Original Broadway Cast. Following their involvement with ''Billion Dollar Baby'' which premiered the following year, they signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; the agreement debuted with the film '' Good News'' (1947), for which they were screenwriters and additional lyricists. Comden and Green then continued their career with musical films: '' Singin' In The Rain'' (1952), ''The Band Wagon'' (1953), ''It's Always Fair Weather'' (1955), and ''The Barkleys of Broadway'' (1949). In 1949, they adapted ''On the Town'' into a film, also writing the lyrics. Comden and Green's role in the revue ''Two on the Aisle'' (1951) marked the beginning of t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jerome Robbins
Jerome Robbins (born Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz; October 11, 1918 – July 29, 1998) was an American dancer, choreographer, film director, theatre director and producer who worked in classical ballet, on stage, film, and television. Among his numerous stage productions were '' On the Town'', ''Peter Pan'', ''High Button Shoes'', ''The King and I'', ''The Pajama Game'', '' Bells Are Ringing'', ''West Side Story'', ''Gypsy'', and '' Fiddler on the Roof''. Robbins was a five-time Tony Award-winner and a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors. He received two Academy Awards, including the 1961 Academy Award for Best Director with Robert Wise for ''West Side Story'' and a special Academy Honorary Award for his choreographic achievements on film. A documentary about Robbins's life and work, ''Something to Dance About'', featuring excerpts from his journals, archival performance and rehearsal footage, and interviews with Robbins and his colleagues, premiered on PBS in 2009 and won both ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Los Angeles Civic Light Opera
The Los Angeles Civic Light Opera (LACLO) was an American theatre/opera company in Los Angeles, California. Founded under the motto "Light Opera in the Grand Opera manner" in 1938 by impresario Edwin Lester, the organization presented fifty seasons of theatre before closing due to financial reasons in 1987. Typically the LACLO presented four to six productions during an annual season. The company produced or co-produced several of their own shows in addition to bringing in shows from Broadway to California, often with their original casts. Productions that originated at the LACLO and then went on to wider success, included ''Song of Norway'' (1944), '' Magdalena'' (1948), '' Kismet'' (1953), ''Peter Pan'' (1954) and '' Gigi'' (1973). Initially the organization mainly presented American operettas, but by the 1960s the company was presenting mostly musical theatre; although the company never completely left its roots. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edwin Lester
Edwin Lester (30 March 1895, in New York City – 13 December 1990, in Beverly Hills, California) was an American theatre director, impresario, and producer. He was the longtime general director of the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, which he founded in 1938. He also co-founded the LACLO's affiliate organization, the San Francisco Civic Light Opera, with Homer Curran in 1939. Under his leadership, the LACLO produced or co-produced several of their own shows, a number of which went on to wider success, including ''Song of Norway'' (1944), '' Magdalena'' (1948), '' Kismet'' (1953), ''Peter Pan'' (1954) and '' Gigi'' (1973). Lester also brought in shows from Broadway to California, often with their original casts. Biography Born in New York City, Lester worked professionally as a singer during his childhood and then had a brief career as a concert pianist. He moved to California to work for Sid Grauman at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood where he staged spectacle prologues in the lat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cathy Rigby
Cathleen Roxanne Rigby (later Mason, later McCoy, born December 12, 1952), known as Cathy Rigby, is an actress, speaker, and former artistic gymnast. Her performance in the 1968 Summer Olympics helped to popularize the sport of gymnastics in the United States. After her retirement from gymnastics, Rigby became a stage and television actress. She is most noted for the role of Peter Pan, which she played for more than 30 years. She also became a public speaker on the subject of eating disorder, which she struggled with and overcame. Rigby is featured in an image included on the Voyager Golden Record. Gymnastics career Rigby was the highest-scoring American gymnast at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, making her a favorite with American television audiences and helping to popularize gymnastics in America. She was the U.S. national champion in 1970 and 1972, and became the first American woman to win a medal at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships: the silver medal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sandy Duncan
Sandra Kay Duncan (born February 20, 1946) is an American actress, comedian, dancer and singer. She is known for her performances in the Broadway revival of ''Peter Pan'' and in the sitcom ''The Hogan Family''. Duncan has been nominated for three Tony Awards, two Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. Early life Duncan was born on February 20, 1946 in New London, Texas to Sylvia and Mancil Ray Duncan, a gas-station owner. She spent her early years there before moving to Tyler, Texas when she was in third grade. She performed in her first dance recital at the age of five. Career Duncan started her entertainment career at age 12, working in a local production of ''The King and I'' for $150 a week. In the late 1960s, she appeared in a commercial for United California Bank and in the soap opera ''Search for Tomorrow'' for a brief period in 1968''.'' In 1970, Duncan was named one of the "most promising faces of tomorrow" by ''Time'' magazine. Also that year, she starred in th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pantomime
Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking countries, especially during the Christmas and New Year season. Modern pantomime includes songs, gags, slapstick comedy and dancing. It employs gender-crossing actors and combines topical humour with a story more or less based on a well-known fairy tale, fable or folk tale.Reid-Walsh, Jacqueline. "Pantomime", ''The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature'', Jack Zipes (ed.), Oxford University Press (2006), Pantomime is a participatory form of theatre, in which the audience is encouraged and expected to sing along with certain parts of the music and shout out phrases to the performers. Pantomime has a long theatrical history in Western culture dating back to the era of classical theatre. It developed partly from the 16th century c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maude Adams
Maude Ewing Adams Kiskadden (November 11, 1872 – July 17, 1953), known professionally as Maude Adams, was an American actress who achieved her greatest success as the character Peter Pan, first playing the role in the 1905 Broadway production of ''Peter Pan; or, The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up''. Adams's personality appealed to a large audience and helped her become the most successful and highest-paid performer of her day, with a yearly income of more than one million dollars during her peak. Adams began performing as a child while accompanying her actress mother on tour. At age 16, she made her Broadway debut, and under Charles Frohman's management, she became a popular player alongside leading man John Drew Jr. in the early 1890s. Beginning in 1897, Adams starred in plays by J. M. Barrie, including ''The Little Minister'', '' Quality Street'', '' What Every Woman Knows'' and ''Peter Pan''. These productions made Adams the most popular actress in America. She also performed in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nina Boucicault
Nina Boucicault (27 February 1867 – 2 August 1950) was an English actress born to playwright Dion Boucicault and his wife, actress Agnes Kelly Robertson. She had three brothers, Dion William (1855–1876), Dion Boucicault Jr. and Aubrey Boucicault, and two sisters, Eva and Patrice. Her debut was at the Louisville Opera House and as a child she performed with her father. Beginning in 1892, she played Kitty Verdun in the original production of the hit comedy ''Charley's Aunt''. She was the first to play the title role in J. M. Barrie's ''Peter Pan'', beginning in 1904 at the Duke of York's Theatre. She retired from the stage in 1927, returning in 1935 and 1936 in ''Frolic Wind'' and ''Waste'', respectively, while continuing her film career. She died at Hamilton Road, Ealing. She was married three times: first to G. D. Pitman; then to E. H. Kelly; and finally to Donald Innes-Smith.Parker, John. ''Who's Who in the Theatre: A Biographical Record of the Contemporary Stage'', Pitma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
