“Finding Neverland” a special place nobody wants to leave
Raider Times photo / Courtesy of Carol Rosegg
The young actors playing the Llewelyn Davies boys are at the heart of “Finding Neverland,” which is playing at the Boston Opera House from Aug. 8-20, 2017.
August 12, 2017
While watching the musical “Finding Neverland” on opening night at Boston Opera House, the audience was transported into a fantasy world that they never want to leave — not unlike Neverland.
The show pulled viewers in with its many captivating musical numbers and the reality of the characters emotions and thoughts.
The young actors performing the roles of George, Michael, Jack, and Peter, were extremely impressive. They had amazing voices, their acting was something you would expect from a very experienced performer. Their ability to know and perform many different roles was incredible.
“Finding Neverland” is based in London where J.M. Barrie writes plays for a prestigious theater that is run by Charles Frohman. The theater is losing money fast due to the fact that no one is interested in Mr. Barrie’s concepts anymore.
While being pressured to come up with a new idea for a play, Mr. Barrie meets Sylvia Llewelyn Davies and her four whimsical children, George, Michael, Jack, and Peter. The boys are constantly wrapped up in their fantasy worlds, and soon Mr. Barrie joins them on their adventures.
Peter, the oldest of the children, believes he is too old for their silly games, but, over time, Mr. Barrie convinces him that you are never too old to have a little fun. Sylvia and her boys develop a special connection with Mr. Barrie which inspires him to write a play that encourages audiences to feel young again.
After being told time and time again that he needs to write more sophisticated works, Mr. Barrie decides to take a cue from the children and write and produce something with a little magic, despite what Mr. Frohman wants for his theater.
Performing “Finding Neverland” in the Boston Opera House brings many of the actors back to when they watched shows from the same seats in the audience. On opening night, Aug. 8, a talkback occurred after the show, gathering some of the main characters from the show, plus the director, talking to audience members and reporters.
The actors who play the main characters from “Finding Neverland” explained that they were happy to be back in Boston because many of them grew up in the Greater Boston area. Christine Dwyer, who plays Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, grew up in Lynnfield, and John Davidson, who plays Charles Frohman, lived in West Bridgewater. All of the actors professed their love for the audiences of Boston, explaining how they keep their energy throughout the entire show, right up until the closing of the curtain.
“Finding Neverland” will be in Boston through Sunday, Aug. 20, so find a time to get the family together and experience this stunning performance of how the story of “Peter Pan” came to life.
(“Finding Neverland” is playing at Boston Opera House Aug. 8-20, 2017. For more information, go to http://boston.broadway.com/.)
–Aug. 12, 2017–
