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No. It was an actor in a dog costume.</p>
<p>I like Christopher Walken, but wasn’t impressed with his performance last night.
Williams was OK–she’s very athletic and seemed at times like mischievous boy. Overall, I wasn’t taken with this production. It seemed disjointed. There were some technical glitches–for example, you could see wires when Peter and the children were flying. The Lost Boys didn’t look like boys–some of them were pretty old. I wasn’t able to suspend disbelief while viewing this production–which is what a good production should do. </p>
<p>You didn’t realize Allison Williams was Brian Williams daughter? I think she looks EXACTLY like him:)</p>
<p>I thought Williams was good, but doesn’t have the necessary breath control for longer phrasing. The musical director was smart to teach her where to clip the phrases. She also wasn’t nearly as charismatic enough or having enough fun (no twinkle in her eye) to be fully believable. Better than Underwood, though.</p>
<p>Walken was a train wreck. Too foppish (which was not just based on the costuming) and phoning it in. No energy, not even any menace, which is what he is famous for.</p>
<p>Choreography was great, and I loved trying to figure out which was Robbins and which was new. </p>
<p>I do hope it got good enough ratings so that NBC will continue to do live musicals. I have to believe that one day they’ll get the casting right (can you say, “Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenowith”? Big enough names?)</p>
<p>Dreadful. As someone who does remember the original, this was painful. I can hardly wait to see what NBC chooses to ruin next, and since they seem to have a penchant for “family friendly”, their choices are limited. I doubt they’ll go for “Annie” since the remake is being released as a feature film, so I’m thinking, “The Secret Garden” will be fair game. That requires excellent singing voices and actors who can successfully navigate character accents, so NBC can drop the football and ruin yet another classic on all fronts. Count me out.</p>
<p>The Secret Garden is on stage right now where I live. I have heard from friends the production is wonderful. </p>
<p>NBC doesn’t care if people hate their production. They get a lot of people who tune in to “hate watch” these shows. </p>
<p>"She also wasn’t nearly as charismatic enough or having enough fun (no twinkle in her eye) to be fully believable. "</p>
<p>Agree with this assessment of Allison Williams. There was something CAREFUL and overly controlled in her performance – maybe she was simply nervous. (Can’t imagine why!)</p>
<p>Love the one from Judge Reinhold!</p>
<p><a href=“'Peter Pan Live!': The Best Tweets - The New York Times”>http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/05/peter-pan-live-the-best-tweets/</a></p>
<p>I only watched a couple of minutes because I thought the tradition to cast an adult woman as Peter Pan is ridiculous. Someone suggested to cast a talented young man. I agree. Maybe Nick Jonas? I’ll try to watch the entire show when I have nothing else to watch. Maybe when I’m decorating the Christmas tree.</p>
<p>This description from the NY Times of Christopher Walken is pretty funny: </p>
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<p>Isn’t the score written for a woman? A man cannot possibly play Peter Pan in the musical unless maybe it’s a 16 year old whose voice hasn’t changed yet. That would be so strange and a total failure but it sounds like this was as well. </p>
<p>@Mezzo’sMama , I read that NBC is considering The Music Man for next year. Sort of scary to think of the stunt casting they’ll come up with. Taylor Swift as Marian?</p>
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<p>And make them suffer on a school night? :)</p>
<p>The original James Barrie play(per his wise instructions), at the turn of the century, had women cast in the role as well. I did not watch the program last night. I saw a few clips this morning and I am grateful that I was spared.</p>
<p><a href=“Peter Pan played by a woman: why? A history of casting the J.M. Barrie character.”>http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/01/23/peter_pan_played_by_a_woman_why_a_history_of_casting_the_j_m_barrie_character.html</a></p>
<p>In so many words, the casting of a woman is an inherent limitation of the theatre versions. It is done that way because there are no other alternatives. And that might explain a lot!</p>
<p>Pants roles (women playing men) go way back in the history of early musical theater and opera. I know, since my D has been cast in a few. (Tight ACE bandages across the chest work wonders.)</p>
<p>However, I don’t understand how an audience can on one side buy into the fantasy of Peter Pan, but can’t buy into the idea of a woman playing a mans role. Granted…Miss Williams awful singing and acting job didn’t help the situation.</p>
<p>Isn’t there a history of women being played by man a few centuries ago? I am not sure it may impress many people, except for la Cage aux Folles in the 21st century. </p>
<p>As far as the fantasy part, have you considered that, perhaps, the people who do not buy into the fantasy of Peter Pan might do so precisely … for the reason of the casting in MT. Chicken and egg, perhaps, but the result is the same. In the end, it is a matter of personal taste. And, even the purported greatest of all, namely <a href=“http://img2-3.timeinc.net/people/i/2014/news/141215/mary-martin-435.jpg”>http://img2-3.timeinc.net/people/i/2014/news/141215/mary-martin-435.jpg</a> can’t sway me. But that is why we need different things for different folks! </p>
<p>It’s 2014. Is it that difficult to cast an actual boy in Peter Pan’s role?</p>
<p>If only there were a real Broadway superstar who could be cast in a starring role because she had recently become famous for voicing a queen in a Disney princess role and who had millions of little girls loving her work. If only.</p>
<p>^ Maybe she had no desire to be in it. Maybe she is busy doing something else. </p>