Midwest Ballet offers new view of ‘Peter Pan’
By Annie Alleman For Sun-Times Media March 7, 2013 10:04AM
Midwest Ballet Theatre will dance "Peter Pan" March 9-10 in Downers Grove. | Courtesy of Midwest Ballet Theatre
Midwest Ballet offers new view of ‘Peter Pan’
Maps
Updated: March 7, 2013 10:56AM
The beloved children’s classic “Peter Pan,” with all of its familiar characters, comes to life onstage this weekend.
The Midwest Ballet Theater of Downers Grove presents a full-length, original story, ballet version of “Peter Pan” at 1:30 p.m. March 9 and 10 at the Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove.
Based on the classic tale by J.M. Barrie, Midwest Ballet Theater’s production of “Peter Pan” premiered in 1992, with choreography by artistic director Mim Eichmann. This is the eighth time the company has presented it.
Dancers in the production are from Downers Grove, Darien, Westmont, Clarendon Hills, Naperville, Lemont, Itasca, Lombard and Willowbrook.
She said the score and choreography are “surprisingly intact” after 20-plus years, she said. Grants received in years past have allowed the theater to update the sets and props as well.
“It’s been seen by many thousands of children over the last couple of decades,” she said. “This is a professional-quality production; it’s not a recital.”
There are 18 people in the cast, ranging in age from 9 to late-20s.
“There are two little fairies that bring Tinkerbell back to life,” she said. “The vast majority are high school students.”
One of the questions she often hears is how to explain the story without talking, especially to children (and adults) who may have only seen other versions of “Peter Pan.”
“It does come through in terms of how you position certain characters. There might be some subtle things people understand, but I don’t rely on archaic gesturing or pantomime to try to put forth ideas. It comes through with the music, with the body language … the acting in terms of what the characters themselves are portraying because their faces are engaged in part of it as well.”
Many of the dancers are seniors, and it’s their favorite show too, she said.
“A lot of them did the same roles three years ago, the last time we did this, that they’re doing now,” she said. “Peter Pan is the same, our Tinkerbell, both of our gypsies are the same. They get to reinterpret the same role and … bring more maturity to it and certainly a greater dance capability as well. They are all very strong dancers.”
