The Story of Peter Pan Intermediate ACT I PETER PAN Activity Guide At the Darling family home in London, young Wendy dances in her bedroom with Nana, the faithful family dog. Her brothers John and Michael arrive and join in the fun. Mrs. Darling and Liza the maid enter to ready the children for bed. Mr. Darling arrives and is worried about being late for a dinner party. After the boys pretend to be pirates and kidnap Father, the playful children foil all of Mother’s attempts to get them into bed and convince their parents to tell them a story. Finally peace is achieved and with the children drifting off to sleep, Mother and Father leave for the dinner party. When the coast is clear, Tinker Bell enters the nursery in search of Peter’s shadow, which he lost while listening at the The Peter Pan ballet is based on a play written in 1904 by window to Wendy telling stories to the boys. After madly searching the room she finally finds it in the washstand. Peter British author James M. Barrie (he turned it into a book a enters and tries frantically to catch his shadow. Unable to do so, he slumps down beside Wendy’s bed and begins to cry. few years later). The story is about a boy who wouldn’t Wendy awakens to see Peter crying and offers to sew his shadow back on. She is quite taken with Peter and seems to have a grow up and his adventures in the magical world of vague recollection of him. She offers him a kiss and when he doesn’t know what that is, gives him a thimble. Peter invites Neverland. The story has been retold many times in plays, Wendy to Neverland where she can be the mother and tell stories to the Lost Boys. Meanwhile Tinker Bell is very jealous and upset at Peter’s attention to Wendy. After accepting Peter’s invitation, Wendy wakens John and Michael who are overjoyed musicals, movies, and as you just saw, a ballet! to see Peter and Tinker Bell in the nursery. All three children have a quick flying lesson and with the help of Tinker Bell’s fairy dust take off through the nursery window. After flying over London they are off to adventures in Neverland – second to the right and then straight on till morning! In Neverland, Tiger Lily, the Fairies and the Crocodile are in the lagoon when they hear the pirates coming and quickly hide. Smee tells Captain Hook that Peter has returned to the island with new treasures when suddenly the Crocodile appears and tries to get another taste of Hook. Peter brings the children to the Fairy forest where all of the sprites dance in celebration. The Lost Boys arrive and everyone is happy that Peter has returned to Neverland. But the merriment does not last long when the Pirates challenge Peter and the boys to a fight. Dueling with Hook, Peter is almost defeated, when just in the nick of time the Crocodile chases Hook away. ACT II In London, Mr. Darling and Liza try to console Mrs. Darling who is heartbroken over the disappearance of the children. Meanwhile in Neverland Wendy has settled into the role of Mother to the Lost Boys. When Peter goes to check on the island, Wendy and Tinker Bell give the boys their medicine and tuck everyone into bed for the night unaware of the adventure just ahead. The Pirates enter the underground home and capture all the children. Only Tinker Bell escapes! Captain Hook, disappointed in not finding Peter, poisons the medicine bottle in hopes that he will drink from it when he returns. Later as Peter gathers his sword and his courage before heading out to save the children, he remembers to take his medicine. But before he can, Tinker Bell drinks it herself to save Peter’s life. Tinker Bell begins to fade despite Peter’s attempt to revive her. She slips away. Only the Fairies, having sensed Tinker Bell weakening, are able to revive her by dancing until she is magically resurrected. On the pirate ship the new “recruits” are put to work. Peter flies to the ship and after a fierce battle defeats Captain Hook and the pirates. After celebrating their victory, Peter begrudgingly agrees to take Wendy, John and Michael home. Wendy is worried that her brothers are forgetting their real parents. The Fairies fly the ship home, where the children surprise Mrs. Darling in the nursery. Mr. Darling, Nana & Liza hear the commotion and rush in where they are introduced to the Lost Boys who have decided it is time to grow up. After the others leave the nursery, Wendy returns, having sensed that Peter is still nearby. He has been waiting outside the window. After a tender moment, with Peter promising to return, Wendy watches him fly off into the stars. And on to another adventure! Ballet Term of the Day! Peter’s Crossword Puzzle Échappé—a step in ballet where the dancer quickly changes both of his or her feet from a closed position to an open position. For example, a dancer may perform an échappé by moving his or her feet from fifth posi- tion to second position. In French, échappé actually means escaping or slipping movement. Watch for some échappés when the fairies dance! Fifth position Second position Shadow Dance C V N E Y C P C E Q C E L S Q I F J M P In the story and the ballet, Peter loses his L T X D E Y H L R A P O B O H S X O W E shadow. Before catching it, they share a dance E L N V P R I O P K S N A N A O J R X T together. Recreate this scene with your caregiver or with a friend! E E E H D D C T R T G N I L R A D D L E Part 1: Develop some movement to try as the W I U B O S A G B E L N P V P V T E O R character Peter Down Sneaking around the Darling bedroom D E R C R I T O M M O W W V S W H N U P 1. A fairy who is known for her feisty personality looking for your shadow Q X O R N E Y O F Y B G N I Y L F M D A 2. Captain Hook is this; Pittsburgh also has a sports team by this name Flying to Neverland 3. They help save Tinker Bell after she drinks the poisoned medicine Running through a forest S R Y H A S K C A G U E R A N K F O N N 4. This character always wants a taste of Hook Sword fight with Captain Hook 5. The last name of the main family of the story C M O W P B L N V Z Z K V A T S H R A W Part 2: Moving Like a Shadow 7. The name of the family dog Decide who will be Peter and lead the B O T I G E R L I L Y J C U P A O R L O 8. Peter Pan loses this early in the story; Wendy must sew it back on for him movement, and who will be the shadow. The 9. The author of the story K Q V A I J Z U N T H U A G E H L I R D Across shadow stands in front of Peter and as Peter 6. To take or hold someone as a prisoner; Hook does this to the children begins to move, the shadow mirrors him/her. P I T T S B U R G H B A L L E T Y S E A 7. A room in a house set aside for the children to use; the story begins here for Wendy, Michael, and John Try to stay in sync! Be sure to switch roles! H V O Y C T A B K F T W F H F O K J V H 10. An area of sea water separated from a larger body of water After you have tried the activity, talk about the 11. Peter Pan enjoys going on these experience. How did it feel to be the person F E Z O D A J P Q C C Z A O S D S B E S 12. John’s and Michael’s sister following as the shadow? How did it feel to be W G F P R U Q D O W S J V J M N C P N V Peter? Do you remember some of the steps the Did you know...the Benedum Center has the third largest stage in the country? Do the numbers! dancers performed as Peter and the shadow? Barrie Nana The performance space of the stage (what the audience sees) measures 56 feet Captain Hook Neverland deep and 56 feet wide. That’s a lot of space for Peter Pan and his friends to dance Choreography Peter Pan and fly over! Can you find the area of the performance space in square feet? (Hint: Crocodile Pittsburgh Ballet multiply the measurements together!) Where’s my shadow? Darling Shadow There are many shadows hidden throughout Flying by Foy Tiger Lily ________feet X ________feet = ____________square feet this program.