Photo Coverage: threesixty PETER PAN Moves to Orange County, 9/28

The spectacular new threesixty° stage production of PETER PAN, J M Barrie's classic story performed in the threesixty° Theatre, a state-of-the-Art Theatre pavilion will conclude its San Francisco engagement at Ferry Park across from the Ferry Building, Sunday, August 29. BroadwayWorld brings you a special look below!

The next stop for this production of PETER PAN will be the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa beginning Sept. 28, 2010. This will be the exclusive presentation of PETER PAN in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

Conceived by an award winning creative team and featuring 22 actors, puppets, music, flying sequences and CGI effects projected on the tent walls at three times the size of Imax screens, this production of PETER PAN made its U.S. premiere on April 27 in San Francisco directly following its successful debut in London in July 2009. The entire interior of the tent is lit with more than 15,000 square feet of Hi-Resolution video so that both cast and audience are immersed in a CGI Neverland. When Peter and Wendy fly to Neverland, the audience flies with them over 400 square miles of virtual London and beyond.

"We knew that San Francisco was the ideal place for us to set up the world's first 360-degree CGI theatre and to launch the US premiere of PETER PAN, but the Bay Area response to our show has exceeded our expectations," said Robert Butters, one of the producers. "Each week more than 7,500 people attend the show, while even more come to Ferry park just to enjoy the fantastic setting and free '100 Years of Peter Pan' exhibit. With our collaborators, the Orange County Performing Arts Center, we are hoping for an equally wonderful reception in Southern California."

By the time the show closes, over 130,000 people will have seen the show in the world's first 360-degree CGI theatre tent on the Embarcadero across from the Ferry Building in San Francisco. There, PETER PAN is a unique collaboration between theatrical producers, threesixty°entertainment, and the City of San Francisco Department of Recreation and Parks.

In Orange County, The threesixty Theatre will stand beside the Orange County Performing Arts Center's Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall at Segerstrom Center for the Arts on the future site of the Orange County Museum of Art. As in San Francisco and London, audiences in Orange County will begin the journey even before the performance commences. PETER PAN is accompanied by a behind the scenes "Into Neverland" tour and a free "100 Years of Peter Pan" exhibit. Theater patrons are encouraged as well to enhance their trip to Neverland with food and beverage available in the Pavilion. (Please note however no food or beverage from outside is allowed on site).

In San Francisco, tickets for PETER PAN, range in price from $30 to $85. A $20 discount for children 12 and under is available for select performances. Tickets can be purchased online at peterpantheshow.com or by calling 1-888-ppantix (1-888-772-6849). For groups of 15 or more, please call 415-551-2020 or e-mail groupsales@shnsf.com.

In Costa Mesa, tickets to see PETER PAN start are $30 to $70. Premium ticket packages are also available, and include admission to the performance, drink voucher, souvenir brochure, PETER PAN audio book and PETER PAN memorabilia. Tickets go on priority sale to Center subscribers on Monday, July 12 and to the general public on Sunday, July 18. They will be available at OCPAC.org, at the Center's Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling 714.556.2787. For inquiries about group ticket discounts for 15 or more, call the Group Services office at 714.755.0236. The TTY number is 714.556.2746.

The threesixty° PETER PAN first captivated audiences in London, where it started performances on May 26, 2009 in Kensington Gardens, where J M Barrie was first inspired to write the story. It played a 16-week sold-out engagement to 200,000 people - including a Royal Gala for the Prince's Trust for Children and the Arts, attended by their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (Prince Charles and Camilla). In addition, an impressive parade of international celebrities enthusiastically attended with their families throughout the summer.

The cast of PETER PAN stars members of the original London production joined by American actors, making it a truly international company. Peter is played by British actor Nate Fallows. Among the original London cast members featured are Abby Ford as Wendy Darling, Jonathan Hyde as Capt Hook/Mr. Darling and Itxaso Moreno as Tinker Bell.

Additional cast members from the London production of PETER PAN include Darrell Brockis, Benjamin Chamberlain, Samantha Hopkins, Ciaran Joyce, Zoot Lynam, Mohsen Nouri, David Poynor, Antony Strachan, Ian Street, Lee Turnbull and Arthur Wilson. Rounding out the local cast is actress Heidi Beuhler featured as Tiger Lily.

threesixty Entertainment, a theatrical Production Company based in London with Charlie Burnell and Matthew Churchill as principals, commissioned a first class creative team to develop this production of PETER PAN.

One of the London Observer's "Hot 10 Must Do" events for 2009, the show was described by The Daily Express as "An immensely thrilling ride. A gem to be enjoyed whether you are 8, 18 or 80." The Independent said, "The atmosphere is perfect, the costumes outstanding. The dream world of Neverland is sensationally complemented by William Dudley's cinematic projections. How we cheered!"

Following the success in London, PETER PAN came to the United States, premiering in San Francisco on April 27.

Peter Pan, The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up was created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. One night, Peter flies into the London nursery of the Darling children, Wendy, John and Michael, teaches them to fly and leads them to the magical Neverland, "second to the right and straight on till morning", where they live with Tinker Bell, the Lost Boys and meet the notorious Captain Hook.

The tale of Peter Pan has been adapted many times including the Walt Disney animated film and a Broadway musical. However, it was not until this 2009 production, presented by threesixty entertainment, that a production was performed in London's Kensington Gardens, where Barrie was first inspired to create him and where the original statue of Peter Pan has stood since 1912. This 21st century PETER PAN mixes history and magic in equal measure to present a Peter Pan story for adults and children alike.

PETER PAN, directed by Ben Harrison and designed by William Dudley, is adapted by Tanya Ronder from the J.M. Barrie story, with music composed by Benjamin Wallfisch. Dudley has received more theatre awards and accolades than any theatre artist save Judi Dench in the United Kingdom. Choreography is by Fleur Darkin, sound design by Gregory Clarke, lighting design by Mark Henderson, fight direction by Nicholas Hall, puppetry design by Sue Buckmaster and illusions by Paul Kieve.

By arrangement with the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity and Samuel French Limited, this production of PETER PAN is produced by Charlie Burnell and Mat Churchill for threesixty entertainment. The show is produced in the United States by Robert Butters, in association with threesixty° entertainment.

About this production of PETER PAN

· 12 projectors, delivering 360 degree projection

· 10 million pixels

· 15,000 square feet of CGI

· 400 square miles of virtual London were rendered

· The largest surround CGI venue in the world

· The world's first fully 360-degree projected movie for live theater performance

· The tent, which stands 100 feet high, was shipped via boat, 6,000 miles from London to San Francisco.

· 200 computers took four weeks to create the images - it would have taken eight years for a single computer to render

For more information about PETER PAN, please visit www.peterpantheshow.com.
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Photo Credit: Kevin Berne