WASHINGTON — Exactly one year ago, 21.8 million viewers tuned in for NBC’s live stage broadcast of “The Sound of Music,” starring Carrie Underwood in the role made famous by Julie Andrews.
That includes 18.5 million the night of the broadcast and another 3.3 million in seven days of DVR, combining for NBC’s highest Thursday-night rating since the series finales of “Friends” (52.46 million) and “Frasier” (22.59 million).
At 8 p.m. Thursday, the Peacock tries to recapture the magic with “Peter Pan Live,” the latest take on the boy who won’t grow up. Once again, Peter brings the Darling children to Neverland with the glow of Tinkerbell, the camaraderie of the Lost Boys and the danger of Captain Hook’s pirates.
The new version stars Allison Williams, daughter of “NBC Nightly News” host Brian Williams. She’s most famous for her role as Marnie Michaels in Lena Dunham’s hit HBO series “Girls,” but admits a real-life obsession with musicals, including Disney’s “Frozen.”
Now, she’ll show her pipes by following in the fancy footsteps of Mary Martin, Sandy Duncan and Cathy Rigby, continuing the cross-dressing tradition of a woman playing the male lead in “Peter Pan.”
Peter’s nemesis Captain Hook will be portrayed by Christopher Walken (“The Deer Hunter”), who’s got a fever and the only prescription is more pixie dust. It’s not the first time a ’70s Oscar winner has tried the role. Dustin Hoffman (“Kramer vs. Kramer”) played it in Steven Spielberg’s “Hook” (1991). While that movie featured Julia Roberts in the role of Tinkerbell, the stage versions routinely depict the fairy with a flickering light, urging audiences to clap for her survival.
If “Hook” fans are still mourning the loss of Robin Williams, they’ll get the therapeutic experience of watching his “Good Will Hunting” co-star Minnie Driver as the adult narrator version of Wendy. The younger version of Wendy will be played by Taylor Louderman, while her siblings Michael and John will be played by John Allyn and Jake Lucas, respectively.
As for their parents, expect strong performances from a pair of Broadway veterans. Five-time Tony nominee Kelli O’Hara (“South Pacific,” “Bridges of Madison County”) will play Mrs. Darling, while Tony-winner Christian Borle (Broadway’s “Peter and the Starcatcher” and NBC’s “Smash”) will play both the father George Darling and Captain Hook’s first mate, Smee.
Alanna Saunders rounds out the cast as Tiger Lily, adding a new chapter to the debate over Native American pop-culture portrayals. “Peter Pan” has long referred to Tiger Lily’s islanders as “Redskins.”
That’s because the tale began as a 1904 play and novel by J.M. Barrie. Fifty years later, it was adapted into a 1954 Broadway production, directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins, who would go on to share a Best Director Oscar with Robert Wise in “West Side Story” (1961). The original Broadway production won Tonys for both Mary Martin as Peter and Cyril Ritchard as Captain Hook, roles that captured hearts nationwide when the show was telecast by NBC in 1955, 1956 and 1960.
The 1960 videotaped version was rebroadcast in 1963, 1966 and 1973 and was released on home video in 1990, where I was introduced to it as a 6-year-old boy who also didn’t want to grow up.
The nationally televised airings cemented the lyrics of Carolyn Leigh and music of Mark Charlap in our collective subconscious. The songbook includes additional music by Jule Styne, who co-wrote the holiday tune “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!,” and additional lyrics by the dynamic duo of Betty Comden and Adolph Green, who penned some of cinema’s best musicals in “On the Town” (1949), “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952) and “The Band Wagon” (1953).
Don’t expect Disney’s 1953 soundtrack of “Following the Leader,” “Never Smile at a Crocodile” or “You Can Fly, You Can Fly, You Can Fly.” Instead, you’ll get a string of showtune standards:
“I Won’t Grow Up” — This defiant children’s anthem captures the spirit of eternal youth.
“I’ve Gotta Crow” — This bragging song was homaged by Jonah Hill in “21 Jump Street.”
“I’m Flying” — This uplifting song makes wondrous use of wires to fly Peter around the stage.
How will such classic numbers play in 2014? That’s the monumental task of theater director and choreographer Rob Ashford (“The Sound of Music Live!”), live TV director Glenn Weiss (“68th Annual Tony Awards”) and executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (“Hairspray”).
It remains to be seen whether Allison Williams will take flight like Mary Martin. But if last year’s “Sound of Music” was any indication, plenty of folks will be clapping for this theater revival — just like generations have clapped to revive Tinkerbell each time the light goes out.
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