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Show SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER10, 1995 The Salt Lake Tribune SECTION \E JACK GOODMAN Page E-2 BOOK REVIEWS Page E-5 ! A 'GARDEN' GROWS PETER PAN’ Pioneer Theatre’s Plan Pays Off With RosyStatistics | By NancyMelich THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE They are the big kid on Utah’s theater block. Theoneto set the standard. The one to take the hits — and also be required to pro- duce them. Area actors praise and lampoon them, de- pending on audition outcomes. Audiences applaud and complain, depend- Ballet West and Peter Anastos Take Off With Their Version of the Classic ing on personal taste. Pioneer Theatre Company, the $2.7 million arts organization on the University of Utah hill, takes it all in stride while moving forward By Helen Forsberg Wednesday, the company opens its 95-96 season with the highest advance single-ticket salesin the theater’s history. THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Thestory of J.M. Barrie’s “Peter Pan’:Isit fairy tale or Freudian? Is it a story for children,oris it a children’s story for adults? Is there really a Peter Pan syndrome, as Dan DeKileytitled his popular book? Oris it just good fun? Choreographer Peter Anastos leavesit to individual interpretation, “The Secret Garden,” with book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marsha Norman and music by LucySimon, features a 22-member cast guided by New York guest director Michael Montel. A sixth-grader from Salt Lake, Emily Jane Stewart, stars as Maty Lennox. Saturday matinees are at near ca- but has his own theory about the story of the boy who would not grow up. Anastos has focused on the show-biz side of the classic tale for his ballet, which wiil have its Utah premiere at Salt Lake City’s Capitol ‘Theatre this week. “Peter Pan’ is meant to be a show-show. I don’t see how it can be anything else,” explained Anastos, artistic director of the Cincinnati Ballet, jointly producing the full-length work with Ballet West. A Scottish ballet company chose to focus on the darkerside of the tale, he said. “Someone sent me a tape [of the ballet],” Anastos said. “After 10 pacity, and the Sept. 30 evening performance is now available only to those who prefer the upperbalcony. { Season subscriptions are at a 12-year high and expected to reach 9,600 byOctober. For the third consecutive year, the company is Mikel Covey Virginia Hagood dances Wendyin Ballet West's “Peter Pan.” operasis WEetewee Charles Moreyas he enters his second decade as Pib- minutes, I turnedit off. I didn’t want to know any more... . It was dark and very Freudian. Peter Pan wasthis tortured soul, the parents were weird, the kids were weird. I suppose you coulddoit that way, but this is supposed to be a show, not Freudian psychology.” Scottish playwright and publicist Sir James Matthew Barrie introduced Peter Pan to the world in 1902 in his novel The Little White neer Theatre’s artistic director. He dismisses the reminderwith a cheerful groan, perhaps notwilling to accept that 10 years can escape so quickly. When Moreyarrived from New York in 1984 to becomethe theater’s first full-tine artistic director, he had specific goals. He Bird, a tale of how children are bornas birds but forget how to fly. In 1904, he adapted the story into a play, which tells the story of the voyageof the three Darling children — Wendy, John and Michael — to Never-Never Land. The children are accompanied by the fairy Tinker Bell and Peter Pan, ‘the boy who wouldn’t grow up.” While Anastos enjoys the whimsical side of “Peter Pan,” he also believes there is an underlying message to the ballet. “We haven't hit the audience overthe headwith it. But there is a lesson about responsibility, about growing up. There is the selfishness of youth, and the wanted the company to become fuily profes- sional, be committed to artistic excellence and operatein a fiscally responsible manner. And mostofall, he wanted to put people, ona regularbasis, in the 1.000 seats at the cavernous Pioneer Memorial Theatre. With some deviations depending on the season, he has succeeded. In 1986, PTC signed a League of Regional selflessness you have to learn when you becomean adult. “Whenyou grow up, you have to learn to get out ef yourself and help other people,” Anastos continued. ‘Peter Pan doesn’t do that, so it offers a terrific lesson for kids and grownupstoo.” Anastossaid he noticed thatat the ballet’s conclusion, whenit pre- Theatre contract with Actors’ Equity Association. The arrangement gave the company miered in Cincinnati last year, some in the audience were moved to @ See PETER PAN, E-4 @ Dance companies primed for new season E6 ae Brent Herridge and Associates Gilles Maidon portrays Capt. Hook. : Mikel Covey Jeffrey Rogers dancesPeter Pan. full professional status and a place alongside such national regionaltheaters as the Cincinnati Playhouse, St. Louis Rep, New Jersey's McCarter and Seattle Rep. It remains the onlyfully professional theater between Denver and Los Angeles. Pioneer Theatre's budget has nearly dou- bled under Morey’s leadership, and while @ See GARDEN GROWS, E:3 When You Want It Spotiess. .. Don’t Just Clean it- Coit Itt |. 820OFF |; *15 OFF | I CARPET eee jj UPHOLSTERYCLEANING Coit’s powerfu! mobile carpet cleaning equipment Coit’ the expertise ani removes: io dirt to betp extend We to handledir’. end stain a Laoe Se Oe meeegee ee ee ; %I5 OFF | 825 OFF | i RUG CLEANING |,DRAPERY CLEANING; [aeeeetaaeteee laeneeee ‘Cott cleans each arce rug individually using the beet V ssaisicpe acne el an Colt's: i" OweD AF sadtsc ti saiecakiateh avian 4 Experience You Ge =e) =a =e ‘an Trust. Sait Lake City 525-G909 *q ‘Taylorevilie 984-1500 Daily Bountiful 299-4860 6 pm 1-800-FOR-COIT (967-2848) Sat. till pm Sandy West Jorden |Prewo, Park City 4:2-658 89-0333 BA-1143 648-1270 The Secret Garden Amusical Bookandlyrics by Marsha Norman, music by Lucy Simon, based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett ‘ivsesure for both children and aduits! When young Mary Lennox is suddenly orphaned and senttolive with her Uncle on a remote Englishestate, she finds that he, too,is in mourning.It isn’t until Mary, with her cousin Colin and their friend Dickon, discovers the secret garden hidden behindthe overgrown walls of the PIONEER estate grounds that sheis able to uniock the healing powerof love and hope, THEATRE American Express, MasterCard, VISA andDiscover accepted, 581-6961 ——— SE ae COMPANY 4 |
