Peter Pan gender change?

[drew81]

I know the girl who played christopher robin this year. and yes...unlike peterpan, christiopher robin is strickly a girl role because they want soft features, and he's a non speaking role. the only time you see him is in the halloween parade.

It just was noticeable. That's it. It was nice to see a different character in the parade w/ that unit. It might change if they ever get around to making a (Fur) Christopher Robin. But who knows...

 

[Sledge]

i said PP

:lol: That made coke fly out of my nose.

 

[Vernonpush]

The theatre traditionally had a female actor play Peter because the part required soft features, no beard or shadow thereof and a boyish voice. Boys' voices tend to change in early- to mid-teens and younger male actors couldn't perform the role reliably.

I'd be put off by Peter with a five o'clock shadow!

My favorite Peter Pan was on SCTV, when John Candy played "Divine as Peter Pan".

 

[Halfling418]

I was scarred as a child to see a woman playing Peter Pan onstage(I wondered why an adult woman had a crush on a little girl), but now that I'm older and wiser I don't mind, and I adore Barrie's play.

BUT...I'd rather see the Disney version of him being played by a male--if possible. That is, if there is a youthful-looking college-aged guy available. And there are plenty--at least at my school.

 

[Tim G]

Peter Pan... always has been... errrrr.... ODD!!! :lookaroun

 

[Sledge]

Anyone have pictures of a female Peter Pan or Christopher Robin?

 

[Woody13]

The best portrayal of Peter Pan I have ever seen was performed by Mary Martin. And Cyril Richard was a great Captain Hook/Mr. Darling. Avast!

 

[JimboJones123]

so, to sum it up -- nobody knows???

 

[JimboJones123]

Anyone have pictures of a female Peter Pan or Christopher Robin?

um - :lookaroun

 

[Scooter]

A castmember on these boards once said "Whomever fits into the costume gets the job."

Perhaps it's difficult to find slender young, boyish men who apply for the job that fit into the costume... so they use girls.

Whats the big deal anyway?

 

[Bucks4WDW]

....just so that it's not obviously a woman...

Come on. A "Double D" Pan would add a whole new feel to the meet and greet, heh?


For the record, I think the stage shows use a girl for size reasons and being able to do the athletic portion is easier for a female gymnast versus a young boy.

 

[JimboJones123]

A castmember on these boards once said "Whomever fits into the costume gets the job."

Perhaps it's difficult to find slender young, boyish men who apply for the job that fit into the costume... so they use girls.

Whats the big deal anyway?

I was just asking a question -- sometimes when people don't know the answer to questions, they ask others -- just wondering if they were originally obligated by a Barrie contract to have Female PPs or if it was just that somebody eventually said "PP is a dude in the disney story". sounds like an interesting story with some kind of background... and i just always wondered about it... so i asked.

 

[JimboJones123]

So, I win "stump the forum?"

 

[barnum42]

I was just asking a question -- sometimes when people don't know the answer to questions, they ask others -- just wondering if they were originally obligated by a Barrie contract to have Female PPs or if it was just that somebody eventually said "PP is a dude in the disney story". sounds like an interesting story with some kind of background... and i just always wondered about it... so i asked.

There is a long standing theatrical tradition in the UK called "Pantomime" that is still performed around the Christmas / New Year season and are based around fairy tales and similar stories. The leading man is always played by a woman - for example in Cinderella, Prince Charming will be played by a woman. The costume will be designed to show off her legs to best advantage, often in thigh length boots (and yes, this is for a family show)
<img src="http://www.btinternet.com/~acbarrett/rjfpanto1.jpg"/>

On the other side, there will be at least one dame - played by a man. For Cinderalla, that would be The Ugly Sisters:
<img src="http://www.btinternet.com/~acbarrett/rjfpanto4.jpg"/>

To this day, when Peter Pan is the subject of a Pantomime, he is still played by a woman

 

[JimboJones123]

There is a long standing theatrical tradition in the UK called "Pantomime" that is still performed around the Christmas / New Year season and are based around fairy tales and similar stories. The leading man is always played by a woman - for example in Cinderella, Prince Charming will be played by a woman. The costume will be designed to show off her legs to best advantage, often in thigh length boots (and yes, this is for a family show)

On the other side, there will be at least one dame - played by a man. For Cinderalla, that would be The Ugly Sisters:

To this day, when Peter Pan is the subject of a Pantomime, he is still played by a woman

in the stage show yes, but not at the parks.

 

[barnum42]

in the stage show yes, but not at the parks.

Ahh "they" being Disney at the parks! I don't know, but I'd guess that maybe that was expected in America back then, where the stage show also had a girl play pan.

To be honest, the people they have play him now are technically far too old, so it's still "wrong". A short adult woman can act and look the part of a boy more convincingly than an adult male. Well, depending on how nature has stacked her out of course

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

I believe Peter Pan was originally played by a woman because women are naturally more graceful and flexible than men, and with all the flying and whatnot peter was supposed to be graceful and adept, so I believe this is why the decision was made.

Yensid "clap if you believe!" tlaw1969

 

[1disneydood]

As long as they don't get that short haired actress from the 70's with the squeaky voice, the one that played him on the TV movie, we'll be ok. I can't believe I can't remember her name because she got me sooooooo mad when I was a kid. Darnit, I was like single digit age and I couldn't handle a boy being played by a girl. Ewwww peter has girl germs. :hurl: :lol:

 

[unkadug]

As long as they don't get that short haired actress from the 70's with the squeaky voice, the one that played him on the TV movie, we'll be ok. I can't believe I can't remember her name because she got me sooooooo mad when I was a kid. Darnit, I was like single digit age and I couldn't handle a boy being played by a girl. Ewwww peter has girl germs. :hurl: :lol:

Sandy Duncan ?
<img src="http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:nJ3HDUS73rDCmM:www.peterpanfan.com/images/OnStageOther/duncan8.jpg" />

 

[raven]

The character of Peter Pan in any version of the story (Disney or otherwise) has always been a boy character. The reason why it was changed to a woman's role in stage productions is because of the flying contraption. In the early days of flying mechinisms the harness, unlike what we see today, was...should we say... "quite uncomfortable" for a male to perform in. So the role was changed and vocal parts were transposed so that a woman could play the part. Also, a "man" playing that part would have the broader shoulders and a larger build. A woman's body shape looks closer to a "boy" than a man's build. Maybe that's also why Disney put a woman as that character. I know the guy who used to play it is very small, almost dwarfed, in size compared to a typical male. But you can't say a man has ALWAYS played a man and a woman has ALWAYS played a woman at WDW. Who do you think are under some of those huge heads on those male characters?