For you adults
that sometimes feel like kids inside,
try to complete these ten quotes from Peter Pan:
1. Boy, why are you _________?
2. You see, Wendy,
when the very first baby laughed for the very first time,
its _______ broke into a thousand pieces,
and that was the beginning of fairies.
3. Mr Darling's response to Wendy
when she says she doesn't want to leave the nursery
is "Oh ____________!"
4. Second star to the right, and straight on 'til __________!
5. When in doubt, ______!
6. I'm Nibs. I plan the _______.
7. If you believe in ___________, clap your hands.
8. To _____ will be an awfully big adventure.
9. Welcome to the ____________, boys!
10. All children grow up, except _______.
Why the interest in Peter Pan?
My first graders are performing it this week.
They have been singing their guts out for weeks.
Pan just lost a tooth
and doesn't really perform,
he pretends.
He becomes Pan,
to the point he has his back to the audience,
whispering to Tinkerbell.
(I use my grandmother's clicker
to remind him
and a few others
that Grandma is sitting in the back
and needs to hear.)
Mr and Mrs Darling
are loving parents
even though Mr D does drag the dog Nana out by her leg.
Their children,
Wendy, John and Michael,
are played by sure-footed children
unafraid to jump from the bench to the radiator
to simulate flight.
The lost boys
and girl
are wild
and charming
and may steal the show.
"I'm Tootles!"
is even better with a lisp.
Princess Tiger Lily is serious
and creative with her dancing.
The pirates are wickedly goofy
and Captain Hook growls out every line.
He is keeping his plastic hook under control backstage--
the threat to make him use a curved finger
seems to be working.
The dramatic battle between Crocodile and Hook
is a fitting finale to Neverland.
The good news is
the play will be wonderful
despite,
or perhaps because of,
whatever mistakes occur.
The bad news is
these performers may never be this cute again.
They will grow adult teeth.
They will become self conscious.
They will grow up.
My advice to you
and you've heard it before:
Treasure.
Each.
Moment.
Well, most of them.
Time flies.
Oh,
and the answers?
1. "Boy, why are you crying?" said Wendy.
2. You see, Wendy,
when the very first baby laughed for the very first time,
its laugh broke into a thousand pieces,
and that was the beginning of fairies.
3. Oh poppycock!
4. Second star to the right, and straight on 'til morning!
5. "When in doubt, run!" said Tiger Lily.
6. I'm Nibs. I plan the battles.
7. If you believe in fairies, clap your hands.
8. To die will be an awfully big adventure.
9. "Welcome to the family, boys!" said Mr Darling.
10. All children grow up, except one.
...and one last bit of Peter Pan trivia.
Did you know that the name "Wendy"
did not exist before Peter Pan?
