Before there were faith, trust and pixie dust, before there was Peter Pan, there was simply one man who created and wrote down the world of Neverland: J.M. Barrie. Finding Neverland the musical is a tale of the life of Barrie and his creation of one of the most beloved stories of all time.
Ohio University and Athens County will have the opportunity to never grow up and see the national tour of Finding Neverland on Tuesday.
Finding Neverland is based on the life of Barrie, who meets a widow named Sylvia and her four sons, Jack, George, Michael and Peter. Barrie and Sylvia quickly develop a strong friendship as he begins to act as a father figure to the boys, all the while bonding with them on adventures. Inspired by the kids’ fantastic escapades, Barrie comes up with the idea to write a play and conjures up the world of Neverland.
Andrew Holzaepfel, senior associate director for student activities, was thrilled that he was able to bring the show as part of the Performing Arts and Concert Series.
“Finding Neverland is a lot of fun,” Holzaepfel said. “When I say it’s for all ages, it truly is a perfect show for all ages. It speaks to all of us in our hearts, with the wanting to be young forever kind of approach that we all feel no matter what age we are.”
Some of Holzaepfel’s colleagues in the Campus Involvement Center have seen the show when it was performed in Columbus last year and knew they needed to bring it to the Performing Arts and Concert Series. Ever since then, they’ve been trying to bring it to OU.
In addition to his excitement for the show, Holzaepfel thinks one of the best things about the show is the ticket pricing and the opportunity to see a show of such high-esteem at such an affordable price.
“I’m excited because this will be my first time actually seeing the show,” Holzaepfel said. “I really encourage our students to come because I think they’ll truly love it. It’s such a nice perk for our students to have the opportunity to see the show at this price.”
Students are also looking forward to the opportunity to see a national tour for such an affordable price and to watch the theatrical culture at OU expand.
Jade Smith, a freshman studying journalism, thinks the show is a great way to get students involved in campus activities.
“I think it’s really important for students to appreciate the performing arts,” Smith said. “This show gives students the opportunity to get involved on campus in other ways than just academics. It’s also a great way to see a really cool show for a cheap price.”
Julia Kraynak, a freshman studying early childhood education, is excited to see how the show is similar to the movie, which is one of her favorites.
“Finding Neverland is a really great show,” Kraynak said. “I’ve seen the movie and am really excited to see how they translated the ideas from the film to the stage. This show is a great opportunity to bring some theatrical culture to the OU campus.”
