Diane Paulus sees immortality in ‘Finding Neverland’ – Orlando Sentinel

Diane Paulus was thinking about mounting a production of Peter Pan.

Then, a viewing of Finding Neverland, the movie explaining Peters creation, sent her in a new direction. The Tony-winning director was captivated by the 2004 film starring Johnny Depp as Peter Pan author J.M. Barrie.

Its about the power of imagination, she says. Its about J.M Barrie as a writer breaking rules which I love in the theater.

Plus, she was inspired by a couple of other fans.

I watched it with my two girls, Paulus recalls. I saw their faces light up.

The rest, as they say, is history. The touring production of Broadway musical Finding Neverland, directed by Paulus, opens Tuesday, June 6, at Orlandos Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

The musical explains how playwright Barrie came to create Peter Pan through his involvement with an unusual family.

Her daughters, Paulus says, would dance to the shows pop-flavored music while it was in development. It opened in 2014 at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass., where Paulus is artistic director.

Now 10 and 12, her girls have grown up with the show, Paulus says. Finding Neverland debuted on Broadway in March 2015, with Matthew Morrison (Glee) and Kelsey Grammer (Frasier) in leading roles. It ran for more than a year.

I just always felt it was a show that could be shared across generations, says Paulus, who is based on New York. I saw the potential of kids coming to Finding Neverland and seeing the puzzle of how Captain Hook came to be, how did Tinker Bell happen?

Paulus, whose Tony came for the 2013 revival of Pippin, knows all-ages entertainment. She created Amaluna, a touring Cirque du Soleil show, and in 2003 directed The Golden Mickeys show for Disney Cruise Line. It would later also play at Hong Kong Disneyland, where it ran for more than a decade.

More people have seen The Golden Mickeys than any other show Ive created, she acknowledges with a chuckle.

Peter Pan wasnt part of that show He hadnt entered my life yet but Paulus has a theory on his storys enduring appeal.

Its about immortality, an immortality connected to the idea of a child, she says. A child inside us, the child we once were that maybe weve lost and that maybe we want to capture again.

mpalm@orlandosentinel.com

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Diane Paulus sees immortality in 'Finding Neverland' - Orlando Sentinel