‘Peter Pan’:
A role to fly for

By Rita Charleston
For the Times

The last time Cary Michele Miller appeared in Peter Pan she was in the fourth grade and doing the show at the Kansas City Starlight Theater. She played one of the Lost Boys, and Lisa Whelchel, who appeared as Blair in the TV sitcom Facts of Life, was the lead character.
Today, Miller is all grown up — although she stands just under 5 feet tall — and has the lead role of the magical little boy who lives in a far-away place called Neverland. She’s appearing in the Peter Pan rendition now at the Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut St., through Jan. 6.
"For me, it’s certainly different playing the lead role, but the show never really changes," Miller explained. "No matter who is playing Peter, the show always appeals to old and young alike. It’s a show that gives people the chance to go to a wonderful, magical place every single night."
Peter Pan, of course, tells the story of Wendy, John and Michael Darling, who one night find Peter — a mysterious little boy — in their room. With help from the pixie Tinkerbell and a happy thought in their hearts, the Darlings fly away with Peter to join in a series of incredible adventures.
In Neverland, they meet the orphaned Lost Boys, help rescue and befriend the beautiful Indian princess Tiger Lily, and try to spoil the dastardly doings of the sinister Captain Hook.
Based on the 1904 stage play of the same name, the musical premiered on Broadway some 50 years later with a cast that starred the legendary Mary Martin as Peter. Later, Cathy Rigby played Peter in its last major Broadway run/tour.
Although Miller never appeared with Rigby in the musical favorite, she did work with the former athlete in the first national tour of Seussical the Musical.
"I loved working with Cathy, one of my all-time favorite performers, and although our production is different from others, the audience will be able to see a mixture of both the Mary Martin and Cathy Rigby ones. They are all different, but all are a lot of fun for the performers and the audience members."
The 31-year-old Miller grew up in a suburb of Kansas City, Mo., and started dancing when she was just 4. But once she got to high school, she stopped dancing to concentrate on all aspects of school life. Later, she enrolled at the University of Missouri and majored in biochemistry, eventually changing her academic course to earn a degree in child life therapy.
"But during my junior year in college, I did some work at a local theme park and almost everyone there was into musical theater," Miller recalled. "It never occurred to me that I might be able to pursue a career in musical theater until then. But once it did, I figured why not? So after graduation I headed out to New York to try a career in performing for myself."
And it worked. Miller has appeared on Broadway in Saturday Night Fever, as well as in the first national tours of Seussical and Little Women. Regionally, Miller has appeared in A Chorus Line, Into the Woods, Fiddler on the Roof and Beauty and the Beast. She has played the Walnut before, in the musical Carousel.
While it all has been a great deal of fun, Miller is thoroughly enjoying Peter Pan, getting to spread her wings in flight, she said. In fact, her final appearance is flying over the audience for her last bow.
"This is a dream role for me because I think the kid in me is something I have never lost," she said. "And it’s fun to see the same thing in all the audience members. More often than not, I have played kids in my career, but the magnitude of this show is particularly exciting. As far as the future, well, I do believe that dreams can come true!" ••
For ticket information, call 215-574-3550 .