Review: FINDING NEVERLAND at Broadway Palm Will Make You 'Believe!'

FINDING NEVERLAND at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre tells the heartwarming, beautifully bittersweet tale of how the story of Peter Pan came to be.

J.M. Barrie is played by Mark Bacon, and I loved his portrayal. His character's determination, creativity, and the sentimental bonds he forms with Sylvia and her children are really special, and he did an excellent job of showing how his character evolves throughout the show. He was also fantastic vocally.

Sylvia Llewelyn Davies is played by Josephine Florence Cooper, and I thought her performance was beautiful. The things her character faces in the story are not easy, and I thought she did a wonderful job showing the resilience Sylvia has through these times. She has a positive spirit and I really enjoyed that aspect of the show, as well as the chemistry her character had with Bacon's J.M. Barrie.

Mary Barrie (Ashleigh Thompson), Charles Frohman (Kirk Lawrence), Mrs. du Maurier (Emmanuelle Zeesman), and the Llewelyn Davies kids, George (Brycton Archer/Canon Dobson), Peter (Caisson Dobson/Benjamin Sabo), Jack (Evan Barrero/Gabriel Cruz), and Michael (Ashton Heathcoat/River Reed), were all very enjoyable characters as well; the first three were antagonists at different points of the story, but they did a great job of portraying such. The children were all fantastic and I loved seeing their on-stage sibling bonds. I also want to give a special shout out to the dog in the show, Porthos, played by Oscar Prather. He is a very good boy.

This entire ensemble really was wonderful. From playing servants to actors and everything in between, they all had many roles, and they each did an amazing job at making this show the fantastic piece of theatre that it is.

I have seen a production of FINDING NEVERLAND previously, and I must admit I forgot just how magical this show is. Though there are a lot of tough situations the characters in the show go through, the energy of it is bright, uplifting, and inspiring. It will make you believe that anything is possible. It is such a beautiful story, and along with the catchy music and phenomenal acting, this is definitely not a show to be missed. As the show itself references, theatre (and particularly this show) is for everyone; whether you are a child still or you're now embracing your inner child, I promise you will have a wonderful time watching this beautiful production.

FINDING NEVERLAND is playing now through November 16 at Broadway Palm. Performances are Wednesday through Sunday evenings, with selected matinees. Tickets are $48 to $73 with children and group prices available. Tickets are now on sale and can be reserved by calling (239) 278-4422, visiting BroadwayPalm.com, or in person at 1380 Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers. Following the run in Fort Myers, FINDING NEVERLAND will head out on the road for a national tour throughout the U.S. and Canada.

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