Interview: KURT PERRY of PETER PAN at BROADWAY AT THE HOBBY CENTER

Kurt Perry is an actor who is starring in the touring version of Peter Pan as Captain Hook's Sidekick Smee. Kurt brings the role to life with hilarious results. In addition to this, he has been seen as Uncle Fester in THE ADDAM’S FAMILY; he was in HAIR. He was in SOUTH PACIFIC. Kurt is a bona fide, classic musical theater guy. He's done television and film, but from what I can tell, he is mainly a stage actor. I got a chance to talk to him just before PETER PAN comes to Houston’s Hobby Center as part of the BROADWAY AT THE HOBBY center series from October 1st through the 6th.  

Brett Cullum: I noticed that Lonnie Price directs this PETER PAN. I was like, “I know that name from somewhere.” And then I realized he was in the original 1981 premiere production of Stephen Sondheim’s MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG. I think he also directed the Sunset Boulevard revival with Glenn Close back in 2017. 

So tell me, what makes this version of PETER PAN a little different from what we've seen before? What has Lonnie revised here? 

Kurt Perry: For most of my professional life, PETER PAN was impossible to produce because of the way that J.M. Barrie and the original book writers handled the indigenous characters.

The one time I remember seeing it being produced. I said to a friend of mine who was in the show, “What's going on?” And they were like, “Yeah, it's not great.” 

I'm so extraordinarily proud of this with the work that Lonnie has done and the work that Larissa FastHorse has done in our new book! They've really taken out the racist stuff, and they have given an opportunity for Indigenous voices to be heard loud and clear by Indigenous actors. They also took advantage of the opportunity to elevate female voices in the show.

Wendy doesn't have a song in the original version of PETER PAN. Tiger Lily also does not have a song; it was considered a dance track. Looking back, you're like, “But Wendy's the main character! Wendy's our point of view!”  So, we have been very lucky to have the opportunity to elevate indigenous, marginalized, and female voices within this version of PETER PAN. It brings PETER PAN into the 21st century, where the sensibilities have shifted, and also the pacing of the way that we do. Theatre is different! 

I think one of the biggest changes, of course, is Nolan Almeida, who is our Peter, and a young man is playing him. 17 years old and absolutely spectacular! 

Once I started getting to rehearsals with the full cast, I decided to watch the recorded Kathy Rigby version, and it is very interesting to see the change in dynamics between Wendy and Peter when a full-grown woman plays it. It's very interesting, and I love our dynamic.

Brett Cullum: Well, it's a story that's been told multiple times over the years.

Kurt Perry: Is that because it's such an iconic story? It's been interpreted in so many different ways. The adaptations have been reinterpreted over and over and over again. You have an opportunity to pass them down from generation to generation. You know what I mean, because your grandpa, your grandma, saw it on Broadway in 1952 with Mary Martin. And then your dad grew up with the movie HOOK and the animated Disney movie.

It's such an opportunity. It's such a unifying force. It is fascinating how universal the story is. One of my favorite adaptations, which you might be familiar with, was Ryan Scott Oliver's adaptation called DARLING. It's so interesting to see how different people interpret this same story. It's very cool.

Brett Cullum: What is the most fun part about being on this tour for PETER PAN? 

Kurt Perry: What's lovely about this tour is that we sort of harken back to the golden age of musical comedy. I am privileged to step on stage every night with my scene partner, Cody Garcia. They are one of the funniest people I have ever met and one of the finest comedians ever. Cody Garcia plays Hook! My favorite part of the whole night is making my first entrance in the first scene that I do with Cody.

The joy in this production is also one of my favorites! So, at the end of Act One, we have a brand new song that Amanda Green did with new lyrics. It's called “Friends Forever.” The first time I sat and watched the show, I remember, at the end of the first act, just being so overwhelmed by the amount of joy on the stage of my colleagues and these performers and seeing these kids in the audience enraptured by what was happening on stage. It's such a lovely jewel box of a show that I am so proud to be a part of!

Brett Cullum: What has the reaction been like for this new interpretation? 

Kurt Perry: We have managed to sort of update everything that needed to be updated. But at the core of PETER PAN, Neverland hasn't changed. We haven't messed with it too much. 

We have brought 2024 sensibilities, but all the flying, the magic, and Peter? None of that has changed. That's the heart of the story. You know what I mean.

Brett Cullum: Well, I can't wait to see it. But have you ever been to Houston before? That's my next question. Where are you from originally?

Kurt Perry: I have not been to Houston before. Originally I'm from Portland, Maine.

Brett Cullum: Very different.

Kurt Perry: The only time I've been to Texas was when I was doing a small-scale CHRISTMAS CAROL tour. We went through Amarillo, Texas, and… What's the one with the Dickens festival down on the coast?

Brett Cullum: Galveston.

Kurt Perry: Galveston. We were in Galveston. That's the only time I've been to Texas, and we were there for one night, so I'm excited to explore Houston. We have a couple of other Texas stops, too, so I'm excited to get to spend some time in Texas.

Brett Cullum: Well, one of the things I noticed about you is you are a brilliant comedic character actor. You're really good at that. What do you think makes a good comedic character actor?

Kurt Perry: I rail against those kinds of labels because I think it's limiting to people. I think categories are really helpful initially in your career because what it does is it gets you work. And when you're starting out, that's the job; you just have to start getting credits.

But I think I prefer to sort of portray it as not necessarily that I am a funny character actor. In that I have a set of tools available to me that I can be very funny. It's about a set of tools and a set of skills more than an identity. One of the things that makes a really strong comedian and someone with a really adept set of skills is the ability to keep things fresh. You hear the same line every single night for, you know, 250 shows, and you still need to react as if it's the first time you've ever heard it.

That is a skill that constantly needs to be worked on. It's the muscle that needs to be to practiced. And you know. I say, “Comedians make the best tragedians.” Because so much of tragedy is the reveal of things, that initial reaction makes comedy and tragedy two sides of the same coin.

Brett Cullum: I wanted to ask you what got you started in acting? When did you start this whole journey?

Kurt Perry: My father's family were all like professional musicians. Music was always around the house, and my grandfather played like twelve instruments. My dad plays every saxophone and every woodwind! My aunt was a professional musician. My uncle was a professional musician! It was the family business, so I was exposed to all different kinds of music. My dad wanted to be a funk musician in Las Vegas, like that was his dream.

I was exposed to all these different kinds of music. Motown, Broadway classical. Rock, Pop, and grunge it was there. It was very important to them that I be exposed to all different kinds of music. Something about classical music and musical theater really dug their nails into me. When I was seven years old, my dad bought me an Andrew Lloyd Webber compilation CD, and I've never looked back.

In school I was doing every opportunity, every every musical, every play, every All-State choir, All-State band, orchestra, all of it. I was there. I was happy to be there, and I was excited to be there.

I did my 1st professional paid gig as a high school senior. It was a reading at this little local theater, and I played ensemble number 4, and then I decided to go to school for classical music. But the whole time, I was still doing musical theater, and my current career is this amalgamation of musical theater and classical music, bouncing them off of each other.

I have been very lucky. I've definitely had some pretty long, dry spells, but I've been very, very lucky that I have been able to support myself doing this art form. That is the hardest thing in the world. You know what I mean? 

Brett Cullum: It is so elusive. It is one of those things where you've got so many people out there trying to make it, and they can't. If you're making it you're doing something right. 

Kurt Perry: I think a lot of people don't understand that you get to a certain point. And it's not about talent. Everybody's good. Everybody is in that .00001 percent of working actors. That's where the fun begins. 

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