Costumes Play a Significant Role in PBT’s Upcoming Peter Pan
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre will perform the Pittsburgh premiere of Peter Pan for its season opener this October. This new version, choreographed by Trey Mcintyre, is a fresh, new interpretation of the classic tale told through the eyes of a child. The family-friendly ballet includes a hefty dose of theatrics, spectacular flying, swashbuckling sword fights and imaginative costumes inspired by punk fashion.
Acclaimed Broadway costume designer Jeanne Button created the costumes in McIntyre’s version of Peter Pan. These intriguing costumes become a crucial element of the production as they assist in reinterpreting the classic story, defining the characters and illustrating McIntyre’s wittier, darker vision based on the J.M. Barrie book. Overall, the costumes are colorful, fun and highly creative – perfect to help set the stage for a world of make-believe. To complete the costumes, most characters wear unexpected wigs and colorful makeup. Below, we look at the different costumes for some of the core characters.
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre will present Peter Pan from October 25-27, 2024, at the Benedum Center. Tickets and show information can be found at pbt.org.
Peter Pan
In this version, Peter Pan’s costume is unconventional and not what audiences may expect from the Disney version. He wears a green loincloth with belts accentuated by dirty skin and bright red, unkempt hair. The outfit illustrates Peter as a true, untamed wild child who grew up in Neverland.
Tinkerbell and the Fairies
Tinkerbell and the fairies all have similar sassy costumes – bronzy-gold leotards with feathery insect-like backs in different colors ranging from blue/green to purple. Topping off the costumes are an array of green wigs, all styled with fun, youthful pigtails.
Captain Hook
Captain Hook’s costume is exceptionally theatrical, from the purple velvet coat with skeletons on the shoulders to the white stage makeup and horn-like wig. Instead of the traditional hook on his hand, McIntyre turned the metal appendage into a claw-like, misshapen bony finger.
Wendy
Wendy wears the most classical ensemble, a delicate, flowy nightgown. This costume perfectly accentuates her classical ballet movements by illustrating their fluidity and weightlessness.
Lost Boys
The Lost Boys look like ragged misfits in mismatched clothes with a rock-n-roll vibe. They’re a bit edgy and cool while also being messy and a bit grimy. They portray the boys’ charismatic personalities that have been uninhibited by adult supervision. Each Lost Boy has a different costume and wig to identify them and show their personalities.
Pirates
Like the Lost Boys, the pirates have punk-style outfits that include colorful tops, pants, jackets and vests that illustrate the wild rawness of the characters. They all have purple skin with a distinctive set of tattoos that are painted on lavender bodysuits.
Mermaids
The mermaids wear beautiful blue and white velvet unitards with sequin sewn wave patterns. They are ideal for their light and fluid classical ballet movements during the production.
Adults
All the adults, including Mr. and Mrs. Darling and the nursemaids, wear black and white outfits and stiff masks. With these costumes, McIntyre is illustrating the coldness and emotional distance of the adults to the children.
Artists in costume: Josiah Kauffman, Grace Rookstool, Amanda Morgan | Photos: Michael Henninger