NBC and executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron aren’t just adapting the beloved Peter Pan musical for the network’s live special next month. The two have commissioned new material and will be making some tweaks to the Native American song in the musical.
The Peter Pan Live! crew hired Amanda Green, the daughter of lyricist Adolph Green, who wrote the musical with Betty Comden. Entertainment Weekly reports that Green will contribute additional lyrics.
“It fleshed out the show,” Meron told EW. “It deepened the characters, it kind of drove plot more—which good songs do in musicals. Amanda was just wonderful in capturing the spirit of her father and [Green's partner] Betty Comden.”
New songs for Peter Pan Live! include Captain Hook’s “Vengeance”; Wendy’s “Only Pretend”; and “A Wonderful World Without Peter.” “When I Get Home,” which was cut before the musical reached Broadway in 1954, will also be reinstated.
“Ugg-a-Wugg,” a song for Tiger Lily and Peter Pan, will be changed to “True blood Brothers,” since the original has been considered offensive.
“Amanda has consulted with our Native American consultant [Jerod Tate], just in terms of replacing ‘Ugg-a-Wugg’ with something more traditionally Native American—which has been approved by them and the rights holders,” Meron explained. “Now and forever, this will hopefully be the version [in the show].”
Tiger Lily will be played by Alanna Saunders, who told NPR that she is linked to the Cherokee Nation on her father’s side. She’s “beyond thrilled and excited” to have the role.
Peter Pan Live!, which stars Girls’ Allison Williams in the title role and Christopher Walken as Captain Hook, airs on Dec. 4.
image courtesy of William Bernard/ACE/INFphoto.com