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Tragic tale of descent into evil

Almost every child and adult has at some point delighted in Disney’s sanitized version of Peter Pan and his Neverland cronies. But what if this seemingly innocuous tale carries a darker, edgier message.
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Almost every child and adult has at some point delighted in Disney’s sanitized version of Peter Pan and his Neverland cronies. But what if this seemingly innocuous tale carries a darker, edgier message.

Is it foolish to tinker with a formula that works? Playwright/director Greg Caswell doesn’t think so. He is betting his chips that Hooked, with its classic character drawn towards evil, will ensnare a significant audience. Produced by Raw Meet Productions, this revamped musical plays at the Catalyst Theatre from June 5 to 14.

Clearly excited about his fresh perspective, Caswell likens Hooked to Peter Pan in the same way Gregory Maguire’s Wicked relates to the Wizard of Oz. “It’s a story of consequences, a cautionary tale for grown-ups. It’s all too easy to get caught up in goals. It’s all too easy to forget the effect we have on others. It’s about finding balance and taking responsibility,” says Caswell.

In this two-hour plus musical, the plot flashes back 40 years before Wendy Darling appears in Neverland. A single mother dies in a tragic factory accident. Periwinkle, King of the Fairies, appears and flies her two orphan sons, James and Peter, to Neverland. While Peter adapts to Neverland, James is restless and joins a pirate brigade in search of a treasure that wields the power of life and death.

St. Albert’s own Erin Breen plays the dual roles of Lily, Hook’s love interest and the more minor part of Princess Tiger Lily. It is her first full-length production since returning to Canada four months ago. “It was quite a surprise. I didn’t expect to get it,” says Breen.

A Paul Kane alumna, she graduated from MacEwan College’s musical theatre program and the distinguished Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Dance. For several years, Breen has lived in London, auditioning for numerous high-profile productions — Sound of Music, Hairspray, Mamma Mia and Sister Act to name a few. Although she was often a finalist for lead or secondary roles, most directors simply didn’t want to deal with her visa’s paperwork. “It was getting ridiculous.” When the visa expired in November, Breen made a beeline home.

In a short space of time, she was invited to add her buffed nuances in a Calgary workshop production of White Chapel, a Jack the Ripper tale. The result was astonishing. “They decided to rewrite the show based on the response to my character and they’re planning a workshop in New York.”

And when Caswell invited the polished lyric soprano to audition for Hooked, Breen was a shoe-in. Of the score’s eight songs, she sings The Love Story, a soft ballad and No Turning Back, a more dramatic up-tempo number.

Caswell first created Hooked in response to disappointment. As a MacEwan College musical theatre arts student, he trained hard to land the role of Hook in his graduating production of Peter Pan. “I was devastated when I was cast as an Indian. But I believe in fulfilling my dreams.”

Casting himself as Hook, he created a one-act that was staged at the 2007 Edmonton Fringe Festival. Positive response encouraged him to expand the plot, develop richer characters, and add new scenes, songs and dances.

For more detailed information visit www.rawmeetproductions.squarespace.com

Preview

Hooked
Raw Meet Productions
June 5-14
Catalyst Theatre
8529 Gateway Blvd.
Tickets: $20 Call Tix on the Square 780-420-1757


Anna Borowiecki

About the Author: Anna Borowiecki

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