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    The Review is In

    Real magic: Houston Ballet and Trey McIntyre put the wonder back into Peter Pan

    Joseph Campana
    Jun 14, 2013 | 4:49 pm

    Fuzzy bunnies, padded booster seats, a stack of copies of Angelina Ballerina and a pirate hat: It's another night at Houston Ballet.

    But not just any night. The ballet was abuzz for the opening performance of Trey McIntyre's stellar Peter Pan. Seats filled early and unsurprisingly children were many and the gift shop conspicuously overflowing with goods. One child dressed as a lost boy in a feathered hat toted a plastic dagger across the lobby during the first intermission.

    Reader, I was wary. Don't hate me if I tell you I have a little Captain Hook in me. How many Swan Lakes have I seen dry up from the protests of girls and boys shifting uncomfortably because no matter how much they love dancing swans, tragic death-love-redemption is understandably just not their cup of tea?

    As McIntyre shows so often, suggestion can be much more powerful than spectacle.

    The power of McIntyre's Peter Pan is not only that it plays equally well to children and adults — without condescending to either. More importantly, it shows off the talents of a choreographer who knows how to capture and hold the attention of toddlers and smart-phone-addled adults.

    How is this possible? Seamless elegance, a whip-fast pace, and sophisticated theatricality deployed with the lightest touch.

    The curtain opens on one of many screens that populate Peter Pan. Strobe lights reveal momentary flashes of ballerinas and wavering spots of white, green and red light suggest fanciful faeries and boys with flashlights. As McIntyre shows so often, suggestion can be much more powerful than spectacle.

    One of McIntyre's innovations in staging of this tale involves the parents. Simon Ball and Mireille Hassenboehler portray what are by no means throw-away roles. With their masks and marionette-like movement they suggest the adult world is imaginary while the world of childhood is the stuff of the real. Still, the children can't stop watching their parents dance, as if adults belonged to a club more special and secret than Peter Pan's lost boys.

    It's hard to imagine a better Wendy and Peter than Sara Webb and Joseph Walsh. The sweet precision of Webb and the swashbuckling panache of Walsh make an appropriately shy magnetism between these never-to-be lovers. In part it is their chemistry that makes wonder of moments that might descend into trickery.

    For instance, flying. Who doesn't know this part of the story? Lesser artistry aims for the "tah-dah!" moment. McIntyre makes the moments of flight swift and effortless, as if it were natural for dancers to wheel into the sky.

    Still, the children can't stop watching their parents dance, as if adults belonged to a club more special and secret than Peter Pan's lost boys.

    Much of the magic of the first act comes from shadow and silhouette. But the set is clearly a co-star with the reddened caves of Neverland and the startling skeletal ship of the evil Captain Hook. The sets of Thomas Boyd, the lighting of Christina Giannelli, and the puppetry of Michael Curry and Warren Cochran deserve a standing ovation all their own.

    The later acts highlight the deft group work of McIntyre's choreography. Take, for example, Merman and mermaids Conor Walsh, Nao Kusuzaki, Lauren Strongin, and Nozomi Iijima who danced a sweet and seductive pas de quatre. No wonder Captain Hook was keen to capture them.

    The True Peter Pan Magic

    Neverland is made of frames within frames. Screens, scrims and stages appear with ease and regularity. In the first act, a picture frame descends to capture the happy family. Wendy steps out, ready for adventure. Later Wendy sees, in dream, silhouettes on a screen growing larger and smaller and they rush by. We understand the tricks of light but the magic is no less compelling for knowing the trick.

    In the second act, Captain Hook tries to win sympathy from Wendy with a fake home movie of his suffering as a mercilessly punished school boy, which explains his signature hook. But it's really a stage play with flickering light and features his own son dressed in black and white. He flings the curtains closed when Wendy, so moved by his suffering, nearly breaks the fourth wall.

    A play within a film within a ballet? Stellar and smart.

    We understand the tricks of light but the magic is no less compelling for knowing the trick.

    Mermaids are saved, battles waged by a wonderful crew of dancing pirates, lost boys triumph and the villain is swallowed, hilariously, by a crocodile. A happy ending for most. But although Peter Pan is no tragedy, it ends with a bittersweet taste: the sadness of incompatibility.

    Ball and Hassenboehler are beautifully inconsolable at the end, the father curled in the mother's lap as she rocks in a chair. But a happy reunion ensues. Still, Wendy and Peter Pan must dance their last pas de deux before his need for flight and her need for motherhood separate them forever.

    But if nothing else there is, at the end of a night this bright, the sweetness of dream.

    Derek Dunn, left, and James Gotesky in the Houston Ballet's production of Peter Pan

    8148 Houston Ballet Peter Pan June 2013 Derek Dunn and James Gotesky
      
    Photo by © Amitava Sarkar
    Derek Dunn, left, and James Gotesky in the Houston Ballet's production of Peter Pan
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    Here are the 15 best things to do in Houston this weekend

    Craig D. Lindsey
    Jun 11, 2025 | 6:30 pm

    This weekend is Father’s Day weekend. If you have one of those dads who likes leaving the house and doing stuff, lots of events are happening where you can hang and chill with Pops.

    Take dad to an art-show opening, a one-night-only haunted house, a Japanese indoor festival, a white linen night, two concerts featuring two legendary, renegade groups, or a new digital restoration of an indie-film classic. If all else fails, head over to Typhoon Texas and let dad float a lazy river for free.

    Thursday, June 12

    Architecture Center Houston presents Falon Mihalic: "Verdant Laboratory" opening reception
    This immersive exhibition by artist and landscape architect Falon Mihalic explores Houston’s wild ecologies through large-scale drawings, sculpture, and video. The exhibition highlights the city’s living landscape as a vital force in building urban resilience. As the effects of climate change become more visible and the city of Houston continues to grow, this exhibit prompts a critical question: How can we foreground landscape ecology in shaping the resilient cities of tomorrow? Through Friday, August 22. 5:30 pm.

    The Wiggles: Bouncing Balls! Tour
    With this interactive show based on the hit single “Bouncing Balls,” The Wiggles aims to spark creativity, curiosity, and a love of learning through their signature mix of entertainment and education. Families can sing, dance, and wiggle along to the high energy musical extravaganza, featuring all eight Wiggles: OG Blue Wiggle Anthony, Simon, Lachy, Tsehay, John, Lucia, Caterina, and Evie. 6 pm.

    Houston Ballet presents Sparrow
    Houston Ballet's final program of their 2024-2025 season, Sparrow features three one-act ballets by choreographers spanning from yesterday’s eminence to today’s prominence: George Balanchine, Houston Ballet director emeritus Ben Stevenson, and artistic director Stanton Welch. Along with Balanchine’s Theme and Variations and Stevenson’s Four Last Songs, Welch’s Sparrow, set to some of Simon & Garfunkel’s most recognizable music, fills the stage with a vibrant and large ensemble cast. Through Sunday, June 22. 7:30 pm (2 pm Sunday).

    Friday, June 13

    Clear Lake Symphony presents Season Closing Concert
    The Clear Lake Symphony will perform their sixth and final concert of their 49th season, with music including Russian Sailor’s Dance by Gliere; Piano Concerto No. 2 Opus 18 by Rachmaninoff (featuring Dr. Stephanie Chen, guest pianist); and Symphony No 3 in C Minor (Organ Symphony) by Saint-Saens (featuring Dr. Brad Morrison, guest organist). The Symphony will be led by Robert Wall, in his 31st year as conductor. 7:30 pm.

    Cultural Center "Our Texas" presents Kseniia Abramovskaia: "The Artist Behind The Trees & Cats" opening reception
    Russian-born, Houston-based artist Kseniia Abramovskaia transforms wood and canvas into worlds where nature pulses with life, and the mystical feline reigns. With acrylics, spray paint, palette knives, and brushes, she constructs textured landscapes brimming with movement and emotion. Her pieces are more than visual treats; they are storytelling spectacles. The exhibition marks Abramovskaia's first solo show, where nature meets the artist, one tree, one cat, and one bold brushstroke at a time. Through Friday, July 18. 7:30 pm.

    Punch Line Houston presents Emil Wakim
    Brooklyn comedian Emil Wakim just finished his first year as the first Lebanese-American cast member on Saturday Night Live’s milestone 50th season. He made his late-night television debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and was selected as a New Face of Comedy at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. Wakim has also opened for comedians like Roy Wood Jr., Kyle Kinane, Nikki Glaser, Hasan Minhaj, and Neal Brennan. 7:30 pm (7 and 9:15 pm Saturday).

    13th Floor Haunted House presents Blackout
    We know it’s the summer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a bit frightened this time of year. Blackout is a one-day event where monsters and mayhem lurk in total darkness. Upon arriving, each group (not each person) is given one glow stick. Venturing into the depths of darkness, a horde of monsters roam freely. Visitors may catch a glimpse of them under the glow of black lights, but monsters may steal glow sticks, leaving groups in the dark. 8 pm.

    Saturday, June 14

    Tokyo X
    There’s a good chance all the weebs (translation: non-Japanese people who like Japanese stuff) in town will be at NRG Center for Houston’s biggest Japanese indoor festival. Tokyo X is a two-day celebration of Japanese culture that seamlessly blends modern and traditional elements. It will be a showcase of Japanese culture featuring renowned anime voice actors, cosplay, a car show, live concerts, martial arts demonstrations, workshops, free arcades, 30+ food vendors, and more. 10 am.

    White Linen Night—A Local Art Affair
    Residents and visitors to League City are invited to dress in white and step into an enchanting evening of art, culture, and community during the City’s White Linen Night—A Local Art Affair. Inspired by the timeless New Orleans tradition of wearing white linen to embrace the summer season and stay cool in the heat, this night invites guests to enjoy an evening of artistic discovery, local talent, live entertainment, food and drinks, and neighborly connection under the canopy of century-old oak trees. 4 pm.

    City Place presents Hot Nights, Cool Grooves
    At the summer concert experience Hot Nights, Cool Grooves, guests can enjoy a picturesque setting overlooking waterfront City Place Park and a monthly showcase of regional musical artists from a variety of genres. Each evening will feature back-to-back sets, food trucks, promotional pop-ups, beer samplings from Saint Arnold, photo opportunities, swag giveaways, and other surprise elements. Through Thursday, August 2. 5:30 pm.

    Metallica and Wu Tang Clan in concert
    Two legendary groups will be in Houston this Saturday night. For the hardcore metal heads, Metallica will be at NRG Stadium, performing the same headbanging classics that made them the veteran rock giants they are today. For all the hardcore hip-hop heads, the surviving members of the Wu-Tang Clan (RIP ODB!) will be at Toyota Center. They’ll be hitting you with some iconic, East Coast rap as part of their final tour, Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber. 6 pm and 8 pm.

    Sunday, June 15

    Father’s Day at Typhoon Texas
    This weekend, all the fathers out there will be getting a hookup, courtesy of Typhoon Texas. Simply purchase anyticket at the gate, and dad gets in free. Theoffer is valid only at the gate, and cannot be combined with any other offer. (It’s also not available online.) Now celebrating its 10th year, Typhoon Texas offers multiple water slides, a massive wave pool, a winding lazy river, and a child-friendly play area including Typhoon Jr., aka five, junior-sized versions of its most popular waterslides. 11 am.

    The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Killer of Sheep
    Killer of Sheep examines life in mid-’70s, Los Angeles neighborhood Watts through the eyes of Stan (Houston native Henry G. Sanders), a sensitive dreamer who is growing detached from the psychic toll of working at a slaughterhouse. Frustrated by money problems, he finds respite in moments of simple beauty. Charles Burnett’s acclaimed debut — screening in a stunning new restoration — combines lyrical elements with a starkly neorealist, documentary-style approach that chronicles the unfolding story with depth and riveting simplicity. 5 pm.

    Performing Arts Houston presents Glory to Glory (A Revival For Spiritual and Devotional Art)
    The only event from Solange Knowles’ Eldorado Ballroom live music series that isn’t sold out, this program celebrates women shaping Black praise in contemporary spiritual and devotional sounds. Gospel icon Twinkie Clark takes center stage alongside The Clark Sisters in a tribute to her unmatched artistry. The evening also pays tribute to Mary Lou Williams, a jazz luminary whose spiritual choral works continue to resonate with the brilliance that once guided legends like Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, and Miles Davis. 6:30 pm.

    Metallica
      
    Photo by Herring Herring

    Metallica performs at NRG Stadium on Saturday.

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