Clip of opening number “Are You Stumped?” from original workshop production
“Nothing like seeing a full-fledged musical written by a teenager—music, lyrics, dialogue—to put your own accomplishments into perspective. Stumped is a gritty, sort-of prequel to J.M. Barrie’s classic children’s tale Peter Pan, which contextualizes the rivalry between the eternally youthful Peter and the dastardly Captain Hook as the result of childhood friendship ending in bitter betrayal.”
— Jill Sweeney, Onstage NTX
About the Show
Stumped is a gritty reimagining of the classic Peter Pan/Captain Hook rivalry, described by director Amy Cave as “Peter Pan meets Wicked meets Sweeney“. Inspired by a sixth-grade English assignment in which I was instructed to take a classic story and transform the villain into the hero and vice versa, the show has become a morally ambiguous expedition of trauma and revenge over the last five years it has been in development.
When I read the original J.M. Barrie classic in preparation to write this show back in 2016, I also found, to my surprise, that there were many darker details that were either too disturbing, or simply too underdeveloped and unimportant to the overall plot, to make it into other incarnations or adaptations. These details, when developed and brought out, inspired much of the darker tone of this story.
Summary
Drawing on the forgotten darker details of the original Barrie novel, Stumped, A New Musical is a gritty reimagining of the Peter Pan/Captain Hook rivalry, recontextualizing Peter’s youthful immortality as a consequence of deep-seeded trauma. A young James (soon to be Hook) forges a special connection with a psychologically unstable Peter under traumatic circumstances. However, when their friendship is interrupted by a blossoming romance between James and a politically driven Tiger Lily, Peter suffers a mental breakdown and his relationship with James is irreparably severed by a great tragedy. Act II picks up 25 years later in the Darling household, but this seemingly familiar escapade to Neverland reveals the true villains of the story, opens old wounds, and ultimately begins a journey of healing for Peter.
Andrew Cave as Peter, performing “Shadows”
Quick Facts
A cabaret performance of “Tiger Lily’s Soliloquy”
What are the licensing fees?
This will be determined by the number of performances, the size of the theater, and the type of production (eg. educational vs. community vs. professional). Standard fee per performance is $100, along with a one-time $350 fee to receive PDFs of all standard materials— Piano/Vocal score, Libretto, Vocal Score. Feel free to email me at jackmcastello@icloud.com to inquire about a specific licensing quote for your production!
Cast Requirements
14 actors total (easily expandable if desired): 6 male-identifying, 5 female-identifying, 2 any, 1 boy
Run Time
Approx. 2 hrs 15 mins; 1 intermission
Can I peruse the libretto?
Yes! If you are interested in licensing the show, please reach out to me at jackmcastello@icloud.com to ask for a perusal copy of the libretto.
Content Rating
PG-13 for some brief language and plots revolving around drug abuse, child abuse, implied sexual exploitation, and intense acts of violence.
Staging Requirements
Unit Edwardian nursery set with additional evocative pieces. Includes brief intimate (non-sexual) scenes and depictions of violence.
What theaters is this show ideal for?
Professional companies, community theaters, college theater
“Wendy’s Melody” from the original workshop production, performed by Reese Olsen, Andrew Cave, Ruby Chabot, and Kyle Lester