Finding Neverland Musical, Starring Julian Ovenden, Premiere Set for Leicester

Finding Neverland, the musical adaptation of the 2004 Oscar-nominated film, will make its world premiere at Leicester's Curve Theatre this fall, according to the U.K.'s Daily Mail. Led by Julian Ovenden as Peter Pan author James M. Barrie, the production is then hoping for a West End run next year. The five-week Leicester run will open in mid-September, but no exact dates or further casting have been announced. 

Finding Neverland follows the story of Barrie (Ovenden) and his relationship with the family of widow Sylvia Llewelyn Davies. Llewelyn Davies' children eventually became Barrie's inspiration to write the Pan story.



The film starred Johnny Depp as J.M. Barrie and Kate Winslet as Sylvia Llewelyn Davies as well as Julie Christie, Radha Mitchell, Dustin Hoffman and Freddie Highmore. Marc Foster directed the movie, which was based on Allan Knee's play, The Man Who Was Peter Pan. The movie received seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor.

Produced by Bob and Harvey Weinsten, the musical was initially scheduled to premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse in the fall of 2011, but the production was cancelled. Ovenden took part in two readings of the production, one of which also included Kelli O'Hara.