Mary Martin, Sandy Duncan, Cathy Rigby and now Melanie Moore—all of these talented triple-threats have soared as Peter Pan on Broadway. Moore, the winner of the eighth season of So You Think You Can Dance, makes her B’way debut as Pan in Finding Neverland, and she’s taking on 10 questions all about Neverland’s most famous resident, the magical hit musical and the popular dance competition series.
1. My earliest memory of the Peter Pan story was:
Seeing Disney’s Peter Pan.
2. My reaction to seeing myself as Pan for the first time:
Giggly. I’m always giggling—especially as Pan, but there is something about putting the Pan costume on that makes me feel like the most mischievous kid ever so obviously the first time I couldn’t contain myself.
3. Moment in the show that still makes me feel like a kid again:
The end of the show when I get to run through glitter while laughing and lead Laura Michelle into Neverland.
4. My “happy thought” that would help me take flight like Peter Pan would be:
My wedding. It was the most magical day filled with all the people I love the most.
5. Memory I’ll always cherish from the night I made my Broadway debut:
When the curtain opened to reveal Tinkerbell and me on stage, there was an outburst of applause! I have to dance immediately, but all I wanted to do was stand there with Tink and cry out of happiness. It was the most beautiful moment!
6. If you’re only going to watch one So You Think You Can Dance YouTube clip of mine, I’d say start with:
That’s so hard! I have to give them a choice: “Total Eclipse of the Heart” —Choreography by Mandy Moore or “Turn to Stone” — Choreography by Travis Wall.
7. Coolest souvenir I bought myself while on the SYTYCD tour:
My favorite and first pair of Jimmy Choo boots—I still wear them almost every day in the fall/winter months.
8. Last TV show I binge watched:
Cutthroat Kitchen—I love the Food Network.
9. Disney Peter Pan, Mary Martin Peter Pan, Cathy Rigby Peter Pan or Hook?
Mary Martin Peter Pan.
10. One piece of advice I’d give to a young dancer just starting out:
If you love it, keep doing it no matter what anybody else tells you. Also, take every class you can! Hip hop, ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, acting, singing…everything!! If you want to work you have to be versatile!
See Melanie Moore take flight in the emotionally stirring Broadway musical ‘Finding Neverland’ at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.
