The stage held a unique significance for me early in life, marking my initial foray into performance. My school’s ambitious production, “The Kids are Bright on Broadway,” was an extravaganza of youthful talent, showcasing snippets from various musicals featuring children and teenagers. With my naturally dark, thick hair and glasses, I found myself perfectly cast as John Darling in Peter Pan. The song we performed, “I Won’t Grow Up,” remains etched in my memory even today. This all-school endeavor was made even more memorable by cameo appearances from the original Broadway Annie, Andrea McArdle, and unexpectedly, local Padres baseball stars like Steve Garvey and Dave Dravecky.
“I Won’t Grow Up,” a creation of Moose Charlap and Carolyn Leigh, famously featured on the Peter Pan Soundtrack, perfectly encapsulates the yearning of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys to remain children forever. The lyrics explore what they believe growing up entails giving up – the joy of climbing trees, the freedom of summer days – and the unappealing aspects of adulthood: ties, mustaches, and financial worries.
However, one particular line from the Peter Pan Song has always resonated deeply with me:
I don’t want to go to school.
Just to learn to be a parrot,
And recite a silly rule.
This lyric poignantly captures the very essence of the critique of traditional education voiced by many creativity researchers. If education is perceived as mere rote learning, memorization, and testing as simple regurgitation of facts, then it’s clear why creativity would be suppressed. If Peter Pan and the Lost Boys envision school in this way, and if growing up is synonymous with this type of schooling, their resistance to adulthood becomes completely understandable. I certainly empathize with their sentiment.
Years have passed since my childhood stage debut. My mop of dark hair is long gone, and I have indeed grown up. Recently, I shared the filmed version of Peter Pan with my son, Jacob, and my niece, Brianna. This production starred the incredible Cathy Rigby, who continues to astound audiences in the title role even now. Adding to the delight was the presence of my friend Sam Zeller, a genuinely kind person with an exceptional voice, playing one of Captain Hook’s less-than-pleasant pirate crew members. The children were captivated, though Jacob did express some confusion about the sheer amount of singing involved!
One of the final musical numbers, a reprise of “I Won’t Grow Up,” struck me unexpectedly. The Darling children are back home, and many Lost Boys, along with Smee, decide to join them and be adopted. Mr. Darling, in a dual role also portraying Captain Hook, questions them:
Will you treat me with respect?
To which they earnestly reply:
Yes, sir!
…We will grow up!
We will mind our p’s and q’s
We will never be a bother…
Yes, we’ll grow up….
(Mr. Darling responds with): Like me!
I must admit, this resolution left me somewhat uneasy. Was this truly the happy ending? These imaginative children, who had experienced the boundless freedom of Neverland, were now vowing to conform, be well-behaved, and emulate their conventional, upper-class father figure? It felt jarring.
Of course, Peter Pan is a musical, and perhaps I am overanalyzing a children’s story.
Yet, the transformation from untamed, creative spirits into predictable, well-mannered individuals feels like a questionable message. This is only compounded by the final scene where Peter Pan tells Wendy she’s too old to return to Neverland, but offers the adventure to her teenage daughter.
My hope is that there exists a way for the Darling children and the Lost Boys – and indeed, all children – to retain the exhilarating freedom symbolized by flying with Peter Pan while also acquiring the essential skills to navigate the real world. If we believe in the magic of imagination, as symbolized by Tinkerbell’s existence hinging on belief, can we also envision an education system that nurtures creativity? Can Wendy, Tootles, and the others hold onto their spark even as they grow?
This reflection on “I Won’t Grow Up” from Peter Pan highlights the ongoing dialogue about childhood, education, and the importance of fostering creativity as we mature. The song’s enduring popularity speaks to a universal desire to hold onto the imaginative spirit of youth, even as we navigate the responsibilities of adulthood.
