By Ace Caguioa
La Mirada Theatre’s latest production proves that sometimes the best kind of theatre is the one that goes completely off the rails. Sometimes, you just need to laugh your heart out — and Peter Pan Goes Wrong delivers exactly that. From start to finish, the show is an absolute riot. It’s clever, chaotic, and unapologetically ridiculous in the best way possible. I honestly lost count of how many laugh-out-loud moments there were.
The premise is simple — a small-town theatre troupe attempts to perform Peter Pan, but everything that could possibly go wrong… does. And somehow, that chaotic humor creates a magical experience. The comedy is so perfectly timed, and the cast’s ability to never break character is absolutely impressive. I don’t think I’d last a single minute on that stage without cracking up at everything happening around me.
What makes the show even funnier is the mix of personalities onstage — some characters take themselves way too seriously, desperately clinging to their “craft,” while others are frozen with stage fright, forgetting lines or missing cues entirely. The contrast between overconfidence and panic creates some of the funniest, most unexpected moments of the night. And honestly, my biggest laughs weren’t always from the big slapstick gags, but from the small, awkward silences — those perfectly timed beats of quiet chaos that hit just right.
The acting was brilliant. Every performer committed fully to the chaos, and that’s what made it work so well. My standout favorite actors were Josh Grisetti playing Captain Hook and Mr. Darling, Regina Fernandez as Wendy, Nicole Parker as Mrs. Darling and Tinkerbell, and Nick Apostolina as Michael Darling and the Crocodile.
And, of course, the brightest star of the night was Cathy Rigby. Yes! That Cathy Rigby, the original Peter Pan. She was fantastic as the narrator, her comedic timing impeccable, and her energy infectious. There were so many playful nods to her legendary career, to other musicals, and even to the Dodgers (who happened to win the World Series that night, by the way…loud whisper: Go Dodgers!), all of which made the show feel like a shared inside joke with the audience.
The set itself deserves a round of applause as well. For a show that’s supposed to look like a small-town theatre production on a shoestring budget, the reality is the complete opposite. It’s massive, intricate, and features a rotating stage that allows for some jaw-dropping and hilariously disastrous transitions. It’s a spectacle pretending to be a mess, and it’s brilliantly executed.
Peter Pan Goes Wrong is pure, joyful chaos — a reminder of how much skill, timing, and precision it takes to make something look this disastrously funny.
Performance Details
Dates
October 31 – November 23, 2025
Times
Thursdays at 7:30 pm
Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 2 pm & 8 pm
Sundays at 1:30 pm & 6:30 pm
Run Time
Approximately 2 hours, including an intermission
Content Advisory
Family-friendly, recommended for ages 8 & up
Please note: No children under 3 will be admitted
Special Performances
Cast Talkbacks: Thursdays, November 6 and November 20
Open Captioned Performance: Saturday, November 15 at 2 pm
Credits
Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer & Henry Shields
Directed by Eric Petersen
Flying Sequences Choreographed by Paul Rubin
Produced by McCoy Rigby Entertainment for the City of La Mirada
Buy Tickets
Visit lamiradatheatre.com
