ACT 1

World famous playwright, J.M. Barrie, walks through Kensington Gardens with his wife, Mary, and their dog. Mary is in a foul mood, as usual, and tells Barrie he’s behaving like a child for wrestling with the dog. As they continue their walk, the sights of Kensington Gardens are all around them (“Welcome To London”). Charles Frohman, Barrie’s producer, and his stage manager Elliot approach Barrie. Frohman grumbles about his ticket sales and urges him to finish his next hit by Monday. As Barrie observes London and attempts to write, three brothers – George, Jack, and Michael – play pirates with their mother, Sylvia, while the fourth brother, Peter, sits quietly by himself. Sylvia introduces herself and her children to Barrie. He takes her through the manuscript of his most recent play, realizing its rubbish and rips it up.

The deadline for Barrie’s play has approached. On the stage of the theatre, Frohman brings in a group of actors to read it aloud. When they discover it’s been destroyed, everyone is outraged. Frohman scolds him and tells him he must deliver him a play or else he’ll find another writer who can. A discouraged Barrie explores his imagination for a new idea (“My Imagination”).

In Kensington Gardens, George, Jack, and Michael play while Peter is having trouble joining them as he believes playing pretend is “silly”. Barrie and Sylvia encourage him to use his imagination to turn the park into an island full of magical creatures (“Believe”). Peter eventually joins in on the fun. As the day comes to an end, Barrie invites the family to a dinner party his wife is hosting.

The next month, the dinner party commences. Mrs. Du Maurier, Sylvia’s mother, tells Mary she’s intrigued by Barrie’s relationship with her daughter and grandsons. Frohman arrives with Lord Cannan as his guest to convince him to invest in Barrie’s next play. Barrie gifts Peter a journal, encouraging him to write. As dinner is served, the adults chatter. Meanwhile, the boys attempt to play and are scolded by Mary (“The Dinner Party”). Peter uses a shiny knife to reflect the candlelight onto the wall, which Barrie claims is a fairy. As Mary, Sylvia, and Mrs. Du Maurier bicker about the boy’s imaginative behavior, Barrie stops time to avoid further arguing. Peter, the other boys, and Sylvia join Barrie in his imagination (“We Own The Night”). Lord Cannon leaves, astonished by Barrie’s boyish behavior. After everyone leaves, Mary and Barrie argue.

When they arrive home, Mrs. Du Maurier tells Sylvia that she’s troubled by Barrie’s relationship with her and the children. Mrs. Du Maurier also expresses concern that Sylvia isn’t taking care of herself; she’s sick and refuses to tell the boys. All Sylvia wants with whatever time she has left is to live happily with her loved ones. Barrie makes them happy, which is all she desires right now (“All That Matters”).

On another evening, the boys refuse to go to bed and play (“We Own The Night (Reprise)”). Peter wants to play “Boys Castaway” with Barrie as their chief. When Barrie says he would take them in and raise them as his sons in this make-believe scenario, Peter pushes him away and yells. The boys fight, but Sylvia calms them down (“Sylvia’s Lullaby”). After the boys go to sleep, Barrie apologizes to Sylvia for upsetting Peter. He shares that he understands Peter’s struggles with the loss of his father as he lost his brother when he was Peter’s age. He tells her that he used to say his brother went to Neverland, a place where you never grow old and live your fantasies (“Neverland”).

From that stems Barrie’s idea for Peter Pan. However, when he pitches the idea to Frohman, he rejects it. Nobody will want to see a play about pirates, mermaids, fairies, and boys who never grow up. He tells Barrie what people are saying about his relationship with Sylvia, which Barrie dismisses. Back at his house, Barrie finds Mary and Lord Cannan alone together. Mary retaliates by revealing that she’s been reading his journal where he writes about Sylvia. She ends their marriage. When Barrie goes to see Sylvia and the boys, Mrs. Du Maurier forbids him from entering. Sylvia has worn herself out and having him in her life is the last thing she needs. All these moments send Barrie into a stress-induced hallucination (“Circus of Your Mind”).

Barrie encounters Captain Hook, a darker version of himself who tells him to follow his heart. Captain Hook serves as the villain in Peter Pan, but he is also the part of Barrie that gives him the courage to believe in his writing. Captain Hook encourages him to continue writing the story of Neverland, regardless of what others may think (“Stronger”).

ACT 2

Barrie, dressed as a pirate, shows the boys around the theatre during their first rehearsal where the company is anxiously learning the show (“The World Is Upside Down”). After a long day of rehearsal, Frohman takes the cast to The Swan for drinks. Sylvia finds the boys at the theatre with Barrie. The boys encourage Barrie to bring Sylvia to The Swan. The boys go with Elliot, leaving Barrie and Sylvia alone in the theatre. Captain Hook appears again and encourages Barrie to kiss her. He becomes nervous and gifts her an acorn instead. The two romantically play together on the empty theatre stage and share what they mean to each other, ending in a kiss (“What You Mean To Me”).

At The Swan, the actors and Frohman are concerned that the show will be a disaster. Barrie and Sylvia arrive, telling Frohman the key to the show’s success will be having children in the audience. When Frohman scoffs at the idea, Sylvia responds that the actors and Mr. Frohman have forgotten how to play. Barrie, Frohman, and Sylvia remind the actors of what their childhoods were like, full of play and imagination (“Play”).

Back in their backyard, the boys prepare to present Peter’s play to surprise Barrie. Peter is nervous that he’s not a real writer, but his brothers encourage him to believe in his work (“We’re All Made of Stars”). Barrie arrives to watch the play and asks Peter for permission to use his name for the leading role in his show. As the boys present the play, Sylvia begins to cough uncontrollably. Barrie notices blood in her handkerchief and sends the boys inside, leaving them alone. Sylvia refuses treatment since she doesn’t want to put her boys through what happened with their father again. Barrie takes Sylvia inside, and Peter pops out from behind the fence. He starts knocking down the set of his play and lashes out at Barrie. He says adults are always lying and tears up the notebook Barrie gave him. He’s scared his mother is going to leave him forever. Barrie comforts him (“When Your Feet Don’t Touch the Ground”).

At the theatre, it’s opening night of Peter Pan. Frohman gives a pep talk to his nervous actors (“Something About This Night”). Meanwhile, Barrie arrives to pick up Sylvia for opening night. Mrs. Du Maurier refuses to let him in, saying Sylvia is much too weak to attend the play. George interrupts the interaction and lets Barrie in; if Sylvia wants to see him, it’s her choice. Barrie follows George inside, and Barrie decides he wants to stay behind to be with all of them if Sylvia cannot go. The boys agree that Peter should go with Barrie to the play with his notebook, which Sylvia put back together. After the play, Barrie and Peter convince the cast to do the performance a second time that night at Sylvia’s house. At the conclusion of the performance, Sylvia flies off to Neverland (“Neverland (Reprise)”).

Back in Kensington Gardens, Barrie and Peter sit on the bench. Barrie says Peter can visit Sylvia anytime he’d like in Neverland. The rest of the boys and Mrs. Du Maurier join them. Michael calls Barrie “father” for the first time. Frohman arrives with Elliot, and they share that Peter Pan has become a smash hit. Barrie decides all the profits should go to a children’s hospital. Barrie is now a joint guardian of the children with Mrs. Du Maurier, who finally sees his impact on the children. Barrie, the boys, and the rest of the cast remark that make believe shows us there are no limitations to what we can achieve (“Finale”).