Sandy Duncan debuts in Finding Neverland tonight

After today's news that Finding Neverland will open in London's West End in January 2017, the Broadway production will also welcome a new cast member tonight in the form of three-time Tony nominee and former star of Broadway's 'Peter Pan' Sandy Duncan at the Lunt-Fontanne Theate (where she also played the role of Peter Pan from 1979 to 1981). She will play a limited engagement in the role of Madame du Maurier through to 27 March 2016.

Ms Duncan previously released the following statement:

"It's surreal being back at the Lunt-Fontanne where I opened Peter Pan in 1979. There's a real sense of nostalgia for me in joining this company. So many moments and bits of dialogue in Finding Neverland really bring me back to those days in Peter Pan and to all the folks with whom I shared that experience. I'm looking forward to being a part of the story from a different angle and sharing the stage with yet another group of talented actors. I feel extremely fortunate. Also, Kelsey, I'd like my old dressing room back please!"

"It's an honor to have Sandy Duncan joining the company at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater, where 36 years ago she became one of the most iconic Peter Pans of all time. Sandy is a living tribute to the enduring legacy of Peter Pan, and I am beyond thrilled that she will now be part of Finding Neverland."

"Sandy Duncan is a national treasure and no one knows the way to Neverland better than she does. From her unforgettable TV work to her irresistible Tony-nominated performance in the first Broadway revival of Peter Pan, it's an honor to welcome her back to Broadway, to the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre and to Neverland."

Finding Neverland, directed by Diane Paulus, began previews on 15 March 2015 at Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, before an official opening on 15 April, and is currently booking through to 3 July 2016.

Finding Neverland features a book by Olivier Award nominee James Graham, with music and lyrics by Grammy Award winner Elliot Kennedy and Gary Barlow, UK songwriter and member of popgroup 'Take That.'

Synopsis: "When a playwright meets a widow and her four boys in Kensington Gardens, he embarks on a friendship that inspires one of the most beloved stories of all time. Based on the Miramax film written by David Magee, Finding Neverland follows the real-life relationship between the Llewelyn Davies family and James Matthew Barrie as he writes the revolutionary 1904 play Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up. This new musical explores the power of imagination to open up new worlds, and the pressures put upon those worlds by the prospect of growing up."

The creative team behind Finding Neverland features choreography by Mia Michaels, scenic design by Tony Award winner Scott Pask, lighting by Phillip S. Rosenberg, costumes by Suttirat Larlarb, and sound design by Tony nominee Jonathan Deans.

The pre-Broadway engagement of Finding Neverland, which starred Jeremy Jordan as J.M. Barrie, concluded on 28 September 2014, after 75 sold-out performances at the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was the highest attended and highest grossing production in A.R.T.'s 34-year history.

Sandy Duncan earned Tony nominations for Best Actress in a Musical in 1980 for 'Peter Pan' and in 1971 for 'The Boy Friend.' She also earned a Tony nod for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 1969 for 'Canterbury Tales.' Her other Broadway credits include 'Chicago,' 'My One And Only,' and 'Love Is a Time of Day.' On screen she earned Golden Globe nominations for "Star Spangled Girl" and "The Million Dollar Duck" in 1972, along with Emmy nominations for "Roots" (1977) and "Funny Face" (1972). She is also well known for her recurring TV role of Sandy Hogan in "Valerie," which she played from 1987 to 1991.

- by Tom Millward