Pan-Tastic

Friday, Oct. 15, 2004 | 3:56 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION: October 17, 2004

Many young people only know Cathy Rigby as the star of the musical "Peter Pan." They weren't around when she starred on a much larger stage -- as a gymnast in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.

Rigby, a 51-year-old native of Los Alamitos, Calif., didn't win any medals that year, but the pixielike teenager (4 feet 11 inches tall) was filled with an exuberance that made her famous around the world.

When her brief athletic career ended, Rigby became an actor, singer, spokeswoman for a variety of products and the mother of four children.

In 1974 she made her stage debut as Peter Pan. In 1991 she appeared in the role on Broadway and toured with the production for several years.

Although she has performed in many other productions, including "Annie Get Your Gun," "Meet Me in St. Louis," "The Wizard of Oz" and "Paint Your Wagon," it is "Peter Pan" with which her name is most closely associated.

Rigby is on a farewell tour with "Peter Pan." She has announced that she will retire from the role and move on to other projects.

During a recent telephone interview from her home in Los Angeles, Rigby discussed her decision, as well as other subjects, with the Las Vegas Sun.

Las Vegas Sun: You are still young and in good physical condition. Why are you giving up the role of Peter Pan?

Cathy Rigby: I just think the timing is right. This year is the 100th anniversary of the play written by J.M. Barrie. And I have given more than 2,500 performances as Peter Pan. When this tour is over I will be ready to hang up the tunic and pass along the fairy dust to someone else.

Actually, I thought the last tour would be the last, but then they hired a lot of new cast members and I decided I just wanted to do it one last time. I liken it to knowing when it's time to participate in your last Olympics.

Sun: Have you ever performed in Las Vegas?

CR: A long, long time again I opened for Don Rickles.

Sun: What do you plan to do when the tour ends?

CR: It lasts through July 2005, so I have some time. I can't make definite plans, but what I'll probably do is take a break and see what's up. I want to do more musical theater, maybe get an agent for L.A. I would like to do something on Broadway, maybe in the fall of 2005.

Sun: You have four children, two sons and two daughters. Are any of them in show business?

CR: Yes. Three of them are in the show. Ryan, who is 24, is the dog Nana at the beginning of the story. Then he is a pirate and an Indian.

Theresa (21) is one of the lost boys, one of the twins, and she also plays Jane, Wendy's daughter. She also is Wendy's understudy. Kaitlin (19) plays a pirate. Buck (28) was in our last show, but he had to grow up. He got married to Dana Solimando, the woman who plays Tiger Lily in the show. They just had a baby.

Sun: What was your first major stage production?

CR: My first real theater role was in "Paint Your Wagon," which starred Gordon MacRae.

Sun: When did you decide to become a performer?

CR: Not 'til after my gymnastics career was over, when I was 19. Somebody said I should take voice lessons. I had had 12 years of ballet already. I studied acting for seven years. Actually, I still study.

Sun: Was the training difficult?

CR: It's like anything else. The great thing about having spent so many years in gymnastics, you know how to train. Your voice is just another muscle that has to be trained -- so is your acting, just like any other muscle.

Sun: Are you in condition for the role of Peter Pan?

CR: I have been working my tail off for this role.

But I have to say, I have stayed in shape. I just finished a sword fight. Between the flying and the sword fighting and acting like a 10-year-old boy, I'm physically fit.

Sun: Is is getting harder to stay in shape?

CR: Harder? No. What I've started doing is much more weight work, with free weights, and more Pilates-type of working out, and tae kwon do. Actually, I'm kind of shocked at how good I feel. I haven't had any injuries so far.

Sun: What's it like playing, for so many years, a character who never ages?

CR: The experience is like, you really do forget how old you are. As an adult you put away the spontaneity, the directness, the "I'll do anything" attitude." But the cast, as time goes by, becomes more spontaneous -- they get funnier, doing childlike things like sticking carrots in their nose at a restaurant. There is a kind of joy to it.

Sun: What inspired Barrie to write the story?

CR: Johnny Depp is doing a film on the story of Barrie's life. Barrie was a very complicated guy who experienced tragedy when he was very young -- he had an older brother who drowned. His mother emotionally abandoned him when his brother died.

Barrie grew up in a dysfunctional household. He was very lonely. The theme of "Peter Pan" is "I don't want to grow up and learn about solemn things."

Sun: Is the story meant for children or adults?

CR: The obvious stuff is for kids -- the flying and things. Parents, grandparents and children all get many different things out of the story, emotionally.

We always hear, "If we could just stay like this forever ..." But, of course, you can't stop aging from happening. That is part of the theme. Wendy wants to experience that part of life, of growing up. But not Peter Pan, no way.

Many times during the show I lost it, emotionally. When all the Lost Boys and Wendy leave Peter alone, his worst nightmare comes true. He is the only one left who doesn't have to face reality.

He's kind of a Don Quixote character.