Q&A With Trey McIntyre

Texas Ballet Theater Debuts Trey McIntyre’s Reimagined Peter Pan

Texas Ballet Theater opens its 2025-2026 season with the premiere of Peter Pan, a new two-act ballet choreographed by internationally acclaimed choreographer Trey McIntyre, who has created works for Queensland Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and The Washington Ballet. McIntyre’s original three-act version of Peter Pan premiered at Houston Ballet in 2002, where TBT’s own Artistic Director Tim O’Keefe danced the role of Captain Hook. This reimagined two-act production blends McIntyre’s signature storytelling and inventive movement.

For McIntyre, Peter Pan represents a mirror of the artistic journey itself, a reminder to hold on to the boundless imagination of youth even as we step into adulthood. McIntyre shares how he brought J.M. Barrie’s classic tale to life through ballet, from reenvisioning the story through a child’s eyes to crafting scenes of high-flying adventure and danger at sea.

Stage photos shared courtesy of Nevada Ballet Theater.

TBT: What drew you to Peter Pan as a story you wanted to tell through ballet?

It was originally a commission from Oregon Ballet Theatre. That project ended up falling through, but I was really inspired by the story and kept working on it. Peter Pan’s story is essentially the artist’s journey and the real life right-of-passage in the ways in which we transition from child to adult. Being an artist is very much about staying a part of the childlike self and seeing the unlimited potential in life.

TBT: How would you describe your version of Peter Pan?

I went back to the Barrie book as the only source material. It is so beautifully written, and there are many details that gave me the opportunity to expand upon the story. The story is really told from the children’s perspective, looking up from the adult world.

TBT: How did you approach capturing the spirit of childhood, imagination, and adventure through movement?

With this, as with any ballet, it’s really about tapping into those parts of myself and expressing from them with as little editing as possible. The elements of Peter Pan that are important are the things that are delightful to me in any work—the feeling of awe, the feeling of surprise, the feeling of joy.

TBT: What were some of the unique challenges of choreographing Peter Pan, especially with elements like flying or magical transformations?

When I started Peter Pan, I actually had a lot of experience with flying. I had just finished a show in which I had just flown myself, and I was involved in the development of that piece over the course of eight months, so I had a lot of time to understand what was possible. I ended up doing all of the flight choreography in one day. The other magical elements of the show were just pure joy for me. I enjoyed figuring things out, solving puzzles, and exploring to find new ways of achieving things.

TBT: Was there a particular scene or number that was especially rewarding or difficult to choreograph? Why?

The fight scene on the pirate ship is so complex, and there were so many elements going on at once. I wanted it to feel like there were real stakes and that anything could happen with a sense of danger.

TBT: How do you hope audiences, especially children, experience Peter Pan through your choreography? What feelings do you want them to walk away with?

I want adults to understand and see themselves in the spirit of this work—that seed of childhood that is in every person. I think this is what art does for us always, reminding ourselves that we are so much bigger than the day-to-day mundanity of life. I want kids to just be kids and do what kids do.

Get tickets now to see TBT’s production of Peter Pan at the Winspear Opera House in Dallas September 19–21 and at Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth October 3–5. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling the TBT Box Office at 877-828-9200. This performance is for audiences of all ages to rediscover the magic, joy, and awe that live inside us all.