Jennifer Hudson Sings from Finding Neverland at Tony Awards

Jennifer Hudson performs a sneak peek of the A.R.T.’s Finding Neverland at the Tonys with dancer Melanie Moore as Peter Pan. / Photo via AP

Viewers of the Tony Awards received a special treat Sunday night when Jennifer Hudson performed a preview of the American Repertory Theater at Harvard’s forthcoming production of Finding Neverland.

Finding Neverland, a musical based on the Oscar-winning 2004 film about J. M. Barrie and the family that inspired him to create Peter Pan, is directed by the A.R.T.’s artistic director Diane Paulus (she won a Tony for Pippin last year) and choreographed by Mia Michaels. The show will be presented at Loeb Drama Center in Cambridge starting in July by special arrangement with powerhouse film producer Harvey Weinstein.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzLQmZETrZ4

Comedian Tina Fey introduced Hudson’s performance of the song “Neverland” at the Tonys (above), which was a huge crowd-pleaser even though Hudson will not be in the actual musical herself.

But Melanie Moore, the dancer who appears in the performance as Peter Pan—whom you might also recognize as the season 8 winner of So You Think You Can Dance—will be in the ensemble of the A.R.T. musical. Emmy-winning choreographer Mia Michaels is also known for her work on SYTYCD.

Finding Neverland will star Jeremy Jordan (Newsies, Bonnie and Clyde) as J.M. Barrie and Laura Michelle Kelly (Mary Poppins) as Sylvia Llewelyn Davies.

The A.R.T. had two plays nominated at Sunday night’s Tony Awards, All the Way and The Glass Menagerie. All the Way won for both categories it was nominated in, “Best Play” and “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play” (Bryan Cranston). Out of seven nominations, The Glass Menagerie won one, “Best Lighting Design of a Play” (Natasha Katz).

Finding Neverland will show July 23 through September 28 at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Cambridge, 617-547-8300, americanrepertorytheater.org.