Nina Boucicault originally played Peter Pan in the 1904 play Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up.
Boucicault was the first actor to portray Peter in the play’s original London production. The role was traditionally performed by an adult woman, following the theatrical convention of presenting a young boy through an actress’s performance.
The first production opened at the Duke of York’s Theatre in London on 27 December 1904. Gerald du Maurier played both George Darling and Captain Hook, another casting tradition associated with the play.
Later famous Peter Pans included Maude Adams in the United States and Pauline Chase in London. Their prominence can make them seem like the original performer, but Boucicault holds that distinction for Barrie’s first stage production.