Chattanooga actor in NBC's 'Peter Pan Live' tonight

photo F. Michael Haynie, son of Chattanoogan Phil Haynie, is playing one of the Lost Boys in "Peter Pan Live" at 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4 on NBC.

Patrons of the Chattanooga Theatre Centre might remember Phil Haynie's portrayal of dastardly Captain Hook in the community theater's 1995 production of "Peter Pan," which starred Rhonda McFalls Catanzaro in the title role.

Tonight, the Haynie family's theatrical connection with the beloved children's story comes full circle. F. Michael Haynie, the Chattanoogan's son, is playing one of the Lost Boys in "Peter Pan Live" at 8 p.m. on NBC.

The younger Haynie is cast as Slightly Soiled, the Lost Boy who insists his mother gave him that name because that's what the tag inside his coat says. Haynie, 28, grew up in Macon, Ga., where his mother, Sylvia Haynie, still lives. Since graduating from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, he has played Boq the Munchkin in "Wicked," was cast in off-Broadway productions of "Carrie" and "Dogfight" and had a role in the 2012 movie "Not Fade Away" that starred the late James Gandolfini.

Attempts to reach Michael Haynie were unsuccessful, but the elder Haynie, a former theater teacher at Dalton State College, says TV viewers will recognize his son "because he's the only strawberry-blond Lost Boy." The proud dad says his son has commented several times to him on how friendly and kind lead actors Allison Williams and Christopher Walken have been to everyone on the set.

"He said Allison took all the Lost Boys out for lunch one day. She told them she envied them because they had all done work on Broadway, which she wants to do," Phil Haynie says. "He said working with Christopher Walken was one of the things he's most excited about -- that Walken is funny and he loves to dance. He said Walken did a Shakespearean soliloquy with one of the little kid's teddy bears one day during rehearsal."

To hear what Michael Haynie has to say about "Peter Pan Live," go to NBC's website -- nbc.com/peter-pan-live -- click the videos link, scroll down to "Interviews" and click "Peter Pan's Band of Brothers." Haynie and two other actors discuss playing Lost Boys and the challenge of live television in the three-minute video.

Viewers who tuned in to last week's "The Making of Peter Pan Live" also may have noticed a familiar face behind the piano. Former Chattanoogan Steven Malone is again rehearsal accompanist for the live NBC production, a job he held for last December's presentation of "The Sound of Music" starring Carrie Underwood.

Coincidentally, Malone was also in the CTC production of "Peter Pan" almost 20 years ago -- he played one of Captain Hook's pirates, Phil Haynie adds.

Malone most recently served as musical director of "Newsies," until that Broadway musical closed at the end of August.

Contact Susan Pierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.

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