Catch Cathy Rigby If You Can When She Flies Through Baltimore As Peter Pan

BALTIMORE (WJZ)—She was America's sweetheart at two Olympic Games. But she may be best known for her performance in the musical "Peter Pan."

Kai Jackson reports this weekend Cathy Rigby is again playing the lead character in a run she says truly will be her final act.

Rigby says she's performed as Peter Pan some 3,000 times. She says with that kind of experience you learn a lot about the character and yourself.

"I never in my years would've ever believed I could, I would be able to play a character that allows me to relive a childhood two hours every night and to rediscover that kind of mischief and fun and magic," the actress said.

Rigby is performing "Peter Pan" at the Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric in Baltimore only this weekend.

And as she has for years, she'll be singing, dancing and hooked to a wire flying 30 feet in the air above the stage.

"I think that I just try to tell the story with as much authenticity as I can. I hope that I bring the little boy to life," Rigby said.

Peter Pan is the story of a mischievous boy who can fly and never grows up. It was written by Scottish author and playwright Sir James Barrie.

Rigby's early career was spent as a gymnast and she appeared in the 1968 and 1972 Olympics.

Now as a mother and grandmother she understands there's a difference between growing up and growing old.

"There's a longing to stay young. We all have that.  A longing to have the innocence of a child and the passion of 'anything is possible' that a child has," Rigby said.

Rigby's run as Peter Pan will end in Boston in April.  After that she says she'll cut back on touring and focus on other theater projects.