On the mystical and mythical nights of October 24th, 25th, 26th, and 27th, the cast and crew of Peter and the Starcatcher enchanted their audiences with Peter Pan’s acclaimed lore. Unlike the movie and musical Peter Pan, Peter and the Starcatcher solely focuses on a boy’s quest to understand and make sense of the cruel world he was placed in. With nowhere to go and no place to call home, the boy finds comfort and connection with the starcatcher in training, Molly Astor, whose mission is to protect the queen’s trunk, which is otherwise filled to the brim with star stuff. The sea that Molly must embark on to fulfill her mission is home to an infamous pirate by the name of Black Stache who later becomes victim to an ungodly accidental amputation, leaving him a hook for a hand. Bloodthirsty pirates vs. a ragtag team of orphans—what more could an audience ask for?
Sydney Foster fan, audience member, and sophomore Skylar Foster first went to the play because “her sister played Hawking Clam, which she absolutely rocked,” but she stayed for the undeniably hilarious “Mermaid Outta Me” number that showcased the beginning of Act 2. Breaking the fourth wall by entering the theater door, Mermaid Stache, played by Cameron Firoozi, swam through the audience, blinding all who dared to stare at his illuminated watermelon bra. Laura Wagner, a senior and CdMHS theater department stan, would have to say that “[she] really enjoyed the part of Peter and the Starcatcher when Captain Black Stache chopped his hand off,” remarking that “it was super funny and very well executed.” Nearing the end of the play, this scene marks the villain origin story that transformed Black Stache into the notorious Captain Hook. Emma Miranda, another senior and supporter of the arts here at CdM, could not get enough of Black Stache’s right-hand man, Smee, played by Seveen Eslami, because “she truly made the character so funny and added her personal touch to it as well.” In regards to the technical aspects of the show, the set team was tasked with creating not one but two sixteen-foot structures that resembled a ship on one side and an island on the other. The design for the ship itself was set to be rugged-looking, contrasting the magical island of Neverland that was seen after the ship broke into two. Miranda recalls that the “set design was [her] favorite part, as it told its own story and helped bring the scenes to life. Foster reveals that her favorite behind-the-scenes action was seeing “how swiftly they could move the set from ship to island in a short minute.” With such a whimsical and vibrant show, makeup designer Natt Ashworth had her work cut out for her as there were so many different groups to cater to: mollusks, pirates, mermaids, and of course lost boys. Wagner was incredibly impressed by “how each and every character had a perfect mix of whimsy and realism that paid off well on stage,” adding on to say that “the mollusks had awe-inspiring makeup on that really added to the experience.”
Such a show as Peter and the Starcatcher sparks a sense of childlike wonder in audiences all over and ultimately hones the power of imagination in all its technical and actor elements. And oh so suddenly it’s onto the next for the CdMHS drama program. Be sure to check out their future productions: Bite Size Theatre for Busy People on December 13th, Witches in Salem, and of course the spring musical!
