The story of Peter Pan is timeless. The tale of a boy who won’t ever grow up is one many of us are familiar with. Whether you first met Peter in Disney’s animated classic, through J.M. Barrie’s novel, the classic Broadway musical, or through Sweet Tea Shakespeare’s recent production of PAN (a modern retelling of Peter Pan), nearly everyone has some familiarity with Peter and Tinkerbell, Captain Hook and Smee, the island of Neverland with mermaids and native islanders. But where did they all come from? How did Peter and the Lost Boys wind up on Neverland? How did the island become so magical? The answer: a shipwreck and Starstuff. What is Starstuff, you ask? For that answer, check out the Artist Village’s upcoming production of Peter and the Starcatcher.
The Artist Village is a community theatre company in Hope Mills. Peter and the Starcatcher is their third and final production of this season, presented through a grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County. The play will be performed at the Hope Mills Recreation Center at 5766 Rockfish Road, Hope Mills, in the Community Room. Performances are May 2-4.
Peter and the Starcatcher is a fun, fantasy play, based on a novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. The play is the origin story of all the main characters and details of Peter Pan. Through a funny and heartwarming tale, we learn how Peter is able to fly, how he and the Lost Boys came to be on this magical island, and why they call themselves “Lost Boys.” The story begins on two ships, with plenty of mischief and misunderstanding; then hijinks and high winds ensue.
Everyone’s favorite villain is on board: Black Stache, the pirate (who will one day be known as Captain Hook) wreaks the best kind of havoc. Spoiler alert: they wind up shipwrecked on a mysterious island. Based on the title, you might ask: what is a Starcatcher? For that answer, you’ll have to see the play and let Lord Aster and his daughter, Molly, explain that phenomenon.
The play incorporates music and magic-theatre magic-to help tell the story, which includes a flying cat, a massive crocodile, and mermaids, all of whom are tricky to bring to life onstage. The creatives of Artist Village are up to the challenge.
According to Kaitlin Davis, Assistant Executive Director and Marketing Director of Artist Village, this play lends itself well to a flexible staging concept. This fits the need of the theatre company, as it stages work in a space that was not built to be a theatre. But the beauty of theatre is that it can happen anywhere, including the Community Room of a recreation center.
Peter and the Starcatcher invites the audience to “suppose all these planks and ropes are now the British Empire…and use your thoughts to hoist the sails and deck the ships awaiting us,” so from the beginning, our imaginations have an active part in the show. Combine that with unique prop creation, spearheaded by cast member Randy Burkhead, and you have a formula for a unique theatre experience.
Peter and the Starcatcher is great for all ages. With a diverse cast of local actors, ranging in age from 10 to over 60, and laughs and surprises around every corner, there is truly something for everyone. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for students of any age, available for purchase online or at the door. For more information, visit artistvillagehm.com.