Peter and the Starcatcher: Starstuff And Imagination Take Flight

In one form or another, most of us know the story of Peter Pan, that famous character seeped into the inner core of our popular culture. Ever since the boy who wouldn’t grow up first took flight from the depths of J.M Barrie’s mind- and then in the form of his 1904 play and later 1911 novel- there have been many renditions of the classic tale. Disney’s 1953 beloved animated film comes to mind, its charm reminding us of the power of the human spirit and the importance of having enough faith, trust and pixie dust.

There’s just something about the story that captures the imagination we have, making us yearn to be a part of it. We want to visit Neverland because it’s a place where we don’t have to grow up or grow old, where our troubles just melt away. We want to go on an exciting adventure with Peter and his lost boys, with Wendy and her brothers as they all face off against the sinister Captain Hook and his partner Smee aboard the Jolly Roger. We want to swim with the mermaids and hang out with Tiger Lily and her tribe. And let’s not forget, of course, the flying, because who doesn’t want to fly and be able to travel high up in the sky like an eternal being?

Perhaps it is in that sense of wonder that Peter Pan has managed to withstand the test of time, calling to us to return every once in a while.

This certainly is the case when I watched another timeless reworking of the Peter Pan story, Eleanor Roosevelt High School’s Theatre Company production of the Tony-winning play “Peter and the Starcatcher.” The play, which happened on Feb 2,3 and 4 is an adaptation of the 2004 children’s novel by Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry that serves as a faithful prequel to the original. Written by Rick Elice, it depicted an adventure worthy of its source material, as the audience explored the origins of Peter Pan, played by Pedro Luna, and how he came to be known by his iconic name. This time, though, he appeared alongside a cast of new, likeable and humorous characters.

The plot went beyond the origin story as it focuses also on its lead female character Molly Aster, played by Maya Vertulfo. She is the 13-year-old daughter of sea ship captain Lord Leonard Aster, played by Andrew Baker, who is trying to prove herself worthy of being a strong member of her father’s crew and stand firmly as an independent person compared to what people think of her otherwise. Talk about the message of girl power in this play! You go, Molly!

Molly’s father is tasked with protecting a great treasure, a trunk of starstuff, under the Queen’s orders. While he is away, he urged his daughter to stay on The Neverland, a ship led by a friend of his, Slank, played by Andrew Nabor. There Molly met three orphan boys, among the trio is the boy who would become Peter Pan while the other two, leader wannabe Prentiss and always hungry Tubby Ted, played by the hilarious Bryer Watkins and Ethan Kekuewa respectively, would later be part of his lost boys.

The action of the play continued as the courageous four brave the stormy seas in Act I to try to save Lord Aster after his ship has been taken over by the hilariously evil pirate antagonist Black Stache and his right-hand man Smee, played by an interesting Nicholas Ruiz and zingy Aaron Murray.

The youngsters must keep the Queen’s treasure away from the pirates’ dangerous hands and face new dangers while realizing the meaning of their actions and feelings of growing up later in Act II when they get washed up on an island populated by natives under the leadership of Fighting Prawn, also played by Andrew Baker with a distinct accent like that of an actual Native American Indian. Baker fluctuated from his British accent of Lord Aster when playing Fighting Prawn from time to time, but it is only merely noticeable. Prawn has a distaste for Brits, given that he was once a slave under them, which is trouble for the incoming Brits that set foot on his island.

Yes, there is so much going on in “Peter and the Starcatcher,” with the story sailing at high speeds, but sailing in a good and entertaining way in part thanks to the direction of the school’s theatre teacher Merica Frost, who steers a rocky course of a sophisticated production that ultimately reaches ashore smoothly. She proves once again that she is a great high school theatre director in her ability of working with youth and her passion for the art of theatre.

The lighting in the play proved to be a bit of a distraction at times, but to be fair, it’s not easy to be at the helm of such a crucial duty. There were, however, scenes in which lighting did succeed in its own right, especially when the white light shined at Peter as he’s about to give a serious monologue about the stars and wanting to be a kid instead of growing up or living a hard life. Powerful. The dim yellow lights made sense with the scenes on the ship, giving a mood of the mysterious high seas. And the ending shot with green light spotlighting a silhouette of Peter as he takes his first flight: that brought tears and joy knowing that the end of this story is the start of the one we are all familiar of.

Creative and bold choices are made in regards to the set pieces and trinkets to illustrate vast settings and surroundings of a ship and an island that can be confusing at first glance in some parts, but are understandable enough in others to make the theatergoer awe at the sheer inventiveness of them. Kudos to Mrs. Frost’s husband, set designer Brian Frost, for doing a good job in building minimal, yet elaborate set pieces. A rope can become a mirror, a boxing ring, the main body of a ship. The actors themselves represent specific objects, like doors and port holes, and a humungous crocodile’s teeth are shown with a long string of small triangular flags. There is also moment in which Molly looked like she was levitating. And while we know the obvious trick behind that, we couldn’t help but admire its clever usage. The ability to showcase so much with so little is truly remarkable and reflects the importance of having great imagination, which is a message at the heart of the play itself.

The choreography and stage directions proved a challenging task to put together behind the scenes and there were slight technical difficulties in the way set pieces and people transition from one point to another, but those extremely small mistakes did not distract me from the overall enjoyment of the show. Plus, there is much excitement felt in seeing characters go from one scene to another, knowing that there is more to see and the energy that defines the production.

That energy is elevated by singing and dancing and a musical score in some parts. “Peter and the Starcatcher” is really a musical-play hybrid, with a few numbers that highlight unique characteristics of the story. The Mermaid opening number of Act II was a complete surprise and added to the magical fantasy aspect the play showcased. Seeing the majority of male cast dressed up as mermaids – funny as it was with a response of laughter from the audience – also proved to be eye candy for some, as many people were screaming wildly with affection. The musical number that ended Act I gave the play much seriousness, showing us what’s at stake for Peter as Molly sang to him to hold on to that trunk of starstuff. When Aaron Murray’s Smee played “Sailor Boy” on the ukulele, he was abruptly cut off by Ruiz’s Stache as he was trying to say a very adult word that referred to a specific female body part, showcasing the quirky humor encompassing the play. The numbers were executed to success, garnering loud applause from the audience.

Speaking of adult, “Peter and the Starcatcher” included innuendos scattered throughout the play, that appeal to mature, or immature, viewers and provided something for them to giggle about and enjoy.

Contemporary references also pepper the play, despite it taking place at the height of the British Empire, which is mocked respectfully in a slight undertone. References to Starbucks coffee, Michael Jackson’s moonwalk dance move, a hip-hop dance move made by a person in the Mermaid opening number, and that reference to the recent Super Bowl game grounded the play with the modern world and connected with the audience by appealing to them in a comedic way.

One-liners, classic dry-humor, gags and tropes keep the audience entertained in those small moments where momentum was much needed and when a exhilarating sequence was followed by a quiet moment.

The technicality and nuances truly served the story well, but what is also needed to sell a story touching on the themes of growing up, reaching the stars, courage, sacrifice, leadership, nobility, and selflessness are the actors, whether they be in leading, supporting, or background roles.

Vertulfo embodied a strong female character that was able to stand side-to-side with Peter and her ability to portray a young girl several years younger than herself is impressive. She gave it everything she had, as indicated by her commitment to mimicking a slight version of a British accent and willingness to explore this character that truly is ahead of her time.

As for Peter, Pedro Luna showed us different sides of a dynamic character. At first, he was the bitter and childish boy unhappy with his current life on a ship. But later on, he became the lonely orphan longing for a family of his own, the adventurous and curious kid just up to the task, the existential wonderer trying to find out who he is, and the selfless person that cared about others. There was a subtly in Luna’s acting that really gives us the impression of a young boy in his voice and tone.

Ruiz’s Black Stache reminded me, oddly enough, of a young Johnny Depp, in his performance, and it wasn’t just the mustache resemblance or that funny accent. He was not a sinisterly dramatic evil villain, but rather a quirky funny bad guy that the audience can like, as they even clapped for him when he broke the 4th wall to call for praise.

Murray’s Smee was hilarious and goofy in a good way. That’s because the young actor developed his own interpretation of Smee and gave his partner in crime character antics. He could have easily acted Smee with a voice funny voice and emphasized facial expressions, but his physicality and the way his character moved gave us a personalized Smee.

Baker was able to portray two distinctively different characters in Lord Aster and Fighting Prawn, showing us the concerned, but loving father in Aster and the resentful, but firm Prawn.

The rest of the cast also contributed greatly to the play, stepping in when needed to provide comedic relief and interesting sub-plots. The ensemble cast was able to step up and provide memorable supporting characters with nuance and personality.

And let’s not forget the people back-stage and in the sound booth, for without them, he play would be stripped down to the bare essentials of its acting cast.

Before the play began and the curtains were about to rise for the Friday showing of the play I attended, Director Mrs. Frost greeted the large audience and told of how “different” the play is and how it was unlike anything she had ever done. She also touched on what the audience might think of the play, that it was “beautiful” and that she thinks “you’re going to love it.” And I have to agree with her. Overall, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” with all its technical pizazz and stern acting and breathtaking story, touches the imagination of our inner child, taking us on a great adventure and a world beyond our wildest dreams and will remain in good memory as one of Mrs. Frost’s best plays here at Eleanor Roosevelt High School. It made the audience feel all sorts of emotions, including myself. The hard work to create something beautiful paid off.

It just made me want to stay young forever, to be that kid again. And that’s saying something, because I enjoyed it that much. For those who didn’t see it last week, you missed something special.