Peter and the Starcatchers (play)

Peter and the Starcatcher

2011 off-Broadway logo
Written by Rick Elice
Characters Peter Pan
Molly Aster
Black Stache
Date premiered February 13, 2009
Place premiered La Jolla Playhouse
Subject Peter and the Starcatcher
IOBDB profile

Peter and the Starcatcher is a play based on the 2006 novel of the same name by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, adapted for the stage by Rick Elice. The play provides a backstory for the character Peter Pan, and serves as a prequel to J. M. Barrie's Peter and Wendy.[1] After a premiere in California, the play transferred to Off-Broadway in 2011.

Contents

Productions

The play premiered at the La Jolla Playhouse in California, running from February 13 to March 8, 2009. It was directed by Elice's partner Roger Rees, and co-directed by Alex Timbers.[2] An instrumental score was written by Wayne Barker.[3] This cast starred Adam Green as Peter Pan.[4]

The show, now titled Peter and the Starcatcher, then opened Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop, beginning performances on February 18, 2011.[5] The show received several extensions, eventually closing on April 24, 2011.[6][7] The new cast starred Celia Keenan-Bolger as Molly, Christian Borle as Black Stache, and Adam Chanler-Berat as Peter.[8] Through April 1, Borle shared the role of Black Stache with Steve Rosen.[9]

According to Timbers, "We're [the production team] working on seeing if moving it to Broadway is possible. I'm feeling optimistic and excited that it might have a future life." Producers have confirmed that "discussions are ongoing about a future commercial run." Of the project, Timbers said: "It was really great to hone and develop it. I'm not interested in the sorts of plays and musicals that are recreating movies on stage. The stagecraft I'm really interested in is stuff that feels inherently theatrical. Obviously, I think that's what we should all be doing."[10] The play is expected to open on Broadway in a theatre to be announced in Spring 2012 with the creative team from the New York Theatre Workshop production.[11]

Response

Although Peter garnered mixed reviews by most critics,[12] the play received a rave review from The New York Times, with Ben Brantley writing:

"When the H.M.S. Neverland goes down in "Peter and the Starcatcher," it’s the most enthralling shipwreck since James Cameron sent the Titanic to her watery grave in the late 1990s . . . The cast is, with no exceptions, wonderful . . . It’s a performance that you might classify as over the top, but only in the sense that the entire production is. With grown-up theatrical savvy and a child’s wonder at what it can achieve, "Peter and the Starcatcher" floats right through the ceiling of the physical limits imposed by a three-dimensional stage. While there’s not a body harness in sight, like those used to hoist the title characters of "Mary Poppins" and "Spider-Man," this show never stops flying."[13]

Awards and nominations

Lucille Lortel Awards[14]

Inaugural Off Broadway Alliance Awards[15]

Drama Desk Awards[16]

Tina Awards[17]

Obie Awards[18]

References

  1. ^ Vincentelli, Elisabeth (March 10, 2011). "Hook, lines & Tinker (Bell)". The New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/theater/hook_lines_tinker_bell_GtRHsXS6ZyLnJJDKyHAtZM. Retrieved 15 March 2011. 
  2. ^ Jones, Kenneth (July 28, 2008.). "Can He Fly? Disney and La Jolla Will Test Wings of Starcatchers — a Peter Pan Prequel". Playbill. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/119891-Can-He-Fly-Disney-and-La-Jolla-Will-Test-Wings-of-Starcatchers--a-Peter-Pan-Prequel. Retrieved 15 March 2011. 
  3. ^ "Peter and the Starcatchers". Lortel Archives. http://www.lortel.org/LLA_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&id=5678. Retrieved 15 March 2011. 
  4. ^ Jones, Kenneth. "Peter Pan Is Back! Starcatchers Workshop, With Borle, Elrod, Green, Begins in CA". http://www.playbill.com/news/article/126239-Peter-Pan-Is-Back-Starcatchers-Workshop-With-Borle-Elrod-Green-Begins-in-CA. Retrieved 15 March 2011. 
  5. ^ Simonson, Robert (February 16, 2011). "In Starcatcher, Peter Pan Takes Off in a New Direction". Playbill. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/147444-In-Starcatcher-Peter-Pan-Takes-Off-in-a-New-Direction. Retrieved 15 March 2011. 
  6. ^ Jones, Kenneth (March 14, 2011). "What a Difference a Rave Makes: Starcatcher Gets Two-Week Extension". playbill.com. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/148734-What-a-Difference-a-Rave-Makes-Starcatcher-Gets-Two-Week-Extension. Retrieved 15 March 2011. 
  7. ^ "Acclaimed Peter and the Starcatcher Gets One Last Extension Off-Broadway". playbill.com. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/149160-Acclaimed-Peter-and-the-Starcatcher-Gets-One-Last-Extension-Off-Broadway. Retrieved 24 March 2011. 
  8. ^ Jones, Kenneth (March 9, 2011). "Alex Timbers, Roger Rees, Rick Elice Give Peter Pan an Origin in Starcatcher, Opening March 9". playbill.com. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/148361-Alex-Timbers-Roger-Rees-Rick-Elice-Give-Peter-Pan-an-Origin-in-Starcatcher-Opening-March-9. Retrieved 15 March 2011. 
  9. ^ Jones, Kenneth (March 15, 2011). "Steve Rosen Joins Peter and the Starcatcher, Stepping Into the Boots of a Villain". Playbill. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/148776-Steve-Rosen-Joins-Peter-and-the-Starcatcher-Stepping-Into-the-Boots-of-a-Villain. Retrieved 15 March 2011. 
  10. ^ Hetrick, Adam. (May 5, 2011). "Will Off-Broadway's Peter and the Starcatcher Fly Uptown to Broadway?". Playbill. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/150565-Will-Off-Broadways-Peter-and-the-Starcatcher-Fly-Uptown-to-Broadway. Retrieved 5 May 2011. 
  11. ^ Hetrick, Adam."'Peter and the Starcatcher' Will Fly to Broadway in 2012" playbill.com, October 19, 2011
  12. ^ "Peter and the Starcatchers". stagegrade.com. http://www.stagegrade.com/productions/744. Retrieved 15 March 2011. 
  13. ^ Brantley, Ben (March 9, 2011). "Peter Pan (the Early Years), With Bounding Main and All". The New York Times. http://theater.nytimes.com/2011/03/10/theater/reviews/peter-and-the-starcatcher-at-theater-workshop-review.html?pagewanted=1. Retrieved 15 March 2011. 
  14. ^ BWW News Desk (March 31, 2011). "Mantello, Bloody Bloody, Starcatcher & More Earn 2011 Lortel Award Noms; Full List Announced!". broadwayworld.com. http://broadwayworld.com/article/Mantello_BLOODY_BLOODY_STARCATCHER_More_Earn_2011_Lortel_Award_Noms_Full_List_Announced_20110331_page1. Retrieved 31 March 2011. 
  15. ^ Gans, Andrew (April 15, 2011). "Nominees Announced for Inaugural Off Broadway Alliance Awards". Playbill. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/149936-Nominees-Announced-for-Inaugural-Off-Broadway-Alliance-Awards. Retrieved 15 April 2011. 
  16. ^ Andrew, Gans. "56th Annual Drama Desk Nominations Announced; Book of Mormon Scores 12 Nominations", playbill.com, April 29, 2011.
  17. ^ "Leslie Jordan Announces Tina Award Nominees". Best Of Off-Broadway. March 12, 2011. http://www.bestofoffbroadway.com/news/2011-off-broadway-tina-awards.html. Retrieved 12 May 2011. 
  18. ^ http://www.playbill.com/news/article/150893-Chad-Deity-Ethan-Hawke-Laurie-Metcalf-Thomas-Sadoski-Charlayne-Woodard-Win-Obie-Awards

External links

Characters and setting
Official books and plays
Films

Peter Pan (1924) · Peter Pan (1953) · Hook (1991) · Return to Never Land (2002) · Peter Pan (2003) · Neverland (2003) · Finding Neverland (2004)
TV series
The Lost Boys (1978) · The Adventures of Peter Pan (1989) · Peter Pan and the Pirates (1990–91) · Jake and the Never Land Pirates (2011–present) · Neverland (2011)
Theatre
1950 musical · 1954 musical · 1976 musical · Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure · Peter and the Starcatchers (play) · Peter Pan 360 (play)
Video games
Starcatchers books
Other media