PETER AND THE STARCATCHER

“To Have Faith is to Have Wings”: The Backstory – or – A Prequel To the Tale of the Boy Who Would Not Grow Up

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

Presented By: Firehouse Theatre

At: 1609 W. Broad Street, RVA 23220

Performances: August 16 – September 1  2024

Ticket Prices: $1.00 – $35

Info: (804) 355-2001 or firehousetheatre.org

While it is based on a children’s book, Peter and the Starcatcher, a play with music (as opposed to a musical) is filled with innuendo and powered by linguistic and cultural references that are aimed at adults. So, yes, it is family friendly. It is also a fantastic fantasy adventure that delights the eye and ear and keeps the audience laughing. I don’t want to spoil it for you, but the Act 2 opening is one of the most memorable scenes ever; sit in the first row if you can.

Peter and the Starcatcher provides the backstory to Peter Pan as well as Captain Hook and Tinker Bell. Based on the 2004 novel of the same name, written by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, Rick Elice adapted the story for the stage. The play premiered in California, opened Off-Broadway in 2011 and on Broadway in 2012. Some may recall that the play was produced by Va Rep in 2015.

Chase Kniffen has designed an appropriately fantastical set that helps provide a big stage feel and Kasey Brown’s costumes are whimsical and extremely creative. Nathaniel Shaw’s direction is seamless, all the best lines are perfectly times and the pacing is swift enough to keep the audience on our toes but paced to keep us from getting lost. There is music, but not the kind where characters burst out into song for no reason, and at one point we are treated to a near-show stopping Rockettes-style high kick line. Kudos to the entire production team for making this production look and sound great.

This is one of those productions where, in addition to working their butts off, it also looks like the cast had as much fun as the audience. The casting was perfection. It’s hard to think where to begin, so I’ll just follow the program order. And yes, this is one of the few times I will make mention of each and every cast member – because they deserve it.

It was great to see Scott Wichmann back on stage and his role of the Black Stache, who is affected by chronic malapropism, is undeniably and devilishly over the top. Shannon Schilstra plays Molly, a young woman liberated ahead of her time, with youthful exuberance and a level of confidence most of us wish we had at that age (her character is 13 years old). Lukas D’Errico is the Boy (also 13) who eventually earns the name Peter and the right to wear the Hero’s hat. The scene in Act 2 where Boy first sees sunlight is heartwarming.

Peter’s companions, Ted and Prentiss, also orphans who are sold into slavery along with him, are played by Madison Hatfield and August Hundley. There is a running joke about Ted’s obsession with food that culminates in a hilarious scene in which, after struggling to figure out how to eat a pineapple, one of the pirates accidentally slices a pineapple in half providing Hatfield the opportunity to finally satiate her character’s fixation. Hundley finds and maintains a delicate balance as their character Prentiss seesaws between declaring himself the leader and just wanting to be a boy. Both are starved – for both food and love – and Ted occasionally slips and,  endearingly, calls Molly Mother.

Paul Major plays Black Stache’s bumbling first mate, Smee, who actually spends much of his time correcting Stache’s wildly humorous misuse of words, and occasionally – an accidentally –  coming up with some life-saving ideas. Elle Meerovich takes on several roles, including the flask-toting headmaster of the boys’ orphanage, a pirate, Fighting Prawn (king of the Mollusk tribe), and a sailor but their most memorable moment was holding an unwavering note in a song for a thrillingly long time. Whew! But wait, there’s more…

Chewie Lo Moore really digs in as Bill Slank, the cruel captain of The Neverland who switches the treasure chest with the decoy trunk at the start of the adventure, thus activating the action adventure aspect of the play. He also plays Hawking Clam, the son of the Mollusk king, Fighting Prawn. Joshua Mullins plays a supporting role as the good Captain Scott, the captain of the Wasp, based on a real-life British Royal Navy Officer of the same name, as well as – ironically – an incompetent sailor named Mack.

It seems too long since we’ve seen Alexander Sapp onstage, yet here he is as Lord Astor, Molly’s father, a Starcatcher on a secret mission that endangers everyone to some extent or another. Some of the funniest scenes occur when Lord Astor has to communicate with his daughter Molly. Because of the nature of his mission, they communicate in Dodo – yes, the language of the extinct bird – or Norse Code, apparently an ancient Viking precursor of Morse Code. After causing all this havoc, Sapp just strolls off at the end with utter nonchalance that makes you wonder, did that just happen?

One of my favorite roles was that of Molly’s nanny, Mrs. Bumbrake, played by Robert Throckmorton in the role of the “pantomime dame,” a woman’s role traditionally written for a male actor. Throckmorton also played Teacher, a wise mermaid who is instrumental in changing the direction of the Boy for the better. This was not Throckmorton’s first time in this dual role in Neverland or Mollusk Island, but the intimacy of the Firehouse Theatre certainly made it the memorable for me. The pairing of Throckmorton with William Vaughn, in the role of the smitten Alf, was a winning combination, but let’s not forget that Alf’s first claim to fame is a really potent case of flatulence.

Peter and the Starcatcher has adventure, magic/fantasy, whimsy, humor – and pirates. It also touches on serious topics like love and loyalty, friendship, greed, perseverance, and commitment. It truly has something for everyone, and reminds us why we love to go to see live theatre.

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PETER AND THE STARCATCHER

Written by Rick Elise

Music by Wayne Barker

Directed and Choreographed by Nathaniel Shaw

Cast

Black Stache   ……….           Scott Wichmann

Molly               ……….           Shannon Schilstra

Boy                 ……….           Lukas D’Errico

Ted                  ……….           Madison Hatfield (Molly u/s)

Prentiss            ……….           August Hundley (Boy u/s)

Smee               ……….           Paul Major

Grempkin/       ……….           Elle Meerovich

   Fighting Prawn/

      Sanchez

Bill Slank/       ……….           Chewie Lo Moore

    Hawking Clam

Capt. Scott/     ……….           Joshua Mullins (Stache u/s)

    Mack

Lord Aster       ……….           Alexander Sapp

Mrs. Bumbrake/  ……..          Robert Throckmorton

    Teacher

Alf                   ……….           William Vaughn

Grempkin/Mrs. Bumbrake u/s……….           Gracie Berneche

Capt. Scott/Lord Aster u/s      ……….           Thomas Kaupish

Ted/Prentiss u/s                       ……….           Jovan Long

Alf/Smee/Bill Slank u/s          ……….           David Rogozenski

Production Team

Direction/Choreography         ……….           Nathaniel Shaw

Music Direction                      ……….           Kim Fox

Assistant Direction                 ……….           Katie Logan

Scenic/Projection Design        ……….           Chase Kniffen

Costume Design                      ……….           Kasey Brown

Lighting Design                      ……….           BJ Wilkinson

Assistant Lighting Design      ……….           TJ Washington

Sound Design                          ……….           Grace Brown LaBelle

Props Design                           ……….           Tim Moehring

Dialect Coach                         ……….           Erica Hughes

Percussionist                           ……….           Steve Raybould

Directing Observation            ……….           Christian Trimmingham

Stage Management                 ……….           Emily Vial

Assistant State Management   ……….           Isabel Stone

Run Time: About 2 hours 10 minutes; there is 1 intermission

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Photo Credits: Firehouse Facebook page