Photo: “Peter and the Starcatcher” runs from Thursday, Nov. 2 to Saturday, Nov. 4
The Belmont High School Performing Arts Company presents the award-winning play “Peter and the Starcatcher” runs from Thursday, Nov. 2 to Saturday, Nov. 4 at the Belmont High School auditorium. Shows begin at 7 p.m.
Tickets are:
Adults: $12 in advance, $15 at the door.
Students/Children: $5 Thursday, $10 Friday/Saturday
Tickets on sale online at bhs-pac.org and at Champions Sporting Goods on Leonard Street in Belmont Center.
A theatrical adaptation of the young adult novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, “Peter and the Starcatcher” was a Broadway hit in 2012, with the stage adaptation by Rick Elice, featuring music by Wayne Barker, telling the prequel of the Peter Pan story.
“[L]ike [one of] my favorite adventure stories, ‘The Princess Bride,’ this play is wickedly funny, filled with wordplay, clever gags and goofy mayhem that appeals to adults and children alike. Like the best works of the genre, it is a play is for all ages. For children, it is a new take on a familiar tale. For older audiences, it is a poignant story of loneliness and finding human connection, packaged inside a comedic gem,” said Performing Arts Company Producer and Director Ezra Flam.
“‘Peter and the Starcatcher’ is one of those stories, mixing fantasy and magic with a heartfelt tale of growing up, what it means to be a hero and the power of wishes,” said Flam.
The play is an adventure story, which tells the tale of how a young orphan boy ended up on a ship carrying a magical trunk full of “starstuff” that’s protected by an apprentice Starcatcher named Molly while the fearsome Pirate Black Stache determines to use the starstuff to become the most fearsome villain of all time. A shipwreck lands all three (along with a crew of pirates and orphan boys) on an enchanted island populated by mermaids and humorously terrifying “mollusk-people.”
A cast of 23 actors is supported by 75 students who are part of the production staff; working on building and painting scenery, making costumes, creating lighting and sound effects and working as production assistants. Under the supervision of an adult design team, these students are responsible for creating everything that appears on stage.
Through the collaborative efforts of the cast and student set crew, led by Scenic Designer Anna Moss and Technical Director Ian O’Malley, a collection of boxes, trunks, platforms and fabric become two ships at sea, a dark cabin below deck, a jungle, an island beach, and an underwater pool. The students on the costumes crew, under the guidance of Costume Designer Lila West, have created outfits for pirates, orphans, mermaids and more.
The play is fantastic. Amazing to see so much talent in the high school. I highly recommend people go if they can.