Preview
Identifier
Peter and the Starcatcher Program_Page_06
Creation Date
2-17-2023
Disciplines
Arts and Humanities | Theatre and Performance Studies
Description
FROM THE DIRECTOR
I remember being a child and asking if I could do certain things, only to be told that I had to wait until I grew up. When I finally “grew up,” I wanted to be a kid again with endless imagination unencumbered by the responsibilities of adulthood. Therefore, I have always been fascinated by Peter Pan and the original author, J.M. Barrie’s ability to capture this Pan’s refusal to take the next step into adulthood.
When researching Peter Pan, I became enamored by Barrie’s creation of Peter’s story, which started as a game, a way for Barrie to help his family through grief and a way for his loved ones to still go on adventures with the people they lost. However, Rick Elice’s theatrical script, Peter and the Starcatcher is an origin story showing how an average child becomes the legend known as Peter Pan.
When coming up with my directorial concept, I considered what would happen if a group of children decided to recreate and play the first-ever game of Peter Pan. I encouraged the cast to explore and expand their childlike physicality and imaginations in rehearsals. I asked them questions like, how would their child-self indicate flying and what choices would a child make when pretending to be an adult.
For the children in the audience, I hope you can see yourself in this play. For the grown-ups, I ask you to take a break from your adult life and become a child for two hours. Believe in the seemingly impossible and visualize these actors as pirates, orphans, mermaids, and so much more. Take a leap and spread your wings, and fly with Peter. Most importantly, remember to imagine is an awfully big adventure.
DayDay Robinson
Publisher
Arkansas State University
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Theatre Program
Keywords
neverland, peter pan, retelling, musical
