“Peter and the Starcatcher” is one of two annual plays that the Drama class produces each year. The play is meant to be a prequel and the backstory behind Peter Pan, Captain Hook and Wendy Darling, originally adapted for Broadway from a 2004 novel of a similar title.
The play ran from Oct. 23 to Oct. 26 in the Performing Arts Center (PAC) and featured 16 students in the main cast and 12 students in the ensemble. The play was split into two acts, each being 10 scenes long. Each act took place aboard the ships, The Neverland and the HMS Wasp in Act One and Mollusk Island, later renamed Neverland in Act Two.
The show was the second time that the audience was allowed to sit on stage alongside the actors. This allowed the audience to be much more engaged in the play’s events and scenery because they were able to hear the actors better and see the set much more clearly. This seating arrangement led to only 88 tickets being available since the audience sat on stage instead of the atrium in the PAC.
“It was a little nerve wracking having the audience on stage with us,” senior Savannah Castaneda who played Molly said. “They were more reactive towards jokes but it made it hard to stay in character at times because they were so close, especially seeing people [I] knew.”
Staff members and Stagecraft helped prepare the props and costumes used in the play. Each prop was carefully selected from household items to highlight themes of childhood. For example, red flashlights were used to represent the eyes of a crocodile, and other simplistic items like rope were used to mimic entryways or the port and starboard decks of the ship. The second act also cleverly included yellow cleaning gloves, used and presented as birds held by members of the ensemble.
“The show was very prop and tech heavy so it took a lot of time to perfect everything and make sure everyone knew how to use the props,” Castaneda said. “Instructional Dean Ms. Dibell made all of our costumes which was amazing because she was able to bring her ideas of the costumes to life.”
The additional immersivity of the cast also helped to captivate the audience into the imaginary and childlike nature of the play.
“During the play, I wasn’t anxious, [when I] usually would be [uneasy]. The audience on stage was a creative idea but the way [it was done] was so cool and [I] had so much fun,” sophomore Angel Anthony Hernandez, who played Peter Pan, said.
The play was a success for both the students and Danny Campbell, the director of the play, who dedicated lots of time to the stage. Since this was the first play directed by Campbell at WHS, the production was a great opportunity for him to bond with the students and helped him recognize the chemistry between students.
“I feel like the play [was a hit] for the students as a camaraderie as it included many moving parts,” Campbell said. “The [actors in place] helped to [convey the] backstory of Peter Pan.”
