Peter and the Starcatcher: Catch it Quick for 'An Awfully Big Adverture'

Peter and the Starcatcher's "awfully big adventure" has audiences, young and old, cheering. Here's what some of the reviews have said about this magical theatrical treat:

Left to Right: Ray Dooley as Lord Aster, Schuyler Scott Mastain as Captain Scott, Jeffrey Blair Cornell as Alf, and Mitchell Jarvis as Black Stache, Photo by Jon Gardiner

CVNC.org
“a moving and exhilarating production just in time for the holidays”

The News & Observer
“a deliriously fun ride”
“a wild romp full of vivid characterizations, clever technical tricks, hilarious puns”

Triangle Arts & Entertainment
“super fun, super-silly entertainment”
“incredible fun and funny”

The Daily Tar Heel
“a funny, bittersweet play that will make you want to never grow up”
“appeals to every member of the audience, both young and old"

Triangle Arts & Entertainment (Triangle Review)
“engaging and exciting, shedding new light on a familiar story”
“a winning production”

The Herald-Sun
“the ideal theatrical experience”
“humorous adventure with lively storytelling and delightful stagecraft.”

INDY Week
"an all ages origin story for Pan"
"tranport[s] the orphans - and us - to Neverland"

Evan Johnson as Peter and Arielle Yoder as Molly Aster. Photo by Jon Gardiner

Journey with us to Neverland before this ship sails away on December 12th.

Click here or call the Box Office at 919-962-7529 for tickets to Peter and the Starcatcher!

Karen Perry's Midcentury Fashion for Trouble in Mind

Suzette Azariah Gunn as Millie.
Photo by Jon Gardiner

Given Trouble in Mind's relevance to current issues today, its points prove more striking when we are reminded that it was written, and takes place in, the 1950s. Perhaps no element conveys the mid-century period more strongly and beautifully than Karen Perry's costume design.

This is not Karen's first time working on Trouble in Mind. She, director Jade King Carroll and set designer Alexis Distler collaborated on a production at Two River Theater in New Jersey last spring, which also starred Roger Robinson as Sheldon Forrester. Karen and Jade came to discover this forgotten gem of a play through a project called 1Voice, 1Play, 1Day. The event organizes black theatres around the country to stage a reading of the same play on the same day to bring solidarity and celebrate African American theatre. Karen saw a reading of Trouble in Mind in Los Angeles at the same time that Jade saw it read in New York. It also happens that our own Kathy A. Perkins saw it the same day in Chicago. Karen and Kathy both credit 1Voice for the rebirth Alice Childress' masterpiece has seen in the last few years. There is no doubt that it led to our own production since Jade and Karen immediately knew they wanted to produce the play together, and Kathy knew PlayMakers needed to bring the show here.

Despite having designed for Trouble in Mind before, Karen's costumes for our production have their own unique look. When Karen begins her concepts, she designs only the shape and style of the costumes in advance. The fabrics are selected later on in the process, and she lets the materials decide the colors and details for each unique costume.

Below you can view her original renderings and see how they come to life on our stage.

Karen Perry's design for Wiletta Mayer, as worn by Kathryn Hunter-Williams. Photo by Jon Gardiner.

Karen Perry's design for Al Manners, as worn by Schuyler Scott Mastain. Photo by Jon Gardiner.

Karen Perry's design for Millie Davis, as worn by Suzette Azariah Gunn. Photo by Jon Gardiner.

Karen Perry's design for Sheldon Forrester, as worn by Roger Robinson. Photo by Jon Gardiner.

Karen Perry's design for John Nevins, as worn by Myles Bullock. Photo by Jon Gardiner.

Karen Perry's design for Judy Sears, as worn by Carey Cox. Photo by Jon Gardiner.

Karen Perry's design for Bill O'Wray, as worn by Jeffrey Blair Cornell. Photo by Jon Gardiner.

Karen Perry's design for Henry, as worn by David Adamson. Photo by Jon Gardiner.

Karen Perry's design for Eddie Fenton, as worn by Jorge Donoso. Photo by Jon Gardiner.

Trouble in Mind is onstage through February 8. Click here to buy your tickets now!

About "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike"

ARIELLE YODER as Nina (standing), JULIE FISHELL as Masha, CHRISTIAN DALY as Spike, JEFFEY BLAIR CORNELL as Vanya and JULIA GIBSON as  (Photo by Jon Gardiner)

As Christopher Durang points out, Anton Chekhov’s work appears both under and on top of the text of his Tony Award-winning play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. There are numerous parallels, quite beyond the three siblings and their neighbor Nina’s names, to Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya, The Three Sisters, The Cherry Orchard, and Seagull. At the same time, however, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is quite clearly Durang not Chekhov. 

Where Chekhov gives us a deeply perceptive human comedy, Durang romps through the lives of his characters with a different sensibility. It is a U.S.-based gusto and brio that draws heavily upon contemporary culture both for its laughs and its poignancy. Durang understands Mark Twain’s comment that “the source of all humor is sorrow” and carefully roots the ridiculous aspects and actions of his characters in a deep comprehension of the Dark Night of Their Souls. Durang also understands Chekhov’s statement, “men dine, they just dine—and in that moment lives collapse, and worlds are destroyed,” with its profound insight that the truly important events in our lives happen without our noticing them. We live them, we don’t comment upon them.  It is only years later, perhaps lying on the analyst’s couch, that we begin to comprehend the confluence of our own actions, attitudes, and emotions that created those moments and their repercussions.  

JEFFREY BLAIR CORNELL as Vanya and ARIELLE YODER as Nina. (Photo by Jon Gardiner)

What Durang creates in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is a contemporary, funny, dysfunctional family with--like all families--its own particular rhythm.  In the process the play investigates what it is to be human, what it is to be in a relationship, what it is to be in a family, what it is to have meaning in your life.  Perhaps the most fulfilled life is the one in which a person is capable of stopping: sitting and watching the elegance and stillness of Durang’s blue heron perched majestically on one long leg as it surveys the pond and searches for its next meal.

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike will be performed at PlayMakers September 17, 2014 - October 5, 2014. For tickets, call 919.962.PLAY (7529) or visit our website.

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike: dress rehearsal

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike opens this Saturday! Here are some photos from the dress rehearsal last night.

 JULIE FISHELL as Masha and CHRISTIAN DALY as Spike. (Photo by Jon Gardiner)

JULIE FISHELL as Masha. (Photo by Jon Gardiner)

 ARIELLE YODER as Nina, JULIE FISHELL as Masha, CHRISTIAN DALY as Spike (standing), JEFFEY BLAIR CORNELL as Vanya and JULIA GIBSON as Sonia (in background).  (Photo by Jon Gardiner)

ARIELLE YODER as Nina, JULIE FISHELL as Masha and CHRISTIAN DALY as Spike. (Photo by Jon Gardiner)

JEFFEY BLAIR CORNELL as Vanya, ARIELLE YODER as Nina and JULIA GIBSON as Sonia. (Photo by Jon Gardiner)

JEFFREY BLAIR CORNELL as Vanya and JULIA GIBSON as Sonia. (Photo by Jon Gardiner)

 KATHRYN HUNTER-WILLIAMS as Cassandra. (Photo by Jon Gardiner)

KATHRYN HUNTER-WILLIAMS as Cassandra and JEFFREY BLAIR CORNELL as Vanya. (Photo by Jon Gardiner)

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike will be performed at PlayMakers September 17, 2014 - October 5, 2014. For tickets, call 919.962.PLAY (7529) or visit our website.