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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!

Behind the Scenes: A Peter Sketchbook by Mitchell Jarvis

Ever wonder what our creative cast members do backstage or during downtime at rehearsals? Actor Mitchell Jarvis, currently playing pirate chief Black Stache in Peter and the Starcatcher, keeps a sketchbook of images from the show. Here he kindly shares a few of his drawings with us:

Left: Black Stache being stumped. Right: Close up of "the Stache."

A pirate ship smackdown - "The Wasp" versus "The Neverland."

Left: Peter reaches for the stars. Right: Another pirate captain, Bill Slank, being swallowed by waves.

See Black Stache in action onstage in Peter and the Starcatcher. Now through December 12.

For tickets, click here or call our Box Office 919-962-7529.

Creating a Starcatching Color Palette for Peter

Rachel Pollock at work

"A show like Peter and the Starcatcher has an incredibly specific color palette, which means that we moved a lot of projects through the dye shop for this production," says costume craftsperson Rachel Pollock.

Rachel was painter/dyer for the individual parts of each of the many costumes worn by thirteen actors portraying over 100 characters, while her co-craftsperson, third year graduate student Erin Abbenante, made many of the hats and headdresses. Together they served as a craftwork team of two, coordinating with the main costume shop team, comprised of many more costumers (both staff and students),  working as tailors, drapers, stitchers and more. 

In addition to handling yards and yards of fabric, this included work with vintage lace trim, buttons and elastic for suspenders. Mermaid costumes for one show-stopping production number alone required over thirty dye jobs for everything from zippers to satin gloves.

The brocade vest for  pirate chief Black Stache embellished with applique dragon motif and hand painted designs. And to the right, as worn by Mitchell Jarvis playing the dastardly dandy (photo by Jon Gardiner.)

The Ensemble struts their stuff  as musical mermaids. (Photo by Curtis Brown.)

The collar for warrior chieftain Fighting Prawn, ornamented with rooster tail feathers and hand-painted cutlery. And as worn by Myles Bullock (center front) with the Ensemble. (Photo by Curtis Brown),

"When you look at the array of clothes for this show, an incredible amount of labor has gone into creating the effects the audience enjoy during the course of this fast-paced 2-hour performance. Even someone paying close attention to the biggest, showiest costumes will have little idea of the time, effort and attention to detail required," says Rachel.

Enjoy the many colors of Peter and the Starcatcher. Onstage now through December 12.

Click here or call our Box Office 919-962-7529 for tickets.