Peter and the Starcatcher
at Aliso Niguel High School

Reviewed on November 5, 2016

Candler Cusato
Los Alamitos High School
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts

Aliso Flies to Neverland with "Peter and The Starcatcher"
written by Candler Cusato, a junior at Los Alamitos High School

With a poetic pirate, savage skullduggery, and "Star Stuff," Aliso Niguel's "Peter and the Starcatcher" tells the story of how a simple orphan became the boy who never grows up, Peter Pan. Upon boarding a ship bound for the Kingdom of Rundoon, three boys are swept into a world of fantasy and mystery when they discover that the Queen's precious cargo causes cats to fly. Together with their new friend, Molly, they embark on a quest to save the world and, maybe, discover their deepest desires along the way.


Robin Valdez and Kassidy Ordish shine as Boy/Peter and Molly, phenomenally portraying their thirteen-year-old characters with the banter and self-importance characteristics of children. After she spontaneously kisses him in the face of certain death, the duo later awkwardly discuss the exchange while sitting as far apart from each other as possible, accurately portraying the tenseness of childish romance.


Kalei Hall and Alexandros Ruppert, as Smee and Black Stache, work seamlessly to form a whole pirate, with Ruppert being the fearsome face of their marauding campaign and Hall suggesting words to correct Black Stache's speeches nearby. Never failing to steal a scene, this duo consistently delivers with wit and grandiose physical comedy, as when Black Stache hops into the arms of his first mate when faced with a crocodile.


Reminiscent of a daydream and decorated with small childhood treasures, such as water bottles and sunglasses, Una Cusi and Sierra Martin's brilliantly fashioned set demonstrates the whimsical nature of the production, leaving room for a child's imagination to fill in the rest. Turning metal racks into bows of ships and the towering mountain of Neverland Island, these ladies seamlessly couple functionality and ingenuity, creating a youthful dream amidst the reality of growing up.


Costuming, designed by Alex Hughes and Rachel Williams, dawns characters in fitting outfits, like a pirate captain wearing leather boots and a long black coat and a colony of Indians swathed in bright colors and grass skirts, demonstrating the simple viewpoint of a child. When a pod of mermaids swims onstage, their costumes almost appear to be fashioned by the adolescents at the center of the story, with their mismatched, brightly colorful outfits.


Providing a window into the whimsical and fantastical mind of a youth, coupled with unceasing comedy, Aliso Niguel High School touches the sky in their production of "Peter and the Starcatcher."

Alice Chien
Northwood High School
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts

Aliso Niguel's "Peter and the Starcatcher" is a star

No story is complete without a prequel, and Aliso Niguel excels in delivering the story behind how immortally young Peter Pan and Neverland came to be.

Two ships, the Neverland and the Wasp, begin their voyage, each one with a peculiar wooden crate. On the Wasp, Lord Leonard bids farewell to his young daughter, Molly, by agreeing to reconvene with her soon.

Prim and proper Molly Aster (Kassidy Ordish) is out of place in the worn-down Neverland; it is there Molly encounters swindling pirates, foul odors, and three orphan boys. Molly approaches the orphans as they argue who their leader is amongst themselves. Molly intervenes by proclaiming herself as leader, showing off her precociousness through the confident delivery of her lines and cheeky replies.

Boy (Robin Valdez), one of the orphan boys, captures Molly's attention. He is withdrawn - his shoulders slumped and head down. Boy admits that his greatest desire is to be a boy with a family, and Molly teaches him how to be selfless and brave.

Trouble brews as pirates take over the Wasp, and though threatened, Lord Leonard Aster (Shayla Stensby) is hardly fazed. She stands resolute with her arms behind her back and pushes away any panic by keeping her voice level. The pirates reveal they are seeking the wooden crate, which contains starstuff, a powerful dust guaranteeing one's deepest dreams. However, they eventually realize the genuine crate is on the Neverland.

The pirates, led by fearsome Black Stache (Alexandros Ruppert), chase down the Neverland. Right-hand-man Smee (Kalei Hall) dramatically introduces Black Stache, each comment punctuated with a new, sharp gesture. Black Stache declares his plan for world domination and his quest for a hero to oppose his villain.

That hero comes in the form of Boy, who eventually garners the name Peter Pan, his surname meaning family and mischief. Boy grows more confident in himself, ultimately defeating greedy Black Stache on a marooned island. However, as Peter Pan has unknowingly been in contact with starstuff, his desire of being young is granted, but he is forever trapped on Neverland Island.

To accompany their journey, multi-functional platforms by Una Cusi and Sierra Martin differentiate location while keeping a child-like creativity, and the theme of children's imagination shows when everyday objects like ropes are converted into doorways and ocean waves.


Through the camaraderie of the cast and crew, Aliso Niguel presents a whimsical, coming-of-age show.

Rebecca Bogdanovic
San Juan Hills High School
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook Page

Mermaids and Magic Collide in Aliso's "Peter and the Starcatcher"
written by Rebecca Bogdanovic, a senior at San Juan Hills High School

Before there was Neverland, Tinkerbell, or even the lost boys, there was simply a band of grimy orphans, a quick-witted girl intent on proving herself, and a trunk filled with a mysterious, yet powerful force. Giving a vibrant new twist to an age-old tale, the cast of Aliso Niguel's "Peter and the Starcatchers" commands the stage with a combination of saucy humor and heartfelt moments.

With her high-pitched, childish vocal tone and starry eyed expressions, Kassidy Ordish is Molly Aster. Utilizing clever remarks and a tall, confident posture, Ordish captures the essence of this cheeky thirteen year- old girl without appearing rude or cynical. Contrasting this youthful personality, Shayla Stensby is the grounded and composed Lord Leonard Aster. Though Lord Aster shows to have a loving relationship with her daughter, Stensby skillfully transforms quickly into a stubborn attitude and sports a withering glare to pirates that take over the ship.

Beginning the show as a nameless orphan, Robin Valdez portrays the character of Boy, and effectively shows the large transformation. Valdez exchanges a cynical attitude for one of compassion as his friendship with Molly begins to flourish, making his heroic act to save her life particularly heart wrenching. Alongside him are fellow orphans Prentiss (Martin Perez) and Ted (Michael Ordish). Bossy and adamant, Perez perfectly embodies his character's longing for leadership, while Ordish plays a more submissive glutton, content to spend his days fantasizing about food.

Expertly delivering an endless stream of witty dialogue, Black Stache (Alexandros Ruppert) and Smee (Kalei Hall) are quite the comedic duo. Ruppert embodies the falsely menacing pirate captain as he saunters with sass around the stage, using bold hand gestures and movement to assert his dominance. He playfully breaks the fourth wall, addressing the audience directly with a sense of confidence, as if he were merely speaking to another character on stage. With a steady source of exuberance, Hall portrays the faithful minion, eager to please her master with feeble ideas and shallow compliments.

Whimsical prop design by Savi Nasiri is reminiscent of a child's toybox. Nasiri fashions ordinary objects, such as palm fronds, parasols, and tissue boxes, into complex pieces such as a tropical ukulele, glowing amulet, and vicious crocodile.

In a lively mix of fantasy and creativity, the entire cast brings to life an imaginary world filled with cunning pirates, flying children, and magical starstuff.