Peter & the Starcatcher
at Mater Dei High School

Reviewed on November 12, 2016

Alyssa Cook
Capistrano Valley High School
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts

Mater Dei flies high in ‘Peter and the Starcatcher'
written by Alyssa Cook, a junior at Capistrano Valley High School

The prequel to a childhood classic, Mater Dei's "Peter and the Starcatcher" chronicles the adventures of unlikely friends as they outwit daring pirates, face a man-eating crocodile, crash-land on a mysterious island, and save the world in the meantime.

Jack Chorbagian astonishes as Boy/Peter, the downtrodden orphan around whom the story revolves. With engaging facial expressions, childish body language, and a captivating stage presence, Chorbagian transforms into the Peter Pan every child knows and loves. Aboard the ship Neverland, Peter meets the adventurous Molly Aster (Amy Busch), an independent girl who insists on helping him. Busch plays her character with charm and grace, using large, youthful gestures and staying light on her feet. Together, the quick-witted pair seamlessly face the obstacles around them, working with each other and sacrificing for each other. Their relationship evolves naturally throughout the play, turning from an unlikely friendship to a whimsical childhood romance, complete with shy smiles, awkward glances, and unanticipated kisses.

Opposite to the heroes is the swaggering pirate Black Stache (Kalusha Brutlag) and his goofy sidekick Smee (Lauren Sundine). With a commanding voice and melodramatic tendencies, Brutlag dominates the stage as the feared pirate captain. Smee is Black Stache's #1 fan, shown through Sundine's obedience, constant cheering, and unwavering energy.

Not to be forgotten is Molly's nanny, Mrs. Bumbrake, played by Vicente Saintignon. Saintignon provides perfect comedic timing, consistently bringing humor to the stage. Kat Delaney also impresses as Lord Leonard Aster, Molly's fearless father. Delaney is always engaged onstage, snickering and trying to free herself even when the focus is not on her.

Mater Dei's twist on the tale adds a unique setting unseen by any other production. The story is told by a classroom of students in detention. The set design by Grace Snider features desks and ladders that transform into ships and islands through clever on-stage transitions. The props, also designed by Snider, are everyday classroom items as well, allowing the audience to use their imaginations. The lighting design by Jacob Nguyen uses bold, childlike colors to ingeniously display different locations. Red lights are used to designate Black Stache's ship, and blue hues for the ship Neverland.

By combining the real and the imaginary, Mater Dei creates a fanciful dream of "Peter and the Starcatcher" that brings the audience back to their childhood.

Sara Neal
Capistrano Valley High School
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts

Mater Dei's "Peter & the Starcatcher" flies to new heights
written by Sara Neal, a senior at Capistrano Valley High School

The magical performance of "Peter and the Starcatcher" at Mater Dei High School thrives with creativity and originality. This prequel to the classic story of Peter Pan depicts a nameless orphan (Jack Chorbagian) and a cocky young girl named Molly (Amy Busch) who cross paths on a ship carrying precious cargo: the magical and powerful "star stuff". The boy is thrown in the middle of a wild struggle to obtain the star stuff involving pirates, mermaids, a giant crocodile, and the Starcatchers. The entire story is told by students in detention, switching between narrators and characters in the story.

Leading the show from start to finish is Jack Chorbagian as the orphan, later named Peter. Chorbagian offers satisfying contrast to all of his zany, mystical counterparts. He was the most relatable, and he did an excellent job of developing his character from an insecure and emotionally lost orphan to the mischievous and confident Peter Pan that everyone knows.

Another consistently solid actress was Kat Delaney as Lord Leonard Aster, Molly's father and the protector of the star stuff. Her time onstage was never wasted; she was constantly reacting to what was happening around her and she took advantage of all comedic opportunities through facial expressions and subtle remarks.

As a whole, the ensemble of this production worked together beautifully. Whether they were playing pirates, native islanders, or students in detention, they always created a proper mood and setting. For example, in a scene where Peter is being beaten by the cruel leader Grempkin at the orphanage, the ensemble gathered around him. They clapped every time he was struck and echoed Grempkin's taunts, creating a chillingly dark and dramatic mood.

The props in this show, led by Grace Snider, were admirably clever. Since the show actually takes place in detention, the props in the story are all items commonly found in a classroom. All of the swords are rulers, a cat is just a grey pillow, and the birds are yellow rubber gloves. Although seemingly unorthodox, these prop alternatives were very clear to the audience and added to the theme of imagination and story-telling.

Overall, the cast and crew of Mater Dei's "Peter and the Starcatcher" put together a thoroughly entertaining show that suspends reality. This production reminds us that you are never too old to use your imagination.

Elena Watson
Newport Harbor High School
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook Page

Catch students of Mater Dei among the stars


The Boy that flies. The girl that inevitably follows. The handless pirate. The giant ticking crocodile. If you've ever wondered how Peter Pan's life on Neverland Island came to be, look no further than Mater Dei's fall production of Peter and the Starcatcher.

The entire performance is set in a classroom, with students using their imagination and other school supplies as swords, boats, backdrops, and birds. The audience is specially requested to use lots of imagination in following the story that this high school had a mere four weeks to prepare for.

Our heroine is Molly Aster (Amy Busch). This leading lady holds a nice contrast with her comedic and original ‘Nana', Mrs. Bumbrake (Vicente Saintignon). This gender-blind casting is almost forgotten because of how well Saintignon carries himself- and without ever breaking character.

Our main man, Peter (Jack Chorbagian) with his fellow orphans and later-named ‘Lost Boys', Prentiss (Grace Danon) and Ted (Maddie Mageean), help carry the show's emotional side, with gut-wrenching scenes from the orphanage and a triumphant escape from the possibility of becoming snake food. Their tattered clothing is thanks to student costume designer, Grace Whitley- which keeps the boys looking ‘lost' in the midst of well dressed Brits and grungy pirates onstage.

Another important aspect of the show is the comedic relief that Black Stache (Kalusha Brutlag) & his ‘right-hand man' Smee (Lauren Sundine) bring to the table (or should I say desks?) The obvious name-dropping of Black Stache's stolen Calvin Klein coat are just one of many knee-slapping one liners these two comediennes bring to the table. The Mollusk Tribe, led by their fearless (and surprisingly articulate) chief Fighting Prawn (Brittany Huie) is also helpful in creating a fun and whimsical vibe that is much appreciated.

What do a crocodile's growling stomach, a ship's wood creaking in a storm, and the sounds of a bird-filled tropical island have in common? They were all brilliantly designed by Sound Designer Alexis Rangell-Onwuegbuzia to help the audience hold onto the magic that centers the show.

All in all, Mater Dei High School has truly captured the essence of an age-old tale, succeeding in just trying to get the magic back to where it belongs.