Peter and the Starcatcher
at St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School

Reviewed on November 2, 2018

Natalie Tubia
Herndon High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

An endless experience of joyful shenanigans ensues on St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School's stage during their eccentric and handsome performance of Peter and the Starcatcher. From the hilarious moments to the raw, touching ones that truly bring us back to our childhoods, the audience is in for one magical evening.

A play based on the novel Peter and the Starcatchers by Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry, Peter and the Starcatcher provides a backstory to the well known and loved story of Peter Pan, Hook, and Wendy. After it premiered in California at the La Jolla Playhouse, it soon moved Off-Broadway in 2011 and opened on Broadway a year later. Having been nominated for eight Tony Awards and winning five of them, Peter and the Starcatcher had its last run on January 20, 2013.

Two ships from the British empire set sail. On the Neverland ship, lost boys Ted, Prentiss, and one more known as Boy meet the intelligent, witty Molly Aster. At first, Boy is bitter and discontent with life, but as time progresses, Molly allows him to let go of his lonely world and see the better side of life. There is also a trunk on the Neverland filled with valuable starstuff that Molly had vowed to protect. On the Wasp ship, Lord Aster, Molly's father, guards a fake trunk against pirate Black Stache, who is in search of treasure. The pirate realizes the trick and goes after the Neverland, only to find himself along with the other passengers torn under a storm and in a new land.

The clever, youthful Molly Aster portrayed by Julie Newman constantly radiated joy throughout the show with an element of child-like wonder. Newman very effectively pinpointed the fine line between Molly's enthusiastic, adolescent side and her more leading, authoritative side when dealing with the lost boys (Fred Gehloff, Andrew Seale, Bette Vajda). Bette Vajda consistently provided raw emotions on stage as Peter and smoothly transitioned from a sullen boy to a more content one through interactions with Molly.

Standout performances that undoubtedly stirred up lots of laughter included those of Jackson de Vallance (Alf) and Mary Margaret Lehmkuhler (Black Stache). Vallance excellently provided high levels of energy through his expressive physicality and big personality as Alf. Lehmkuhler offered much to the character of Black Stache with a hilarious execution of jokes and a consistent English accent. Jenn Lansing, portraying Mrs. Bumbrake, executed her romantic relationship with Alf in a very animated manner, which earned giggles from the audience. Her singing also stood out during some musical numbers within the play, treating the audience with a gentle, alluring voice.

Lights (Jonah Carter, Tripp Pratt, Alex Galdamez, Monty Montgomery) provided captivating stage pictures through the duration of the show. The atmospheric difference between the two ships and the island was highlighted effectively with the clever use of silhouettes and color.

Serving as a sweet indication of how the imagination has guided us through our lives, Peter and the Starcatcher at St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School is awe-inspiring, leaving us with hope for the child left inside of us.

Beverly D'Andrea
Westfield High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

From magical stardust, to fearsome pirates, to ratty orphans, St. Steven's and St. Agnes School's "Peter and the Starcatcher" packed a blast of magic and wonder into a show that truly took the audience "right up to the stars" with its light-hearted innocence.

This show, based off the 2004 novel of the same name, made its Broadway debut in 2012. The show went on to win five Tony awards and it also got a rave review from The New York Times.

The show follows the journey of Molly Aster and a poor orphan boy, later named Peter as they struggle to guard a precious substance known as starstuff from greedy pirates, a raging storm, and savage islanders. The two begin to realize they have feelings for each other, but when Peter is irrevocably changed, Molly must leave him forever.

Bette Vajda continues the long-standing precedent of casting Peter Pan as a girl and she does incredible justice to the orphan Peter's fear and defensive instincts, while subtly showing his change to a carefree, confident boy in the second act. Vajda used physicality to her advantage and opened Peter's soul in her eyes as they shone with happiness or widened in fear. Julie Newman, who played Molly Aster, completely embraced the role of the teenage girl trying desperately to prove herself and figure out her heart all in one disastrous boat ride. Newman brought out the petulant aspect of the young teen, using an effective blend of body language and voice pitch. Newman also showed the tender side of Molly in her scenes with Peter.

From the first moment Black Stache, the fearsome pirate played by Mary Margaret Lehmkuhler, strutted on stage and said her opening line, Lehmkuhler had the audience in the palm of her hand. Every single line was delivered with a purpose and energy that was kept up throughout the entire show. Lehmkuhler showed her ability to command a stage along with her minion pirates. Jackson de Vallance played Alf, the comedic sailor love interest of Molly's nurse Mrs. Bumbrake (Jenn Lansing). The pair played off each other to create a funny, flirtatious dynamic that was added to by de Vallance's hilarious gestures and physical acting style. Lansing showed her character's more standoffish yet interested air well against Vallance's eager expressions.

With the whole show taking place either on a ship or on a breathtaking island, the set must be nothing short of magical, and St. Steven's and St. Agnes School's set was transporting. The set designers (Skye Schofield-Saba and Emma Hughes) created the ships so that there was one on each side of the stage, making the fight scenes even more realistic because of their closeness. Lighting is often a key player in setting the mood or indicating a big event, which held true in this production as well. The lighting designer (Jonah Carter) made the creative choice to use blue lighting whenever the sea was involved and gold lighting for the magical starstuff sequences. Makeup designer Ashlynn Lee did the makeup in a way that clearly differentiated between Englishmen and the Neverland Mollusks.

The show combines all the best aspects of childhood, adds a comedic pirate and group of lost boys, and turns itself into a vessel for all the things that make childhood sweet. St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School's production truly was "an awfully big adventure."

Sydney Fisher
Washington Lee High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

It is often hard to face the realities of growing up, but in St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School's excellent production of "Peter and the Starcatcher," you don't have to. Filled with strong actors, constant energy, and magic, this show executed their production and technical elements with professionalism and elegance. "Peter and the Starcatcher" is based on the 2004 novel "Peter and the Starcatchers" by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. "Peter and the Starcatcher" provides the origin story to well known characters Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Mrs. Darling, and Tinkerbell. St. Stephen's and St. Agnes took this modernized story and did it justice.

The most important part of a cohesive show is a cast that demonstrates chemistry and stage presence. The dynamic performances of Bette Vajda as Peter and Julie Newman as Molly made for a compelling relationship and an enjoyable performance. Vajda played a convincing male character, and clearly showed Peter's evolution and growth throughout the show. Vajda used great body language in her performance to emphasize her character's emotions in specific scenes. When Peter was in moments of trouble, Vajda included a hand shaking detail which showed her comprehensive control of her body movement and attention to detail in each scene. Another notable performance was that of Mary Margaret Lehmkuhler, who played Black Stache. Lehmkuhler had an amazing balance between serious and comedic tones, which made for a smooth performance.

Campbell Weiss, who played Lord Leonard Aster, made a strong impression as Molly's father. He had a powerful stage presence and amazing on stage chemistry with Molly. Nick Griepentrog, who played both Bill Slank and Hawking Clam gave an impressive performance. He managed to drastically differentiate his two characters, which showed professionalism in his acting. Featured roles such as Alf (Jackson de Vallance) stood out and left the audience laughing with his physical humor. The ensemble members in this show never broke their energy and were constantly animated on stage, which made the overall production entertaining to watch. The blocking of the ensemble also created a nice imagery, and showed the clear difference between the two ships. Every character owned the stage, and the ensemble shined while not stealing attention from the lead actors. This show had a cast that worked together cohesively onstage and resulted in a wonderful show.

Along with a strong ensemble and supporting characters there were also incredibly strong technical aspects to this show that made it come to life. The ambient sounds in the background in multiple scenes transported the audience to Neverland. The mics were incredibly clear, which made for a smooth performance.

St. Stephen's and St. Agnes high school's production of "Peter and the Starcatcher" always kept the audience laughing. With strong actors, on stage chemistry, and comedic timing, that made for a memorable performance.

Cecily Rood
Herndon High School
Submitted for publication to Alexandria Times

All aboard the Neverland; next stop, St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School! In their enchanting production of "Peter and the Starcatcher", the cast shows us how easy it is to use the power of imagination.

"Peter and the Starcatcher" shows us the untold backstory of Peter Pan and several other fellow characters from the classic story, "Peter Pan". Boy, receiving the name Peter further into the show, is introduced as a strong believer that grownups are unfair, yet Molly Aster, through trial and tribulation, is able to prove to Peter that the world isn't as corrupt as it seems. The story follows two ships, the Neverland and the Wasp, as they journey across the sea with the Queen's cargo on board; but when the ships encounter a hurricane, the Neverland crashes, causing the passengers to swim to the nearest island. On this strange unfamiliar island, Peter and Molly continue their treacherous adventure, despite the ship crash.

St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School's performance was strong from start to finish, never missing a beat on any cues; lines, lighting, or sound. The ensemble was great at maintaining a high energy level at all times and actively reacting in their scenes. The lighting also had a tremendous impact on the show, creating entrancing visuals and an accurate atmosphere.

Bette Vajda, playing Boy (Peter), did a fantastic job at interpreting the character's emotions, especially by using a lot of body language. Mary Margaret Lehmkuhler, playing Black Stache, and Maren Knutson, playing Smee, had great chemistry onstage and established the perfect balance of 50% evil, 50% crazy, and 100% hilarious. Some of the actors spoke with accents, and those who did, did so with correct dialect. Thanks to the efforts put in by the actors, the performance was unbelievably believable!

Technically speaking, this show excelled on many levels; the set, sound, and lighting all exceeded expectations. The set transformed the auditorium into a whole new world the second the audience stepped in there. Something about the minimal, yet detailed approach they took with this set was just so appealing to the eye. With the exception of a few mics cutting out or a little bit of mic feedback, the sound was always crystal clear. As for lighting, it was never anything too attention-grabbing; just simple lighting, usually to signify what time of day it was. The technicalities were nothing too crazy, as they took a simpler approach, yet the play remained whimsical and magical as it should.

"Peter and the Starcatcher" is all about always keeping that spark of imagination within, and this cast helped us bring it out. Putting on a show as otherworldly as this one can be a challenge, but with a team as determined as the students of St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School, and of course with the help of a bit of stardust, this show can set it's sails. Anchors aweigh!

Mary Lawler
Teen Theatre Company
Submitted for publication to Connection

Avast! A storm's a-brewing, me maties, on the slippery stage of St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School as "Peter and the Starcatcher" takes to the high seas! Three orphans, two ships, and one trunk full of starstuff cause more excitement than a crocodile found swingin' in yer hammock.

Who was Peter Pan before he became The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up? Based on a 2004 novel, Rick Elice's play tells this story through a swash-buckling script. "Peter and the Starcatcher" premiered in 2009 at University of California, San Diego and sailed on to win five Tony Awards in 2012.

This prequel begins as Molly Aster, an eager apprentice starcatcher, is sent aboard a ship named the Neverland as her father, Lord Aster, embarks on the Wasp. His mission: to destroy a trunk of magical starstuff so that it will not fall into the hands of Britain's enemies. When the trunk is secretly swapped out and brought aboard the Neverland, Molly and a bitter, nameless orphan boy must protect it from the egotistic, ditsy pirate, Black Stache. As non-stop adventure emanates off the stage, the boy journeys to realize that "there's more important things in this world than saving your own neck" and the audience discovers how he becomes Peter Pan.

Cast off! Rather: cast, don't get off the stage! The entire cast created a ceaseless exuberance that brought the play full sail. Whether executing narration or pantomime, the players didn't skip a kitchen-timer's tick.

Bette Vajda portrayed Peter with sincerity in her every action and emotion, as evidenced whenever her right hand would start to jitter. Molly Aster came to life through the strong performance of Julie Newman who expressed a girl-of-action and good-hearted intelligence. Mary Margaret Lehmkuhler fully immersed herself into her role of the crazy Black Stache, bouncing back and forth from cracking jokes with swag to playing the angry guy. Lehmkuhler impressively held Stache's drawling accent throughout.

Two other memorable characters are Ted (who is obsessed with food) and Prentiss (who is obsessed with being the leader) played by Fred Gehlhoff and Andrew Seale respectively. As Peter's fellow orphans, Gehlhoff and Seale conveyed character development, commitment, and comedy. Also providing laughs, Jackson de Vallance played the pining sailor Alf with a humorous physicality.

All hands on deck! The decked-out set (by Skye Schofield-Saba, Emma Hughes, and Zak Zeledon) caused the story to set sail. The two ships cleverly lay side by side, one on either half of the stage. The set pieces were detailed, with barnacles and shaded wood, and conveyed the shabbiness of the Neverland versus the spiffiness of the Wasp.

The production technically radiated the enchanting atmosphere. Soft, blue lighting echoed the ocean's prominence in the play and rotating yellow lights indicated magic. The sound (by Zachary Gaydos and Abbie Henshaw) was fabulous. Differently themed, live music played at different times to tie in with what was happening on stage, such as flute playing while Peter had a wistful monologue. The music and the mics, delicately balanced, didn't over power the actors for the most part. One inventive sound effect was the crocodile's roar, created by manipulating a recording of people yelling simultaneously. Many ambient sounds transported the audience into the settings of the play, whether the tropical jungle, the seashore, or atop the ocean's waves.

St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School's "Peter and the Starcatcher" captivated audiences by its quirky character portrayals, enthusiastic exploits, and impressive atmosphere. "Everything ends" the play tells us. But "Peter and the Starcatcher" will live on in our hearts, forever young. Now let's go eat some pineapple with Ted.

Sarah Bourgeois
Westfield High School
Submitted for publication to The Voice

"When I was a boy I dreamed I could fly," a hopeful orphaned lad exclaims as the scene melts into the barnacle encrusted boat in which his mystifying story begins to unfold. Unbeknownst to the feeble boy, he is about to embark on a life changing adventure, one that will name him Peter Pan in St Stephen's and St Agnes School's production of "Peter and the Starcatcher."

Rick Elice adapted the 2004 novel, Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, to the stage. The play then premiered in California in 2009, transitioning to Off-Broadway and later Broadway in 2012. The show received nine Tony Award nominations and five awards for sound, lighting, costume, scenic design, and performance by a featured actor.

The scurvy captain of the Neverland, a terribly sea-worn vessel, replaces the Queen's treasure with a sand filled chest in order to take the riches aboard his own ship, leaving the sand aboard the Wasp, a royal naval ship. Deep below the deck of the Neverland, an orphaned lad and two other lost boys reside. A spirited girl stumbles upon them and they go off together, bickering over who is leading. Their paths soon cross with that of the Queen's chest as the girl realizes its contents are really starstuff, a magical powder that can be damning in nefarious hands. Rotten sailors, swashbuckling pirates, and the children scramble for the chest, fanciful surprises meeting them at every turn.

Bette Vajda portrayed Peter as reserved, then grew into a confident leader while maintaining a longing for carefree boyhood. While being held in a crate on his way to The Neverland, the box bursts open and Vajda dangled above the head of Molly Aster, portrayed by Julie Newman. The two captured this chance meeting with twinkling eyes and a memorable spark, a dynamic they consistently upheld throughout the performance.

Modeling a dashing red coat and impressive facial hair, Mary Margaret Lehmkuhler portrayed Black Stache with masterful hilarity. While partaking in a toilet plunger duel with an enemy captain, Lehmkuhler poised her plumbing utensil and delivered countless punchlines without hesitation. At the opposite end of the plunger was Nick Griepentrog as Bill Slank. Griepentrog carried the voice of a dingy old sailor, which blended seamlessly with his sluggish physicalities and natural talent. He dragged his feet and gave a dismissive wave as he commanded his crew to bring the Queen's chest aboard his ship, thus enhancing his scruffy demeanor.

The intricate seafaring vessels, the Neverland and the Wasp, were meticulously crafted with unmistakable attention to detail. By incorporating weathered detailing on wooden planks and vile green barnacles on the outside of the Neverland, set designers Emma Hughes and Skye Schofield-Saba achieved a well-worn boat to contract the cleanlier Wasp. Bette Vajda and Zak Zeledon's simplistic approach to publicity resulted in beautifully designed posters, t-shirts, and playbills, all expressing a star-inspired theme. On the poster design, the stars flow gracefully upwards out of a wooden chest, alluding to the chest full of starstuff. The playbill features a silhouette of Molly showing Peter her glowing amulet on a starry evening. The scene then continues to the back cover where the ships and many other characters reside.

As Peter Pan is hoisted into the air by her cast mates, she prepares to fly off on another wistful adventure. The curtains may have closed on St. Stephen's and St Agnes School's production of "Peter and the Starcatcher," but their story is only beginning.

Kathleen McNerney
Bishop Ireton High School
Submitted for publication to The Voice

Let your imagination take flight with St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School's production of "Peter and the Starcatcher!"

"Peter and the Starcatcher" was originally a book by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, acting as a prequel to J. M. Barrie's "Peter and Wendy." It was adapted into a play by Rick Elice and opened on Broadway in 2012 to critical acclaim.

When stars fall from the sky, some of them fall to earth, leaving behind the magical properties of starstuff. Three orphans are on a ship bound for servitude until they meet Molly, an apprentice Starcatcher, and their lives are changed forever as they end up fighting pirates and meeting mermaids on newly enchanted island...

St. Stephen and St. Agnes put on a lively performance, showcasing strong leads and an energetic ensemble.

Bette Vajda played a remarkable Peter Pan. Vajda's feminine spin on the traditionally boyish character was quite endearing and overall a terrific choice. Her lovable character was matched with the equally impressive performance of Molly Aster by Julie Newman. She embodied the bright, headstrong girl in her bold attitude and posture. The chemistry between the two was dynamic and very sweet.

Alf and Mrs. Bumbrake (played by Jackson de Vallance and Jenn Lansing) were a hilarious comedic duo that had the audience in stitches with their flirtations.

The show's lighting really added to its wistful feel and highlighted the scene changes beautifully. The gentle rippling blue lights for the ocean scenes and the gold for the grotto were very lovely.

The production's set was extremely impressive. Every change in setting was distinct, and the sets emersed the entire stage, from the crates on the ground to the ropes strung from the ceiling. The jungle scenes had thick, beautiful foliage, and the scenes on the ocean really differentiated between the two ships. One was pristine, and the other weathered and barnacle-encrusted, reflecting the ship's quality.

The three orphans made up a lovable ensemble with a good group character arc. Prentiss, played by Andrew Seale, was an dynamic character, switching between bitterness and affection seamlessly. He worked very well with the earnest Ted, played by Fred Gehlhoff. Gehlhoff's food-obsessed nature and bold mannerisms brought more humor and consistency to the show.

St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School brought the magic to this enthusiastic performance.