Set sail for adventure with ‘Peter & the Starcatcher’
EJHS fall play opens Friday
Trending
COCOLAMUS -- The lights dim. A ship emerges from the darkness. Pirates lurk in the shadows. A trunk containing a powerful secret crosses an ocean. Somewhere between the crashing waves and the starlit sky, a nameless orphan begins a journey that will change him forever.
By the time the adventure ends, he will become Peter Pan.
This fall, the East Juniata High School Theatre Program invites audiences to leave the ordinary world behind and embark on a voyage fueled by imagination, wonder and a little bit of starstuff with its production of “Peter & the Starcatcher.”
Part swashbuckling adventure, part comedy and part origin story, the Tony Award-winning play serves as a prequel to the beloved tale of Peter Pan, revealing how a lonely orphan boy, a determined young Starcatcher, a fearsome pirate and a magical force from the stars became the legends audiences know today.
"It is a wonderfully entertaining story about how Peter became Pan," said East Juniata High School Theatre Program Director Jacqueline Malocu. "It was chosen for its themes of friendship and perseverance, the lighthearted fun of the dialogue and the ability to adapt the script to a large cast."
Adapted by Rick Elice from the bestselling novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, the production transports audiences from the docks of Victorian England to the open sea and ultimately to a mysterious island where magic changes the course of destiny.
Yet the show’s greatest special effect is not hidden backstage.
It exists in the imagination of the audience.
Unlike many modern productions that rely on elaborate scenery and technology, “Peter & the Starcatcher” invites viewers to become active participants in the adventure, transforming simple stagecraft into vast oceans, pirate ships, tropical islands and magical worlds.
"What I didn't realize before we started is how complicated the production is," Malocu added. "The dialogue is quick and the music is very challenging, Broadway-level. There is no professional run currently happening, and I have not personally seen the show live, so it has taken a little bit of research and a whole lot of creativity."
That challenge, she explained, reflects the very heart of the show itself.
"Thankfully, that runs right along with the theme in Starcatcher, as the audience members are asked to use their imaginations," Malocu said.
Adding another unique dimension to the production is its music, which audiences might not expect from a play.
"There is music in the play, which is different because typically plays do not include a score," Malocu said. "The reason it is not considered a musical is that in a musical, the songs are essential to the production. They help tell the story. A play with music has songs that enhance the story and help connect the scenes, but they aren't critical to the performance."
The result is a theatrical experience that moves at a breathtaking pace, blending comedy, movement, storytelling and music into a production that feels both playful and epic.
A growing company of storytellers
Bringing that adventure to life requires an army of young storytellers.
This year’s production includes large group of students participating both on and off stage, with actors and others working behind the scenes in lighting, makeup and backstage operations.
"The East Juniata Theatre Program continues to grow," Malocu said. "For this production we have 50 students from grades 7 through 12 who are participating. Our crew program has grown significantly this season, with 20 students on crew, in the makeup room, backstage and on lights, helping to make the stage magic happen."
Their work helps create a world where pirates chase treasure, heroes discover their courage and audiences are transported to places they may have only imagined before.
The magic behind the magic
For Malocu, however, the greatest reward is not the spectacle unfolding beneath the stage lights. It is watching students grow.
"My favorite part of any show is working with the students," she shared. "Though the rehearsals can be long and sometimes extra challenging as an addition to everything else they are juggling, they remain resilient and enthusiastic about theatre. They amaze me with their willingness to learn and their vivaciousness, in general."
Months of rehearsals, problem-solving and teamwork have led to this moment.
"We have an incredible group of students, on the stage and backstage, who love this story and can't wait to share it with our audiences," Malocu said.
She also credited the support of families and community members who continue to champion the program.
"Of course, I would be remiss not to mention every gesture of community support," Malocu said. "We truly appreciate that and we love having audiences that fill the seats to enjoy our shows."
When the curtain goes up, audiences will meet pirates and heroes, discover magical starstuff and witness the birth of a timeless legend.
But above all, they will be reminded of something theatre has always known: With enough imagination, a bare stage can become an ocean, a student can become a hero and a nameless boy can learn to fly.
Show and ticket information
Tickets available online at ejhs.jcsdk12.org or with cash at the door. Lobby doors open one hour before showtime. The East Juniata High School auditorium
seating opens 30 minutes before curtain. Concessions will be available. Show dates and times are:
• Friday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 7, at 3 p.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 8, at 3 p.m.
Cast list
The cast and crew of “Peter & the Starcatcher" includes:
THE NEVERLAND (SHIP)
Captain Bill Slank -- Emma Mattern
Mack -- Fia Whelpley
Boy/Peter -- Shay Smith
Molly Aster -- Jordana Steffen
Prentiss -- Hannah Book
Ted -- Vi Hund
Alf -- Ella Snyder
Mrs. Bumbrake -- Evie Symmerman
Sailors -- Bryanna Swartz, Ava Druckenmiller, Rilee Ogden,
Teagan Burger, Emma Burdge, Gabby Portzline, Marissa
Ehrisman
THE WASP (SHIP)
Black Stache -- Rylan Feehrer
Greggors/Smee -- Éowyn Rendall
Lord Leonard Aster -- Ivan Thawley
Sánchez -- Annie Fogle
Captain Robert Falcon Scott -- Anna Ehrisman
Seamen/Pirates -- Aubrey Fogle, Avery Mitchell, Calleigh
Reasner, Cohen Apple, Elijah Nauman, KC Cavero, Lily Swartz,
Molly Messimer
INTERLUDES
Neverland Narrators -- Annie Fogle and Rilee Ogden
Wasp Narrator -- Anna Ehrisman
Island Narrators -- Calleigh Reasner and Molly Messimer
Grempkin -- Cohen Apple
Orphans -- Elijah Nauman, Emma Burdge, Gabby Portzline, Lily
Swartz, Marissa Ehrisman
Mother/Wings of a Dove soloist -- Aubrey Fogle
Boxing Ring Announcer -- Cohen Apple
Teacher -- Bryanna Swartz
Mermaids -- Mermaid Outta Me -- Smee, Stache, Teacher,
Anna Ehrisman, Annie Fogle, Aubrey Fogle, Avery Mitchell, Ella
Snyder, Emma Mattern
ISLAND of RUNDOON
Fighting Prawn -- Fia Whelpley
Hawking Clam -- Calleigh Reasner
Mollusks Islanders -- Ava Druckenmiller, Bryanna Swartz, Emma
Burdge, Gabby Portzline, Marissa Ehrisman, Rilee Ogden, Teagan
Burger
CREW
Student Stage Manager -- Lewis Kole Boop
Crew -- Addison Eby, Aldin Murphy, Austin Fitzwater, Brayden
Howard, Cloe Snook, Cristal Maldonado, Emma Tabb, Emmett
Weiand, Gabriana Price, Isabella Brown, Jaytin Strawser, Layla
Folk, Lillian Leach, Madyson Freed, Myrna Trent, Peyton Seaman,
Quinn Reichenbach, Toby Tomcanin, Zebadiah Ehrisman