Peter and the Starcatcher is an imaginative telling of what could have happened before we meet the characters of the beloved story Peter Pan. The story follows a nameless orphan on an adventure on the sea where he meets British sailors, a bossy young girl on a secret mission, vengeful islanders, mermaids, and a scrappy band of pirates led by a charismatic captain, Black Stache. Peter and the Starcatcher will be Director of Theater Arts Ricky Oliver’s first full-stage production at Trinity-Pawling, with 7:30 PM performances on November 3 and 4, 2023. Here follows a brief conversation we had this month, amidst his busy schedule of rehearsals and production.
How many plays and musicals have you directed?
I’ve directed about 10 plays and musicals over the course of my professional and educational career.
Why did you choose Peter and the Starcatcher for your first production at Trinity-Pawling?
I chose Peter And The Starcatcher because it’s an energetic, creative piece that requires athletic storytelling and true ensemble acting. The action is fast, and every actor plays different roles so there is very little downtime off-stage.
How did you approach the casting for Peter and the Starcatcher?
During auditions, instead of preparing audition material, I led the actors through a series of improv exercises to see how the students worked and played together creating different scenarios. This is the essence of the play itself.
How are rehearsals going?
Really inventive and really fun! We are all collaborating on how we can best try to tell the story on the Gardiner Theater stage. The action of the play moves through a lot of cinematic elements that we, as stage artists, need to craft. It has been a lot of fun to generate with this group of creative actors.
What other faculty members are you collaborating with on the production?
Mr. Garguilo (Art Teacher) has been collaborating with us to create some fantastic scenic and lighting elements. Also, Mr. Reilly (MakerSpace Facilitator) has helped some of our magical elements come to life, including Mr. Grin, the iconic crocodile who we meet in Act Two.
We wish the talented cast and crew a great weekend of performances!
by Judy Redder