Download Peter and the Starcatcher

Short Synopsis
PETER AND THE STARCATCHER is a grownup's prequel to Peter Pan. When starcatcher-in-training
Molly meets an orphan boy longing for a home, they embark on the adventure of a lifetime. You'll be
whisked away on a breathtaking quest to answer the question: how did a boy named Peter become the boy
who never grew up? Peter and the Starcatcher takes a hilarious romp through the Neverland you never
knew. In this Tony Award-winning play with music, a dozen brilliant actors play more than 100
unforgettable characters using their enormous talent, ingenious stagecraft and the limitless possibilities of
imagination. This swashbuckling production will have you hooked from the moment you let your
imagination take flight!
Adapted from the Walnut Street Theatre’s Peter and the Starcatcher Study Guide by Thomas Quinn
Complete Synopsis
ACT I
Prologue
An ensemble of actors enters a bare stage and addresses the audience. With a bit of bickering, they
welcome us to the world of the play and tell us what’s in store: flying, dreaming, adventure and growing
up. The ensemble invites us to use our imaginations to create the British Empire. With the snap of an
actor’s fingers, we are transported to a bustling port. There we meet Lord Leonard Aster, his daughter
Molly, and her nanny, Mrs. Bumbrake. Two identical trunks are delivered to the port. One of them
contains a precious cargo belonging to the Queen, who has appointed Lord Aster as its custodian. He’ll
voyage with the trunk aboard the Wasp, the fastest ship afloat, helmed by his old school chum Captain
Robert Falcon Scott, bound for the remote kingdom of Rundoon. The other trunk is full of sand, courtesy
of Bill Slank, captain of the Neverland. Amidst the bustle of the port, while no one is looking, Slank
marks the Queen’s trunk—the one that is supposed to go on the Wasp—with a chalk X. Then, at the last
moment, he swaps the trunks so that the Queen’s cargo is loaded aboard the Neverland and the identical
sand-filled trunk is hoisted onto the Wasp. Grempkin, the schoolmaster of St. Norbert’s Orphanage for
Lost Boys, sells three orphan boys to Slank. Grempkin tells the boys they’ll serve as helpers to the King
of Rundoon, but Slank indicates a more sinister outcome for the lads. After realizing that there is no one
who cares enough to say goodbye to the orphans, one of the boys proclaims that he hates grownups.
The Neverland: Deck
A gang of malnourished sailors prepare the Neverland for the voyage to Rundoon. A squadron of British
navy seamen, led by Lieutenant Greggors, arrive to fetch Lord Aster, who is paying Slank to take care of
Molly. Molly and Mrs. Bumbrake are traveling aboard the Neverland, which is taking a slower, safer
route to Rundoon than the Wasp. As Molly and Lord Aster bid farewell, a crate containing the orphan
boys bursts open and one catches Molly’s eye. Before he departs, Lord Aster confides the mission’s
details to Molly, speaking in Dodo, a language known only to Dodo birds and a handful of very special
humans. Lord Aster places an amulet around his neck and a matching one around Molly’s. He warns her
never to take it off or let anyone else touch it, and charges her to use it if she is ever in trouble. Molly
protests, and asks to be part of the mission aboard the Wasp, but Lord Aster convinces her to stay aboard
the Neverland by promising her an exotic vacation once the mission is complete. Molly comments that
she is only an apprentice Starcatcher, a word that catches Slank’s ear. Lord Aster departs, bound for the
Wasp, and Slank ditches the pleasant façade and turns nasty. Alf, a kindly old seafarer, escorts Molly and
Mrs. Bumbrake to their cabin below the deck of the ship, and the Neverland sets sail for Rundoon.
The Neverland: Molly’s Cabin
In their cabin, Mrs. Bumbrake describes to Molly a family she used to work for in Brighton. The cruel
master would beat the cook, a boy who was an artist in the kitchen. On his way to feed the pigs, Alf
checks in on the ladies and flirts with Mrs. Bumbrake. Molly—a lover of all animals—follows Alf out.
The Neverland: Ship’s Bowels
Unseen, Molly trails Alf on the long journey to the bilge room. On the way, she discovers sailors
gambling, singing hymns, and torturing Mack, the world’s most inept sailor.
The Neverland: Bilge Dungeon
As Alf enters the bilge, Molly slips in behind him, unseen. The three filthy orphans gather around Alf and
his bucket of food. Prentiss demands to speak to the Captain, and identifies himself as the group’s leader.
Ted dives into to the bucket of food and gulps down several handfuls, only to realize he’s been fed
worms. A nameless Boy asks Alf about their fate. Alf leaves and Molly appears, startling the boys.
Prentiss again asserts his leadership, but the Boy challenges him and captivates Molly. Molly coaxes
names out of Ted and Prentiss, but the Boy doesn’t have one. The Boy lashes out, but Molly challenges
him, which sparks something new in him. Molly leads Ted and Prentiss to find real food, but the Boy
doesn’t follow. The Boy flashes back to St. Norbert’s Orphanage for Lost Boys, where Grempkin is
lashing him. The Boy imagines having a family. Molly re-enters to fetch the Boy, saving him from his
nightmare.
The Wasp: Captain’s Cabin
Greggors escorts Lord Aster inside the ship and then reveals that his real name is Smee and the seamen
are pirates! Captain Scott is bound and gagged, and the real seamen are in chains below. Smee demands
the key to the trunk, but Lord Aster refuses. Just then, the pirate crew begins to tremble in fear. Smee
elaborately introduces the most feared pirate captain on the high seas, Black Stache, who enters and pukes
into a bucket. Stache threatens to find and kill Molly and then steals the trunk key from Lord Aster’s
pocket. The amulet around Lord Aster’s neck begins to glow.
The Neverland: Passageway
Molly’s matching amulet starts to glow and the boys notice. Molly divulges that her father is on a secret
mission for the Queen. Mrs. Bumbrake comes searching for Molly, so she and the boys turn to escape
down a corridor and encounter a flying cat in Slank’s cabin! Molly knows that the only thing that could
make a cat fly is starstuff; she realizes that the Queen’s treasure is on the wrong ship! She tries to distract
the boys from the starstuff by suggesting a bedtime story. The Boy unexpectedly blurts out his darkest
secrets and dreams. Molly entrances the boys with her story, and leads them away from Slank’s cabin by
telling them the tale of Sleeping Beauty.
The Wasp: Captain’s Cabin
Back on the Wasp, Stache opens the trunk only to find…sand! Smee deduces that Slank must have
swapped the trunks; the treasure is on the Neverland. Stache commands that the ship is turned around, and
they pursue the Neverland.
The Neverland: Ship’s Bowels
After the boys have been lulled to sleep by Molly’s bedtime story, Lord Aster contacts her through the
amulet and warns her that pirates have commandeered the Wasp. Lord Aster instructs Molly to bring the
Queen’s trunk to him once the Wasp catches the Neverland. Aster tells Molly that she is now a part of the
mission! The Boy awakens and catches the end of Molly’s communication; he insists that she tell him
what is going on.
The Neverland: Deck
From the ship’s deck, Molly tells the Boy about Starcatchers, a handful of people appointed by the Queen
to protect starstuff. The Boy insists that Molly proves she is an apprentice Starcatcher, so she puts her
hand around her amulet, closes her eyes, and floats a few inches above the deck. Molly explains that a
Starcatcher’s primary duty is to collect starstuff as it falls to earth and dispose of it in the world’s hottest
active volcano, which is on Rundoon. The Boy tells Molly that he is going to Rundoon to help the King,
but she bursts his bubble and explains that King Zarboff is actually evil. He would kill for even a thimble
of starstuff. As the Boy laments, Slank enters and throws him overboard. The Boy, who cannot swim,
starts to drown. Molly dives into the ocean and saves him.
The Neverland & The Wasp
As a hurricane stirs up in the ocean, the Wasp appears on the horizon. Molly drags the Boy on board the
Neverland and revives him. Slank sees the Wasp and assumes that the British navy must have discovered
the trunk swap! He prepares to outrun the Wasp, but the Boy takes the wheel and changes course. In the
midst of the storm, the wheel flies off the deck and goes spinning out to sea; the Neverland lurches.
Below deck, Alf is again flirting with Mrs. Bumbrake, who stops his advances in order to find Molly. On
the bow of the Wasp, Stache and Smee are delighted that the Neverland is heading straight toward them.
When the two ships meet, the pirates board the Neverland and fight with the sailors. In the bilge, Molly
congratulates the boy for doing something big. She then dashes off to get the trunk from Slank’s cabin;
the Boy realizes that there are more important things than saving his own neck and runs to help Molly. On
deck, Slank and Stache square off in a boxing ring. Just as Stache gets the upper hand, the Neverland
splits in two. As Molly and Mrs. Bumbrake struggle to move the trunk, Slank intercepts them. Mrs.
Bumbrake throws the ship’s cat in Slank’s face, and Alf steps in to throw Slank overboard.
Molly asks the Boy to stall the pirates while she gets the Queen’s trunk to the Wasp, and the Boy sits on
the sand trunk to “protect the treasure.” Stache encounters the Boy and tries to lure what he thinks is the
Queen’s trunk out from under him. Stache offers the boy a name: Peter. The Boy accepts. Losing
patience, Stache knocks Peter off the trunk, opens it, and realizes he’s been had. Sand again! As Peter
celebrates his own cleverness, Stache knocks him overboard. Lord Aster calls to Molly and tells her to
bring him the trunk; Molly is torn between saving Peter and obeying her father and must think fast.
Knowing that the starstuff will float, she pushes it in the water and tells Peter to float to a nearby island.
Alf and Mrs. Bumbrake search for flotsam to make a raft; Ted and Prentiss cling to one another; Molly
dives into the ocean and swims after Peter; Peter rides the trunk toward the island with fish swimming in
its golden wake. Stache commands Smee to follow the trunk, and Molly tells Peter to drag it to high
ground and save the world!
Original Broadway Cast
ACT II
Prologue
A group of Mermaids recount being transformed from regular fish after swimming in the wake of the
starstuff.
The Mountain-Top Lookout Point
Atop a mountain on the island, Peter absorbs the freedom of open skies and clean air for the first time in
his life. A yellow bird pays him a visit before fluttering off. Ted and Prentiss arrive—they are safe! Peter
focuses on the mission to get the trunk to the Wasp so they can leave the island. In the distance, Mrs.
Bumbrake and Alf paddle toward the shore. The boys decide to hide the trunk and go in search of food.
The Jungle
The boys descend the mountain, and go deeper and deeper into the jungle. They soon realize that they are
not alone. Molly, being a champion swimmer, has made it to the island and searches for the trunk.
Mollusk Territory
The island’s natives, the Mollusks, capture the boys. The chief,
Fighting Prawn, sentences them to death. They are to be sacrificed and
fed to Mr. Grin, the island’s hungriest crocodile. The boys offer the gift
of a bedtime story to the Mollusks in hopes that they will fall asleep,
allowing the boys to escape. Fighting Prawn accepts the offering and
the boys perform Sleeping Beauty for the tribe. Molly approaches and
watches from behind some trees. At the climax, Molly blurts out that
the boys have ruined the story. The Mollusks are amused, but the
English invaders must die.
Mr. Grin’s Cage
Trapped inside Mr. Grin’s cage, Molly and the boys bicker about what
to do. Molly formulates a plan. Peter gets Mr. Grin to open his mouth,
and Molly tosses her amulet in. As Mr. Grin grows, bursts out of the
cage, and floats away, Molly and the boys flee. The Mollusks are
furious and pursue them.
Illustration by Greg Call
The Beach
Smee and Stache cannot find the trunk; Stache decides to trick the kids into bringing it to him. Mr. Grin,
now several times his normal size, floats toward them, forcing Stache and Smee to take cover in the
jungle.
The Jungle’s Edge
Peter wants to get off the island, and begins gathering materials for a raft. Molly reminds him of the trunk
and the mission. Out in the sea, the boys and Molly notice a flashing light. It is Lord Aster, contacting
Molly using Norse Code. Lord Aster instructs Molly to bring the trunk to the beach. The boys and Molly
race to the top of the mountain to retrieve the trunk, with the Mollusks in hot pursuit.
The Chase and The Fall
Peter runs up the mountain with the Mollusks on his tail. The yellow bird returns and distracts Peter, who
falls into a crevice with a splash. He finds himself in a shimmering lake of golden water, far far
underground. Peter floats, neither drowning nor afraid, and gazes up at a mermaid.
The Underground Grotto
Floating in the golden water of the grotto, Peter is greeted by the mermaid who calls herself Teacher.
Teacher explains her transformation from fish to mermaid, and describes the power of starstuff to fulfill
dreams. Teacher and the island give Peter a second name – Pan. Teacher reveals that Pan has two
meanings; the first is fun, frolic, anarchy and mischief. All things a boy likes. Before telling Peter the
second meaning of Pan, Teacher reminds Peter about the trunk. Peter climbs out of the grotto and bolts
back up to the mountain-top.
The Stormy Night
Molly, Prentiss and Ted arrive atop the mountain and fear Peter’s demise. In the distance, they spot Mrs.
Bumbrake and Alf sailing toward the island on a makeshift raft. Molly, Prentiss and Ted drag the trunk
toward the beach. A storm begins as night falls, making the journey dark, unpleasant, and frightening. As
the others fall asleep, Peter appears and surprises Molly. Peter tries to get in the trunk, but Molly tells him
that exposure to so much starstuff is very dangerous. Molly waxes philosophical about avoiding
sentimentality until she falls asleep. Peter gingerly tries to open the trunk, but flees when the boys stir.
The Beach
Smee, disguised as a mermaid, tries to lure Molly, Prentiss and Ted with a ukulele song. Stache
intervenes and tries to bait the kids with poisoned fruitcake, but Molly identifies him as Black Stache
and exposes his plot. Smee reveals two prisoners – Mrs. Bumbrake and Alf! Just then, the Mollusks enter
with prisoners of their own – Lord Aster and Captain Scott. Mrs. Bumbrake recognizes Fighting
Prawn as her long, lost kitchen boy from her work in Brighton.
Fighting Prawn proclaims that Betty Bumbrake was the only English person who was kind to him when
he was a kitchen slave. Stache pulls his knife on Fighting Prawn and tries to get the trunk from Molly.
Molly must decide between saving Fighting Prawn’s life and her duty to the Queen. Suddenly, Stache’s
words are echoed back to him. Peter continues to distract Stache with his echoes and challenges him with
his umbrella-sword. Peter, Ted, Prentiss, and then Molly attack Stache, and he captures Molly in a
headlock. Peter realizes the only way to save Molly is by giving Stache the trunk. Although this means he
will never leave the island, he acts selflessly. Stache is impressed by Peter’s heroic gesture, but lifts the
lid to find an empty trunk. In a fit of frustration, he slams the lid down on his right hand, cutting it off.
Delirious from the injury, Stache tries to lure Peter to join his pirate crew. When Peter declines, Stache
vows to be his nemesis and exits, pursued by a crocodile.
Peter is lauded! Fighting Prawn bestows Peter with a hat, allows the English
to leave, and exits with the Mollusks. Lord Aster makes Molly a full-fledged
Starcatcher, and promises her a St. Bernard puppy when they return home.
With the starstuff gone, their mission has been fulfilled.
Peter discloses his encounter with Teacher to Molly and Lord Aster; Lord
Aster says Peter cannot leave the island and Molly is heartbroken. They
realize that Peter is now home – the island and its inhabitants are his family.
Lord Aster captures the yellow bird in the hat, adds some starstuff from his
amulet, and creates for Peter a pixie protector. The fairy flies off, and Ted
and Prentiss chase it down the beach. Peter, now the boy who would not
grow up, reluctantly bids farewell to Molly. Peter begins to forget what’s
happened and settles into the eternal present of youth. Prentiss, Ted and the
fairy enter; the fairy talks to Peter. As the boys race down the beach toward
the grotto, Peter Pan flies.
Adapted from Peter and the Starcatcher Educator’s Guide,
written by Lisa Mitchell for Disney
Illustration by Greg Call
The Characters

Boy/Peter: A nameless and friendless 13-year-old orphan, deeply
mistrustful of adults and neglected to the point of never having seen
the sun. His adventures allow him to find the hero within himself,
and to take on a name worthy of the legend he becomes.

Molly Aster: A 13-year-old apprentice Starcatcher desperate to
prove herself to her father. Highly intelligent and physically adept,
she remains socially awkward and something of a know-it-all, and
her relationship with the Orphan Boys is driven as much by
competition as it is by friendship.

Black Stache: A highly intelligent but malapropism-prone Pirate
chief, so called due to the black mustache that is a trademark in his
family. In search of a great hero who he can oppose to become a
great villain, Stache is given to scenery-chewing and anachronistic
jokes, and has a hook in his future. The name "Black Stache" is a
reference to the pirate Blackbeard.

Smee: Black Stache's faithful first mate. More intelligent than he
gives himself credit for (but still not overly bright), Smee is willing Boy (Peter Pan) costume rendering
to follow his captain in any amount of hare-brained schemes. Somehow, this ends up with him
disguising himself as a Mermaid, which is far from a pretty sight.

Lord Leonard Aster: Molly's father. A Starcatcher on a secret mission for Queen Victoria. He
loves his daughter dearly but is perhaps guilty of placing his mission above her safety. Constantly
paranoid about the security of top-secret conversation, he has trained Molly to converse in Dodo,
Porpoise, and Norse code (a Morse code-like system used by ancient Vikings.)

Ted: One of the Boy's orphan companions nicknamed "Tubby Ted." Constantly hungry, he is
obsessed with food and faints at the mere mention of sticky pudding. He accepts Molly as a
mother figure immediately, often referring to her by that title. Once on the Island, he spends most
of his time attempting to figure out how to eat a pineapple.

Prentiss: One of the Boy's orphan companions. Pompous and sarcastic, he is intent on
proclaiming himself the leader of the gang of Orphans but is too cowardly to really do anything
about it, and usually follows Peter and Molly with only nominal protest.

Mrs. Bumbrake: Molly's faithful Nanny, a prim and proper Englishwoman prone to alliteration.
In the tradition of the English Pantomime dame, the role is written to be portrayed by a male
actor, who also plays Teacher a wise and mysterious mermaid.

Alf: A salty and flatulent sailor on the Neverland, who falls deeply and instantly in love with Mrs.
Bumbrake. He is somewhat coarse and has no time for children, but good-natured.

Fighting Prawn: The fierce chief of the tribe of Mollusk Islanders, who was sold into slavery in
England as a boy, where he became a kitchen slave in a fine house. He speaks almost exclusively
in Italian cooking terms. The actor in this role also portrays Grempkin, the sadistic schoolmaster
of St. Norbert’s Orphanage for Lost Boys, Sanchez, one of Black Stache's crew, and Mack, the
world's most incompetent Sailor.

Bill Slank: The nasty, greedy and cruel captain of the Neverland. It is Slank's greed for the
Queen's secret treasure sets the entire plot in motion. The actor in the role also portrays Hawking
Clam, Fighting Prawn's son.

Captain Robert Falcon Scott: Captain of the Wasp, and Lord Aster's old friend from their
schooldays. Based loosely on the real Robert Falcon Scott.
The ensemble cast also portrays narrators, mermaids, pirates, sailors, islanders and various other
creatures, locations and people throughout the show.
Adapted from Wikipedia
Molly costume rendering
Black Stache costume rendering
Costume renderings for HCT
production by Peggy Willis
Mermaid costume renderings
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Molly Aster
Brighton Hertford
Amber Dodge
Boy (Peter)
Kooper Campbell
Andrew Robertson
Black Stache
Ben Abbott
Ryan Poole
CAST OF CHARACTERS (continued)
Smee: Jeffrey Whitlock and Ben Parkes
Lord Leonard Aster: Justin Bruse and Michael Hohl
Ted: Bryce Fueston and Greg Larsen
Prentiss: Cameron Garner and Trevor Dean
Mrs. Bumbrake: Nicholas Siler and Addison Welch
Alf: Oran Marc de Baritault and Zac Zumbrunnen
Fighting Prawn: Brian Cota and Chad Little
Bill Slank: Jason Sullivan and Josh Richardson
Capt. Robert Falcon Scott: Jonathan Fifield and Bryan Dayley
Grempkin: Brandon Green and David Glaittli
Mack: Nick Grossaint
Teacher: Shawn Saunders and Andrew Hansen
PRODUCTION TEAM
Director: Dave Tinney
Set Designer: Kacey Udy
Sound Designer: Shane Steel
Properties: Michelle Jensen
Production Assistant: Jamie Sanduk
Original Broadway Cast
Music Director: Kelly DeHaan
Costume Designer: Peggy Willis
Lighting Designer: Adam Flitton
Hair/Makeup Designer: Krissa Lent
Set design for HCT production by Kacey Udy
The Authors
Dave Barry
A writer who has built a career out of finding the humor in
nearly everything, Dave Barry was born on July 3, 1947, in
Armonk, New York. He first started out as a reporter in the
early 1970s, and later developed a newspaper column that
provided readers with his comic take on daily life. At its peak,
his weekly column eventually appeared in more than 500
newspapers.
In the early 1970s, Barry landed his first newspaper job at the
Daily Local News in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He shifted
gears in 1975, taking a position with a consulting company.
L to R: Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
With Burger Associates, Barry spent years trying to teach
business professionals how to be better writers. He still had time to pursue his own work, including
creating a humor column for his old newspaper.
As his popularity increased, Barry soon attracted the attention of the Miami Herald, and he joined the
paper in 1983 as a columnist. That same year his first book, The Taming of the Screw, debuted, providing
readers with his own amusing take on the hassles of homeownership. Barry continued to skewer many
aspects of modern life in his columns and in his books, including parenting, fitness and corporate life.
In 1988, Barry won the Pulitzer Prize for commentary. He was selected "for his consistently effective use
of humor as a device for presenting fresh insights into serious concerns." Some have compared him to
famed humorist Mark Twain, but Barry often humbly described his work as a series of jokes about bodily
functions. All humility aside, he crafted columns on every topic, from the lowly toothpick to presidential
politics.
Barry also became a popular character on television for a time. Two of his books, including Dave Barry
Turns 40 (1990), served as the inspiration for the hit sitcom Dave's World. The show, which starred Harry
Anderson as Barry, ran from 1993 to 1997.
In addition to his columns, Barry also branched out into fiction. He wrote two novels: Big Trouble (1999)
and Tricky Business (2002), which were praised for their humor, but chided for their weak plots. Big
Trouble was turned into a 2002 film starring Tim Allen and Rene Russo. After years of writing for adults,
Barry wrote stories for children with Ridley Pearson. Unsurprising for a man who never seemed to grow
up, he explored the character of the famed "lost boy," Peter Pan. Barry and Pearson wrote several novels
that served as a prequel to J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan, including Peter and the Starcatchers (2004).
While he retired from his weekly column in 2005, Barry continues to offer his humorous take on the
world through numerous books. He poked fun at popular financial advice books with 2006's Dave Barry's
Money Secrets: Like: Why Is There a Giant Eyeball on the Dollar?. He found the humor in history, with
2007's Dave Barry's History of the Millennium. Barry also has a new novel for 2012, Lunatics, which he
wrote with Alan Zweibel.
Barry, however, hasn't abandoned newspapers all together. He still contributes special columns
occasionally, such as his year in review and annual gift guide.
Barry lives in southern Florida with his wife, Michelle Kaufman, and their daughter Sophie. He has a son,
Robert, from a previous marriage. He also occasionally plays in a band called The Rock Bottom
Remainders with such literary figures as Stephen King, Amy Tan and Mitch Albom.
Adapted from Biography.com
Ridley Pearson
Ridley Pearson's novels cover a lot of ground: from paranormal to Peter Pan. With an emphasis on
entertaining the reader and delivering screw-tightening suspense, both his crime fiction and young-reader
novels have earned him a reputation for detailed research and hair-raising storylines.
Ridley began his professional career as a singer/songwriter in an acoustic rock band and spent a decade
on the road playing gigs between clubs and colleges. Today, he is a founding member of The Rock
Bottom Remainders, an all-author '60s rock and roll band now featuring Amy Tan, Dave Barry, Mitch
Albom, Scott Turow, Greg Isles and Roy Blount, Jr. (with cameos by Stephen King) whose motto is: "We
play music as well as Metallica writes novels." It was in the band that Ridley and Dave Barry became
friends and went on to collaborate on a series of novels that explain the beginnings of Peter Pan. Peter
and the Starcatchers spent 47 weeks on the New York Times Children's Bestseller List. Disney Animated
Features has optioned the novel for both film and stage productions. The Kingdom Keepers, a Young
Adult novel about five kids inside Disney World after dark drew the most fan mail of any novel he's
written. The seventh book in the series came out in 2014.
With 48 novels to his credit, New York Times best-selling author Pearson has earned a reputation for
stories that grip the imagination, emphasize high-tech crime and dazzling forensic detail, and, all too
often, imitate life. His classic 1988 novel, Undercurrents, helped a prosecuting attorney from Washington
State solve a real-life homicide by referring to research methods used in the book. The attorney who
happened to be reading Undercurrents at the time enlisted the aid of an oceanographer mentioned in the
book's acknowledgment page. The oceanographer identified a tidal flow and "window of time" essential
to the case and, serving as an expert witness, helped convict the victim's husband of murder.
The topic of his 1995 novel, Chain of Evidence, which involved the possible existence of a crime gene,
was the focus of a genetics conference later that year that erupted in controversy, making national news.
Beyond Recognition (1997), tackled the violent mystery of high-tech arson, and modeled a series of
mysterious arsons, the solution to which, the government later backed away from.
Ridley has co-produced and written documentaries for television including one for A&E on Alcoholics
Anonymous, and is currently working on a dramatic television series, The Culture, for Equinoxe Films.
He wrote the script for the two hour ABC movie, based on his #1 New York Times bestseller, The Diary
of Ellen Rimbauer. He has written a crime series for Putnam/Penguin for editor Christine Pepe. The first
in the series, Killer Weekend, was released in 2007, and became an instant New York Times Bestseller.
The second in the Sun Valley series, Killer View, was published in summer 2008. Ridley's Lou Boldt
novels are on hiatus but remain very much alive.
In 1991, Pearson became the first American to be awarded the Raymond Chandler Fulbright fellowship at
Oxford University, where he researched and outlined both The Angel Maker and No Witnesses. The
fellowship recognizes published writers with "emerging reputations," and helped him hone his natural
fascination with forensic detection and focus his active imagination.
Raised in Riverside, Connecticut, Ridley, his wife, Marcelle, and their two daughters, Paige and Storey,
now reside in St. Louis, MO.
Adapted from bookbrowser.com
Playwright J.M. Barrie
J.M. Barrie (1860-1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright who
moved to London and befriended the Llewellyn Davies family. The five
young Davies boys would become Barrie’s inspiration for his most
famous play, Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up. The play,
written in 1904, chronicles the adventures of a magical, ageless boy and
an ordinary girl named Wendy. Peter Pan is the leader of a troupe of Lost
Boys, inhabitants of the enchanted island, Neverland. Throughout their
adventures, Peter and Wendy encounter pirates, mermaids, native people,
and fairies. After a successful debut in London, Barrie adapted his play
into a novel called Peter and Wendy. Before he died, Barrie gave the rights to the Peter Pan works to the
Great Ormand Street Hospital – a children’s hospital in London. Barrie’s beloved characters live on
through the many productions, adaptations, and incarnations of Peter that have taken flight since 1904.
Peter and the Starcatcher Educator’s Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell for Disney
Playwright Rick Elice
Rick Elice, born November 17, 1956, is a writer and former stage actor. He earned
his BA from Cornell University, his MFA from the Yale Drama School and is a
Teaching Fellow at Harvard. He is a charter member of the American Repertory
Theatre. From 1982–1999, Elice was copywriter, producer, Creative Director and
eventually Executive Vice President of Serino Coyne, Inc., an entertainment
advertising agency in New York. From 1999–2009, he served as creative consultant
to Walt Disney Studios. His husband was actor Roger Rees, director of the
workshop and Broadway productions of Peter and the Starcatcher. They married
in 2011 and remained together until Rees' death on July 10, 2015.
Elice with Marshall Brickman wrote the book for the Broadway musical Jersey Boys which received a
Tony Award nomination and a Drama Desk nomination for best book for a musical in 2006. With Roger
Rees, he wrote the popular thriller, Double Double, which has been translated into 16 languages.
He wrote Leonardo’s Ring (London Fringe, 2003) and Dog and Pony (New York Stage and Film, 2003).
Elice was creative director at Serino Coyne, Inc. (1982–2000), where he produced advertising campaigns
for more than 300 Broadway shows including A Chorus Line and The Lion King. He has been a creative
consultant for Walt Disney Studios from 1999–2009.
In 2008, he co-wrote Turn of the Century with Marshall Brickman. The show was directed by Tommy
Tune and premiered at The Goodman Theatre in Chicago in September 2008.
Elice collaborated with Brickman once again, this time writing the book for the musical, The Addams
Family. Following a successful run at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre in
Chicago, The Addams Family opened on Broadway on April 8, 2010 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre,
starring Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth as Gomez and Morticia Addams.
He wrote Peter and the Starcatcher, based on the 2006 novel of the same name by Dave Barry and Ridley
Pearson, which opened in California in 2009 and played off-Broadway in 2011. The play moved to
Broadway, opening at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on April 15, 2012. Peter and the Starcatcher received
9 Tony Award nominations, more than any new American play in the history of the Tony Awards. On
June 11, 2012, the play won 5 Tony Awards. The play enjoyed a successful tour throughout North
America in 2013-14.
His most recent collaboration with Marshall Brickman was for the film of Jersey Boys, directed by Clint
Eastwood and released by Warner Brothers in June 2014. Brickman and Elice wrote the screenplay,
adapted from their book for the stage musical.
A new musical, Dog and Pony, with book by Elice and music and lyrics by Michael Patrick Walker, had
its world premiere at The Old Globe in San Diego in June 2014, starring Nicole Parker, Jon Patrick
Walker, Heidi Blickenstaff, Beth Leavel, and Eric William Morris, directed by Roger Rees.
Adapted from Wikipedia
Original Broadway Cast
THEMES
Leadership
Although Prentiss wants to be the leader, he doesn’t display many of the qualities of a leader. The real
leaders of the story turn out to be Molly and Peter, who show us what it means to be true leaders.
Growing Up
Molly wants to become a full-fledged Starcatcher and help out her father on equal footing, but her real
growth happens when she’s looking out for the three orphan boys. On the other hand, Peter, who grew up
in a terrible orphanage, never had a chance to experience just being a boy. He hates grown-ups and
doesn’t want to become one – but there are repercussions to never growing up.
Be Careful What You Wish For
Sometimes we don’t completely understand the consequences that would happen if we actually got what
we most wanted. Peter and the Starcatcher shows us why the wish-granting starstuff is dangerous enough
that Lord Aster needs to destroy it.
Imagination
The production of Peter and the Starcatcher celebrates the creativity of imagination and storytelling.
Using only a few props and a whole lot of imagination, the actors can create a shipwreck, a mountainous
jungle island, and even human flight!
Adapted from Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts’ Peter and the Starcatcher Study Guide
CONTEXT FOR THE PLAY
The British Empire
At its height, the British Empire was the largest empire in history. The saying “the sun never sets on the
British Empire” meant that there were so many countries and colonies under its control that the sun was
always shining on at least one of them. Lord Aster displays the adventurousness, nobility, and patriotism
that were the face of the British Empire, while Fighting Prawn shows its dark heart: slavery and
exploitation of less developed countries.
Pirates
By the end of the 19th century, piracy had become a thing of the past for the shores of Great Britain.
Knowing this, playwright Rick Elice decided to make a joke out of it by portraying Black Stache as the
last pirate in the business, holding on to an outdated criminal lifestyle.
Orphanages
Orphanages in Victorian England had notoriously horrible conditions. There was no protection against
child abuse and child labor. Orphans were fed poorly, abused by their schoolmasters, and put to work as a
cheap source of labor. Many orphans died at a young age as a result of this harsh life.
Adapted from Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts’ Peter and the Starcatcher Study Guide
Ted costume rendering
Prentiss costume rendering
GLOSSARY
Nautical Terms
Aft: In or near the hinder part or stern of a ship.
Capstan: An apparatus used for hoisting weights and heavy sails. It consists of a vertical spool-shaped
cylinder, around which rope is wound. It is rotated manually.
Foretop: The top of a foremast (the forward lower-mast).
Frigate: A high-speed, medium sized sailing war vessel of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
Gangplank: A board or ramp used as a removable footway between a ship and a pier. When one wants
to exit the ship, one walks down the gangplank to the pier. To “walk the plank” is a fairly similar process,
except there’s no pier (bring your swimmies).
Jib: The jib is the triangular shaped sail at the front of the boat. If you feel like giving someone an
unusual compliment, tell them “I like the cut of your jib.”
Knots: The nautical measure of speed. Knots are determined using a piece of knotted string fastened to
the log-line, one of a series fixed at such intervals that the number of them that run out while the sandglass is running indicates the ship’s speed in nautical miles per hour.
Longboat: The largest boat belonging to a sailing vessel.
Merchant Sailors: Sailors on a trade vessel.
Mast: An upright pole, usually raked, which is fixed or stepped in the keel of a sailing ship in order to
support the sails, either directly or by means of horizontal spars.
Mizzen-mast: On a ship with two or more masts: the mast aft of the mainmast.
Poop: 1) Stop giggling. 2) It’s not what you think. 3) The name given to the short, after-most deck,
raised above the quarter-deck of a ship, which in large ships comprised the roof of the captain’s cabin.
Spar: The gaff and the boom are spars, i.e. long round bits of wood.
Swag: Plunder or booty.
Water Creatures
Ahi: A large tuna fish, esp. the bigeye tuna and the yellow-fin tuna.
Albatross: A large sea bird usually found in the southern hemisphere that is known for its extended
gliding ability.
Crocodiles: Interesting facts: Crocodiles are believed to be 200 million years old; they outlived the
dinosaurs! These reptiles close their nostrils when underwater. The average age of a crocodile is 70 years
old. The crocodile has the strongest and most forceful bite of any animal. The largest crocodiles measure
at about 20 feet long and weigh over two-and-a-half tons!
Dover Sole: Refers to two types of fish: the solea solea found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean commonly
used for fillet cooking, and the microstomus pacificus found in the Pacific Ocean primarily used for
grilling.
Eel: A snakelike fish without pelvic fins that dwells on the bottom of the ocean or in a freshwater habitat.
Mahi Mahi: The Hawaiian name for the species called the dolphinfish (no relation to dolphins). A large
marine food and game fish found worldwide in tropical waters, having an iridescent blue back, yellow
sides, a steep blunted forehead, and a long continuous dorsal fin.
Porpoise: A cetacean (sea mammal) closely related to the whale and the dolphin. Porpoises are often
confused with dolphins but there are some visible differences between the two species. Also, porpoises
are generally smaller than dolphins.
Smelt: A species of small saltwater Northern Hemisphere fish that breed in freshwater. Smelt are a
common food source for the salmon and the lake trout. The orange eggs of the smelt, also known as roe,
are often used to garnish sushi.
Squid: A mollusk with eight arms and two tentacles surrounding the mouth that is related to the octopus
and cuttlefish.
Features of Mollusk Island
Bamboo: Although people may think the bamboo is a kind of tree, it is actually a woody type of grass
with a hollow stem and stalked blades. Bamboo is typically found in tropical or semi-tropical areas and
can grow up to 30 meters (98 feet) tall.
Bird of Paradise: The flower known as strelitzia is not to be confused with the actual flying bird of
paradise, although strelitzia bears a striking resemblance to it. The Bird of Paradise is considered a flower
or shrub with stalks of orange and purplish-blue flowers, resembling a bird. The Bird of Paradise flower
originated in South Africa but can grow in different tropical areas. The shrub can be anywhere from 6 feet
to 20 feet in height.
Grotto: A cave or cavern, especially one that forms an agreeable retreat. In Peter and the Starcatcher,
the grotto is underground and connected to the ocean.
Lagoon: A shallow body of water, especially one separated from the sea by sandbars or a barrier reef.
Sentry Palm: Also known as the Kenita Palm, this is an upright palm with arching, dark green leaves. Its
use as an indoor palm dates back to the socialite days of the Victorian era. It is native to Eastern Australia,
and it can grow to be 60 feet tall.
Other Helpful Terms
Dodo: A flightless, extinct bird. Molly and her father speak in the Dodo language when they don't want
to be overheard.
God Save the Queen: An old British saying. Lord Aster automatically says this whenever the Queen is
mentioned as a sign of respect.
Grotto: A small picturesque cave.
King Zarboff: The monarch of Rundoon.
Mollusks: The natives of Mollusk Island.
Norse Code: Molly and her father’s version of Morse code, used to communicate over great distances.
Pan: A Greek word meaning “all.” Also the name of a mischievous trickster god of nature and the wild.
Panache (pronounced “puh-NASH”): Style, flair, and a dashing attitude. Black Stache uses this word to
describe himself.
Port: The left-hand side of a ship (when facing forward).
Queen Victoria: The monarch of the British Empire.
Rundoon: A made-up land far away from England, ruled by the evil King Zarboff.
Siren: A mythological, magical woman who can lure people to her with her beautiful songs.
Starboard (pronounced “STAHR-berd”): The right-hand side of a ship (when facing forward).
Starcatcher: Special people who work to keep starstuff out of the wrong hands. There are only six
Starcatchers in the world, including Lord Aster. Molly is a Starcatcher-in-training.
Starstuff: Pieces of stars that fall down to earth.
The Neverland: A merchant ship captained by Bill Slank. Molly and her nanny Mrs. Bumbrake are
taking this ship to Rundoon along a safer route.
The Wasp: The fastest ship in the sea, captained by Robert Falcon Scott. Lord
Aster is taking this ship to Rundoon.
Adapted from Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts’ Peter and the Starcatcher Study Guide and Peter and
the Starcatcher Educator’s Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell for Disney
Suggested Discussion Questions
1. Why does Peter say he hates grown-ups? What are some of the things that grown-ups have done to
Peter?
2. Why does Peter say that he just wants to be a boy?
3. What are some of the things Peter loses when the starstuff makes him a boy forever?
4. What are some things that you think would be fun about staying a kid forever? What are some things
that you think would be not so great?
5. In Peter and the Starcatcher, starstuff can magically grant you the thing you want the most, but as the
story shows us, you have to be careful what you wish for. What is something that you want more than
anything else in the world? Do you think you might end up regretting it if you got it?
6. Prentiss claims to be the leader because he is the oldest. What really makes a leader? What qualities
does a leader have? What actions does a leader take?
7. Black Stache defines a hero as a person willing to sacrifice something precious for someone he/she
loves. What are some ways that you define a hero? Do you know any heroes? What are some things they
have done?
8. Black Stache isn’t your average antagonist. Why do you think Black Stache needs a hero to feel
complete? How do you define a great villain?
9. At the beginning of the play, Peter is powerless to affect his own destiny and is a virtual prisoner
aboard the Neverland, unable to escape or even feed himself properly. How does he gain power over his
own life by the end? What can we learn from Peter and his actions?
10. Peter takes risks for the safety and well-being of his friends. Do they reciprocate his honorable
actions? Who is the better friend? How do people prove their friendship to one another? Who do you
think are the best examples of friends in the story? Why?
11. Molly understands the power of the starstuff and yet she acts anyway; but Peter gets involved when he
has nothing to gain for himself. Who do you think displays the most courage in the play? What is
courage? Who else displays courage in the play? Why do you think so? Who does not?
12. Starstuff gave ordinary people the ability to “… appear to be gods; they inspired fear; they were
worshipped; they were obeyed absolutely.” How does this kind of power corrupt people? What are
examples of people throughout history who abused their power? Why do you think humans are able to
succumb to this kind of corruption?
13. Discuss the following quote by Fighting Prawn: “We’re not savages here … I know. I’ve seen
savagery. I saw it often when I was a … guest of the British Navy. I experienced it many times myself, at
the wrong end of a whip.” Alf assumes that the natives cannot even speak English and tries to
communicate using only the word “How!” What are the authors poking fun at here? What attitudes have
changed since the original Peter Pan was written? What is savagery? What was Fighting Prawn talking
about in this quote?
14. This is an action-packed, high-seas adventure. Which scenes of the play were your favorites? Why?
How does the playwright develop and sustain the suspense?
15. Authors and playwrights can reveal a character’s personality in several ways – by what they say, what
they do, and how others react toward them. How does the playwright reveal Peter’s and Molly’s
characters using these different techniques? Which of the minor characters is your favorite? Why?
16. A unique aspect of Peter and the Starcatcher is the cast of not one nemesis, but three! Describe
Stache or Smee and compare them to the other antagonist in the story, Slank. Which one frightened you
more? Why? What qualities did they have in common?
17. What do you think Peter’s life is like on the island after Molly and the others depart? What will he do
to fill his days? What adventures might he have? Would you like to be on that island?
18. How do the authors and playwright connect this story to the original Peter Pan? What elements and
details are kept and which ones are spared? What do you think was important to maintain in creating a
prequel? Were there any questions you were excited to learn the answers to by seeing this play? What
were they?
Adapted from Peter and the Starcatchers Discussion Guide, written by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer for Disney Hyperion
and Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts’ Peter and the Starcatcher Study Guide
Suggested Activities
Language: Write a prequel to a folktale or fairytale of your choice. Be sure to stay true to the original
characters and don’t get bogged down explaining yourself, just begin with an exciting scene as the
authors do in Peter and the Starcatchers!
Logic: Create a timeline or map of the location of the trunk and the starstuff for the whole play. Your
graphic should make clear not only the location of the trunk, but who controls it.
Art: Scope out locations for at least three scenes for the movie adaptation of the play and explain in
detail why you think they would work. You must provide either sketches for the director to view or
pictures of the actual places.
Drama: Using only dialogue, write a scene between Peter and Molly after the close of Starcatcher and
before the original Peter Pan opens.
Storytelling: In HCT’s production of Peter and the Starcatcher, the actors use a lot of different items as
costumes, props, and sound devices. Create a performance of a fairytale or make up your own story using
items found around your house or classroom. Be creative!
Backstories: What are some other characters like Peter Pan and Captain Hook with mysterious origins?
Create a backstory for one of these characters. What were they like before? How did they develop into the
person they became?
Animal Languages: Molly and her father use the language of the dodo bird to communicate with each
other when they don’t want to be overheard. What is an animal language that you think would be fun to
learn? Create a conversation between two people using your animal language. Include a translation of
what they are saying to each other. Optional: Find a partner and read your invented conversations aloud
with each other!
Missions for the Queen: In the play, Queen Victoria sends Lord Aster and Molly on many important,
special missions all over the world. Imagine what some of these missions might have been. Where did
Lord Aster and Molly go? What did they have to do for the Queen? Were there any magic or special
creatures involved?
Word Battle: Black Stache and Slank have a rhyming word battle. Invent your own word battle between
two characters. The characters can be from a fairytale, or you can make up your own characters. Use a
thesaurus to find some new and interesting words!
Adapted from Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts’ Peter and the Starcatcher Study Guide and Peter and
the Starcatchers Discussion Guide, written by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer for Disney Hyperion
Educational Resources
Peter and the Starcatcher: A Grown-Up’s Prequel to ‘Peter Pan’ Study Guide for Educators by Pacific
Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Solvang, California, contains costume and set design concepts,
student activities and discussion questions, articles on the play’s context and themes, key words and a key
words quiz at www.pcpa.org/resources/patsstudyguide.pdf
Peter and the Starcatcher Educator’s Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell for Disney contains a timeline of
Peter Pan-related productions on stage, TV, and film including adaptations and spin offs, prequels and
sequels. It has ten pages of GREAT lesson plans which are based on the Common Core State Standards in
writing, speaking, listening, and reading for literacy in social studies. There are also six pages of
reproducible handouts for students to accompany the lesson plans at www.peterandthestarcatcher.com
Peter and the Starcatchers Discussion Guide, written by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer Lisa Mitchell for Disney
Hyperion at http://books.disney.com/content/uploads/2013/09/Peter_StarcatchersTG.pdf has discussion
questions and comprehension checks on the novel, author biographies, and projects in language, logic, art,
and drama.
Peter and the Starcatcher Study Guide by Thomas Quinn for Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia
includes discussion questions for before and after the performance, basic theatre terms, theatre games and
activities, and writing exercises at www.walnutstreettheatre.org/season/peter-and-the-starcatcher
Peter and the Starcatcher Study Guide by Bruce C. Lee for The Utah Shakespeare Festival has a good
biography on the playwright and a scholarly article by Ryan Paul entitled “Bat Out of Neverland:
Growing Young with ‘Peter and the Starcatcher’” at www.bard.org/study-guides/peter-and-thestarcatcher-study-guide.
Theatre Etiquette
The audience plays an important part in the success of any theatrical performance.
Students who are used to watching television and DVDs at home and those who attend movies and rock
concerts are used to eating snacks, sharing comments out loud, getting in and out of their seats, and
moving around during a show. Please help your students understand that the rules are different for a live
theatre performance.
Please review the following theatre rules with your students prior to your visit:
Food, drinks, candy, and gum are not allowed in the theatre. Concessions will not be open for
the student matinees.
Electronic devices are not permitted in the theatre as they interfere with our sound system.
Please ask your students to leave cell phones, radios, pagers, IPods, etc. at home or at school.
Students seen with such equipment will be asked to leave them at the box office for pick-up after
the show.
Photography and both audio and video recording during a performance is strictly
prohibited. Students will be asked to leave cameras and recording devices at the box office.
Please encourage them to be considerate to the actors and other members of the audience.
Talking, whispering, and excessive moving around in one’s seat is disruptive to others.
Encourage your students to laugh, clap, or cheer at appropriate times. Students will be asked to
leave if their behavior becomes too disruptive.
Please ask them to stay in their seats during the performance. Encourage them to use the
restrooms before or after the play. We plan to take a five-minute standing intermission which will
not allow enough time for them to leave the auditorium without disrupting the performance.
Students are not allowed to leave the building without adult supervision.
Ask students not to throw anything onto the stage or into the audience.
Ask students to be respectful of the Hale Centre Theatre staff. They are available to ensure
that all audience members have the best possible experience at the Theatre. Please report any
disturbances or disruptive behavior you are unable to correct to a staff member.
Please remember, your students are representing your school when on a field trip, and their behavior is
the responsibility of your school’s staff and volunteers. We expect your group’s adults to sit among
your students to help them be on their best behavior. The performers, artists, technicians, and staff at
Hale Centre Theatre work hard to create an educational and entertaining experience for your students.
With your help in following these guidelines, it will be an enjoyable experience for all.