The Department of Theatre and Performance Studies opens its first main stage production of the spring semester on Tuesday, Feb. 7.
“Peter and the Starcatcher,” a prequel to “Peter Pan,” runs through Sunday, Feb. 12, in the Onyx Theater.
The Onyx is KSU’s “black box” theater — a less-traditional performance space that can be rearranged to fit each show’s needs.
“It’s in and out of the scene, breaking the fourth wall, narrating to the audience and including that audience,” said professor Karen Robinson, assistant chair of the TPS department. “The audience is going to feel very much a part of it because you are right up close and personal with the action.”
“Peter and the Starcatcher,” a book by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, is a prequel to J. M. Barrie’s beloved story “Peter Pan,” and was adapted for the stage by Rick Elice. It ran on Broadway for nine months in 2012, and the rights to the show recently opened for professional and collegiate theaters.
“It’s fantasy, action, adventure and all connected to our beloved tale of Peter Pan, showing us his arc from being this lonely, rejected, reviled boy who doesn’t have any sense of what his purpose is in the world,” Robinson said. “Over the course of the play, that’s what he finds.”
Several actors play multiple characters besides the ones they’re listed as in the program, keeping the cast on their toes.
“The action does not stop,” Robinson said. “It’s very physical, so the students have had to really build up their stamina. It takes a lot of energy and flexibility and endurance. Pretty much everybody is onstage most of the time.”
The show originally featured only one female actor, with the rest of the cast being male. Robinson decided against following this model, and KSU’s production has four female performers.
“[The writers] liked this idea of Molly — who is a sort of ‘prequel’ to Wendy — being in an all-male world. I wanted to include more women because we have a lot of talented women here, and also I just believe in providing opportunities for women,” Robinson said.
Though the show is not a musical, there are musical numbers included.
“It’s not musical theater, but it’s a play that has music throughout and has a couple of really fun musical numbers that end the first act and then a number that begins the second act,” Robinson explained.
While “Peter Pan” is a play usually marketed toward children, this prequel is not classified as a children’s show.
“It’s a fabulous show for children to see, it’s great for families, but it’s a show for all ages,” Robinson said. “A lot of the writing is geared toward adults. It’s full of allusions to Shakespeare and other literary tropes. The level of vocabulary and the sophistication of the wit are very much geared toward an older audience.”
Robinson also commented on the poignancy of the show at this particular time.
“We’re living in a time where there’s a lot of fear and anxiety and tension in the world,” Robinson said. “We want to be reassured about the really delightful and inspirational qualities in ourselves. And I think this show offers that time to celebrate playfulness, freedom, joy and that potential for excellence.”
KSU is one of only three universities in Georgia to produce the show this season. Other schools include Berry College and Gainesville Theatre Alliance.
The show opens Tuesday, Feb. 7, and runs through Sunday, Feb. 12. Tickets cost between $8 and $12 and are available on the Kennesaw theatre department’s website.
