“Peter and the Starcatcher” Brings Magic to the Stage
From Oct. 10-13, Marist Theatre put on its own production of "Peter and the Starcatcher" in the Nelly Goletti Theatre. Credit: William Haydon '25
Marist Theatre presented its fall performance of “Peter and the Starcatcher,” written by Rick Elice and directed by Marist College adjunct professor Christine Crawfis. The show ran in the Nelly Goletti Theatre from Oct. 10 through Oct. 13.
The initial story of “Peter and the Starcatcher” was written as a children’s novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, serving as a prequel to J.M. Barrie’s tale of Peter Pan, titled “Peter and Wendy.” This enchanting backstory explores the origins of beloved characters and the mystical elements of Neverland.
The play follows the journey of Molly Aster (Megan Metivier ‘28) and the Boy (Luke Bruderer ‘27), who later becomes the iconic Peter Pan, as they navigate a world of magic and intrigue. The duo encounters a colorful cast of characters and various challenges that test their courage and ingenuity.
“Peter and the Starcatcher” is filled with childish shenanigans and heartfelt lessons about friendship. Molly and the Boy forge an unbreakable bond as they travel about the Neverland ship headed for faraway lands, in the hopes of protecting the Starstuff and surviving the villain Black Stache (Nicholas Ferarri ‘27).
“It was so fun to find a new part of myself and connect it to such a well-known and silly character and to have the ability to rewrite him and from scratch and make him my own,” said Laura Drinkwater ‘26, who played Smee and Greggors.
Drinkwater also credited her performance to her fellow actors, emphasizing how their collaboration taught her the importance of trust during the rehearsal process.
“[Nick Ferarri] is one of my good friends and being able to feed off him was just fun the entire way through. Even since the beginning, we were so excited to just have fun with the show. It’s like play when you’re working with fun people like him,” she said.
The cast and crew had a limited timeline of just six weeks to bring this performance to life. Bruderer, who played the Boy, reflected on his performance and the rigorous rehearsal process.
“Arguably, my favorite part of the rehearsal process was how intense it was. We only had one day a week with no three to five hour rehearsal. I’m incredibly grateful and proud of our cast and crew for how we rallied through this show,” Bruderer said.
The costumes ranged from simpler attire to dramatic ensembles that matched the ever-moving action in the show. Since the actors played various roles, the costumes changed often. Specifically, the student-made mermaid costumes at the beginning of Act 2 were particularly striking.
“I love being a mermaid and making people laugh, so it was the perfect combo for me,” said Bianca Sargente ‘25, who played Grempkin.
The lighting design was another standout element, skillfully enhancing the storytelling and creating an immersive atmosphere for audience members. Assistant lighting designer Andrew Lombardo ‘27 discussed the technical process for the historically quickest turnaround for a Marist show.
“Metaphorically, I took away a better approach to doing wide-spread lighting, since we didn’t have traditional sets to focus on, working under strict time limits…and learning more about how to do different effects,” he said.
Overall, Marist Theatre’s production of “Peter and the Starcatcher” was thoroughly magical, transporting the audience to faraway lands. This performance was a must-see experience, captivating not only fans of “Peter Pan,” but also those unfamiliar with the tale. The creative costumes, talented actors and imaginative staging ultimately brought the story to life.
“What I have personally taken away from this show is that even if you know things won’t work out in the end, you can still find your piece of joy or peace in that end,” said Sargente. “You can grow and develop in ways you never even imagined you could. You are so much stronger than your past, and you are so much more than just your future.”