Peter and the Starcatcher at Murray Park Amphitheater

Last night I was able to see Peter and the Starcatcher under the stars at the Murray Park Amphitheater and it was enchanting!  This show is a really clever and imaginative origin story for Peter Pan which explains how a mistreated orphan boy gets magical powers after arriving on Neverland and how the inept pirate Black Stache becomes Peter's arch-nemesis Captain Hook.  The entire cast, most of whom play multiple roles with the addition of costumes and props located on stage, is fantastic.  I particularly enjoyed Trinity Medina as Peter, Cece Capps as Molly, Georgia Collings as Smee, and Hunter Oliphant as Mrs. Bumbrake because they all give slightly different interpretations of their characters from ones I've seen before.  However, Matthew Davids absolutely steals the show as Black Stache because he is incredibly flamboyant as a misunderstood poet looking for a hero to defeat so that he can become a menorable villain.  His facial expressions are hilarious and many of his ad-libbed lines had me and the audience laughing out loud, especially a line about being a Disney villain wannabe.  I also loved his physicality, particularly in the scenes where he loses his hand and where he impersonates Michael Jackson.  A multi-level stage is transformed into the ships The Wasp and The Neverland as well as a volcanic island with ordinary objects that are used in very creative ways (I especially loved having a rope represent different areas on the ships, green parasols as the forest, and a ladder as a crocodile) so the audience must use their imagination much like the Lost Boys do.  I was also impressed by some really clever staging and choreography including how Molly reveals her powers, how Molly shows the stars to Peter, and how Peter and Molly are thrown overboard.  The costumes are also a lot of fun (the use of a fan as a mermaid's tail is ingenious) and all of the amusing sound cues by pianist Jennifer Hansen and percussionist Angel Williams add to the playful vibe.  There are some small pacing issues with this production because I think the second act loses steam but this is a complicated show to mount and I am impressed with what a community theatre company was able to do with it.  Unfortunately, last night was the final performance but there are still a few opportunities to see shows at the Murray Park Amphitheter (go here) before the summer ends.

Note:  I felt a hint of fall in the air because I needed a jacket after the sun went down.