PETER AND THE STARCATCHER Announces 'The Thing You Did' Initiative Based on Michelle Obama's DNC Speech

The producers of Peter and the Starcatcher, the five-time Tony Award-winning play by Rick Elice, today announced "The Thing You Did" Initiative, which will provide people with the opportunity to have their inspirational stories told on a Broadway stage. Through this initiative, which was inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama's remarks at the 2012 Democratic National Convention, members of the public are invited to share a personal story of a time in their life when someone reached back to help them achieve a goal, or a time when they reached back to help someone else achieve theirs. Stories will then be selected to be told onstage by the cast after specific performances throughout the month of November.

"Last night, First Lady Michelle Obama spoke about opportunity and community in a way that captured our attention," said lead producer Nancy Gibbs. "All of us involved with Peter and the Starcatcher feel incredibly lucky for having the opportunity to share this story with hundreds of people each night. Now we'd like to give others the chance to tell theirs."

Submissions should be in the form of a written essay, no longer than 1,500 words. An essay will be chosen by the company to be read aloud, onstage, by the cast members of Peter and the Starcatcher immediately following Wednesday evening shows in November. The authors of the selected submissions will be given six tickets for his/her family and friends to attend the designated performance at which their story will be told onstage.

Now Peter and the Starcatcher wants to hear from you. Send all entries to PeterStory@321mgt.com by October 12, 2012.

Directed by Tony Award-winner Roger Rees and Tony Award-nominee Alex Timbers, Peter and the Starcatcher began performances on Wednesday, March 28, with an official opening night on Sunday, April 15, 2012. Tickets are now on sale through January 6, 2013. The production recently took home five Tony Awards, the most of any play this season, including Best Scenic Design (Donyale Werle), Best Lighting Design (Jeff Croiter), Best Costume Design (Paloma Young), and Best Sound Design (Darron L West).

In this innovative and imaginative new play, based on The New York Times best selling Disney-Hyperion novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, a company of twelve actors plays more than a hundred unforgettable characters, all on a journey to answer the century-old question: How did Peter Pan become The Boy Who Never Grew Up? This epic origin story of one of popular culture's most enduring and beloved characters proves that an audience's imagination can be the most captivating place in the world.

The cast of the acclaimed production includes Adam Chanler-Berat, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Matthew Saldivar, Teddy Bergman, Arnie Burton, Matt D'Amico, Kevin Del Aguila, Carson Elrod, Greg Hildreth, Rick Holmes, Isaiah Johnson, and David Rossmer, Betsy Hogg, Orville Mendoza, Jason Ralph and John Sanders.

The performance schedule for Peter and the Starcatcher is as follows: Tuesday – Thursday at 7:00 PM, Friday at 8:00 PM, Wednesday at 2:00 PM, Saturday at 2:00 & 8:00 PM, Sunday at 3:00 PM.

The show first began its journey to the stage in 2003. With just a few scenes outlined, the project received its first lab in 2007 at Williamstown Theatre Festival under the direction of Rees and Timbers. A full length version of the play was then written by Elice and developed in a Page to Stage production at La Jolla Playhouse in the winter of 2009. Following further revisions, the play received its first fully staged production in March 2011 at NYTW where it opened to rave reviews and was extended due to popular demand.

For more information, visit www.peterandthestarcatcher.com.