Interview: Josh Carpenter and PETER AND THE STARCATCHER at The Growing Stage 10/7 to 10/23

The Growing Stage, The Children's Theatre of New Jersey in Netcong opens its 35th Anniversary Main Stage season with PETER AND THE STARCATCHER. The show runs through the 23rd with performances Friday evenings at 7:30 PM, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 4:00 PM.

Tony Award Winning PETER AND THE STARCATCHER upends the century-old story of how a miserable orphan comes to be The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up (Peter Pan). A wildly theatrical adaptation of Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's best-selling novels, the play was conceived for the stage by directors Roger Rees and Alex Timbers and written by Rick Elice with music by Wayne Barker. From marauding pirates and jungle tyrants to unwilling comrades and unlikely heroes, PETER AND THE STARCATCHER playfully explores the depths of greed and despair and the bonds of friendship, duty, and love.

The Growing Stage production is under the direction of Stephen L. Fredericks, the theatre's Executive Director, with musical direction by Stephen Fox and Choreography by Jillian Petrie.

Broadwayworld.com had the pleasure of interviewing Josh Carpenter who plays Black Stache in the Growing Stage production.

Josh is thrilled to return to The Growing Stage, where he previously appeared in With Two Wings and The Secret Life of Hubie Hartzel. Regional Theatre: Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Quintessence Theatre Group, Arden Theatre Company, Theater at Monmouth, American Shakespeare Center, Miami Theater Center, GTA SouthernStage. New York: Cherry Lane Theatre, Target Margin Theater, Manhattan Theatre Source, Gotham Radio Theatre, American Theatre of Actors, Naked Angels Lab. Training: Northwestern University. Upcoming: Handle With Care at Montgomery Theater.

When did you first become interested in acting?

I'm not sure what made me want to sign up for the class, but in seventh grade I took a theatre class and I really loved it. The next year I tried out for the school plays and I have been acting ever since.

Tell us a little about your training at Northwestern University.

Northwestern was a fantastic school for me. I had a couple of great acting teachers, Kim Rubinstein and David Downs, who had very different approaches to theatre and gave me a variety of tools to work with as an actor. At Northwestern you are also required to do work in all of the different aspects of theatre, and I think that is very helpful: I've been on a run crew, I've helped build sets, focus lights, and sew costumes, and I think that exposure to different elements of theatre makes one a better artist because it gives you a better perspective on what your job is at the moment. There was also a very active student theatre scene that gave me tons of opportunities to try different things and gain experience.

What advice do you have for young people who are interested in a theatrical career?

Go for it! And be patient with yourself. Theatre is an extremely competitive field, but if you love it, it is worth the struggle.

What are some of the challenges of performing for a young audience?

I love performing for young audiences because often they have less of a filter than adult audiences. They react more and I think in some ways they see more. They are more willing to go on an adventure. I think they also are less patient with anything that is phony or dull, so it a great challenge as an actor to bring a performance that rewards a younger audience's attention.

Tell us a little about your role in Peter and the Starcatcher.

I get to play Black Stache, who is a bloodthirsty, outrageous, and poetic pirate. I love this character; he has panache, ambition, and philosophy. It is terrific fun to play a character who is so full of life, so delightfully nasty, and so hilarious.

How do you like working at The Growing Stage?

This is my third play with The Growing Stage and I love working here. It is truly a family business, where each person who joins the company becomes part of that family. The audiences are great, and the Palace Theater is a fantastic space.

What can New Jersey audiences expect from Peter and the Starcatcher?

Expect adventure, silliness, profundity, and absurdity. This is a fantastic play and we are the right group of kooks to bring it to you. Bring the whole family! But not the cat. The cat probably won't get it.

We'd love to know about some of your plans for the future.

I hope to keep working with more great theatres as an actor, and I am starting to work as a playwright and director as well. I also am doing more on-camera work. I got married in the last year to a wonderful woman who is an actor as well, so I'd like to find ways that we can work together more. In the immediate future, I'll be acting in Handle With Care at Montgomery Theater north of Philly in November.

To learn more about Josh Carpenter, visit his web site at http://www.joshcarpenter.net/.

The Growing Stage continues FUN-tastic Fridays with all tickets $15. Saturday and Sunday tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for children. To purchase tickets, please visit www.growingstage.com or call (973) 347-4946. Group rates and Birthday Party packages are available.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Josh Carpenter

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