NYU Steinhardt Presents PETER AND THE STARCATCHER Featuring Actors Of All Abilities

NYU Steinhardt's Program in Educational Theatre will present Peter and the Starcatcher, a theatrical retelling of Peter Pan's story before Neverland, featuring a cast of 19 developmentally diverse performers, from Oct. 19 to 28. The production is accessible to audience members of all abilities.

Often described as a "love letter to the theater," Peter and the Starcatcher is uniquely defined by its performers and grounded in the aesthetics of story theatre-with actors playing multiple roles, narrating action, and manipulating found objects to define and redefine the world of the play. In this production, cast members' unique abilities and disabilities are respected and celebrated through nontraditional casting, playful staging, musicality, and a spirit of beloved community.

Peter and the Starcatcher explores the origins of Peter Pan through the characters of Molly, the story's intrepid hero, and Boy, a nameless, homeless, and friendless child. Boy and his schoolmates are sold to the evil king of a distant island. While at sea, the orphans are discovered by Molly and together they identify a mysterious trunk full of Starstuff (a celestial substance so powerful it must not fall into the wrong hands). This discovery-and the orphans' efforts to protect the Starstuff from the pirate Black Stache-leads to the adventure of a lifetime.

"Our production is, first and foremost, about journey and self-acceptance-a direct reflection of our emerging artistic community, which is grounded in the celebration of each individual's attributes and aptitudes," said director Amy Cordileone, a clinical assistant professor in educational theatre at NYU Steinhardt.

The cast includes students and alumni from NYU Steinhardt's Program in Educational Theatre, the Cooke Academy, AHRC New York City, Identity Theater, Gigi's Playhouse, Down Syndrome Achievement Center, Nicu's Spoon Theater Co., the Theatre Development Fund, and the North American Drama Therapy Association.

NYU's production of Peter and the Starcatcher runs October 19 and 20 at 8 p.m., October 21 at 3 p.m., October 25-27 at 8 p.m., and October 28 at 3 p.m. at the Black Box Theatre, 82 Washington Square East. Tickets are $15 general admission and $5 for students and seniors. For tickets, contact NYU Box Office at tickets.nyu.edu, call 212.998.4941, or visit in person at 566 LaGuardia Place (at Washington Square South, open 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday).

Peter and the Starcatcher was written by Rick Elice and is based on the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. Music is by Wayne Barker. Amy Cordileone directs. The show features music direction by Rachel Tuggle Whorton and production stage management by Cassie Holzum. The ensemble features Stephanie Anderson, Amanda Briskin-Wallace, Hero Cordileone, Lindsay Corona, Hannah Dorph, Livvie Goble, Melanie Harrison, Ethan Jones, Nicholas Linnehan, Maya Lopez, Devan Manning, Michael Manzi, Sean McGowan, Xiaojin Niu, Anthony Sun Prickett, Remi Schmidt, Jules Talbot, Andrew Walker, and Jacob Waltuck.

The production support team includes Rai Arsa Artha, Sarah Bedwell, Shayna Blecherman, Savannah Knechel, and Joyelle Watkins, featuring set and lighting design by Daryl Embry, artisan prop design by Sven Nelson, and costume design by Sara Leone.

Steinhardt's Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions, established in 1925, instructs over 1,600 students majoring in music and performing arts programs. Music and Performing Arts Professions serves as NYU's "school" of music and is a major research and practice center in music technology, music business, music composition, film scoring, songwriting, music performance practices, performing arts therapies, and the performing arts-in-education (music, dance, and drama).

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