West Virginia Public Theatre Presents Broadway Hit PETER AND THE STARCATCHER

Opening West Virginia Public Theatre's summer season on June 1 is Broadway smash-hit, Tony Award-winning Peter and the Starcatcher! Presented for the first time in Morgantown, this family-friendly musical upends the century-old story of how a miserable orphan comes to be The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up (a.k.a. Peter Pan). 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.

Artistic Director Jerry McGonigle was drawn to the show because of its universal appeal: "As a father of four ? and a grandfather of an ever-expanding number ? I am committed to making sure that there is always quality professional entertainment in West Virginia that can be enjoyed by the whole family." Director Lee Blair adds, "There is a timelessness to it. We all still have that child within us that wants to be loved and have fun and have adventures. This tale continues that longing to never grow up."

In Peter and the Starcatcher, a young orphan and his mates are shipped off from Victorian England to a distant island ruled by the evil King Zarboff. They know nothing of the mysterious trunk in the captain's cabin, which contains a precious, otherworldly cargo. At sea, the boys are discovered by a precocious young girl named Molly, a Starcatcher-in-training who realizes that the trunk's precious cargo is starstuff, a celestial substance so powerful that it must never fall into the wrong hands.

When the ship is taken over by pirates - led by the fearsome Black Stache, a villain determined to claim the trunk and its treasure for his own - the journey quickly becomes a thrilling adventure. Featuring a dozen actors portraying more than 100 unforgettable characters, Peter and the Starcatcher uses ingenious stagecraft and the limitless possibilities of imagination to bring the story to life.

This "sweet, funny, swashbuckling tale" plays in the Gladys G. Davis Theatre (at the WVU Creative Arts Center) from June 1-3 and 6-10. Helmed by Lee Blair, the show features musical direction by R.J. Nestor and a diverse cast of actors from West Virginia and across the country: McGonigle says, "We have actors coming in from New York, Florida and everywhere in-between, on top of our local talent." The set design is by Robert Klingelhoefer, with lighting and sound by Alan McEwen and costumes by Mary McClung.

Peter and the Starcatcher is written by Rick Elice, with music by Wayne Barker, and is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). Tickets range from $18-23 and are available online at www.wvpublictheatre.org/tickets, in person at the Mountainlair or Creative Arts Center box office, or by calling (304) 293-SHOW. You can also find behind the scenes photos by following us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (@wvpublictheatre | #WVPT2018)

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