Wilson students to take on the retelling of Peter Pan

Chau Nguyen, Style Editor

This spring, Wilson Theater will be performing an exciting production of the musical “Peter and the Starcatcher,” based on the 2004 novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, adapted for the stage by Rick Elice. The musical serves as a reinterpretation of the beloved Peter Pan and provides insight into the origins of other characters.

The play tells the adventure of an orphan boy named Peter (Zakai Robinson) on a far-off location, Mollusk Island. Joining him on his mystical quest is his friend Molly Aster (Rebekah Lahti) as they overcome bands of pirates and thieves to protect a magical secret and save the world from evil. The team will face their greatest villains yet, including the scary but somehow familiar pirate captain “Black Stache” (John Joire) and Bill Slank (Jamie Steinman), the nasty, greedy, and cruel captain of Neverland. 

Production of the musical is directed by Wilson’s Performing Art teacher Dan Iwaniec, with junior Maddie Vassalo as the assistant director and sophomore Annie McLean as stage manager. The cast stars 28 students, and over 40 in total are involved in the production including stage crew. The play will begin performances on March 13th at 7p.m, followed by March 14th at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Elementary and middle schools in the area will also have a chance to enjoy the show in daytime performances on the 11th and 12th. With adventurous and whimsical settings, characters, and plot, the musical promises to be a fresh take on the well-known story that has had a notable presence in many childhoods.