'Swashbuckling adventure' await with St. Viator play

Everyone knows the story of Peter Pan, but at Saint Viator High School, cast members in the fall play know what happened first.

They are working to present "Peter and the Starcatcher," which provides the back story for the characters of Peter Pan, Mrs. Darling, Tinker Bell and Captain Hook, and serves as a prequel to J.M. Barrie's Peter and Wendy.

Performances take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 3, 4, and 5, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6, at the school's Jeuck Auditorium, 1213 E. Oakton St., Arlington Heights. Tickets are $15.

"It's a coming-of-age story, where the audience gets a better understanding of the character of Peter Pan himself," says Luke Peterson, a senior from Arlington Heights who plays Alf, who offers comic relief in the show.

"There are some common themes from Peter Pan, but the story stands alone."

The play was written by Rick Elice and is based on the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. Specifically, it answers questions like, how did Peter Pan go from a no-name orphan to the boy who flies? How did Captain Hook lose his hand? And where did that ticking crocodile come from?

"It's a hilarious, heartwarming and swashbuckling adventure," says Director Megan Gray, who also serves as fine arts department chair. "It's fun for the whole family."

Paige Natindim is a senior from Mount Prospect who plays the female lead of Molly. She is the daughter of Lord Astor, who is a starcatcher, and she sets out to help Peter protect a trunk full of treasures from the pirates, led by the sinister Bill Slank.

"It's so different from any other play I've been in," Natindim says. "It focuses on physical bits and, as actors, forces us to use our imagination."

Margaret Fecko, a senior from Arlington Heights, plays Ted, one of the lost boys, who are orphans and wind up on a deserted island.

"It's an adventure and comedy, with a lot of clever puns and even a secret language," Margaret says. "Children will find it funny, but it's an adult story too, about Peter finding his family and, as the story progresses, he learns he can trust."

Saint Viator has never produced "Peter and the Starcatcher" and Gray hopes audiences will find it as enjoyable as she did when she saw it on Broadway, with its imaginative storytelling that she found transformative.

"It's a story that we all already know and love, but with a new twist - how did Peter Pan become Peter Pan," Gray says. "Whether you're 4 or 104, there is something for everyone in this story of the boy who never grows up."

For tickets and information, visit saintviator.hometownticketing.com/embed/all.