The Coronado School of the Arts (CoSA) Musical theater and drama conservatory brings its winter play, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” to the stage next month.
The whimsical and imaginative play provides a backstory for the characters of Peter Pan, Mrs. Darling, Tinker Bell and Captain Hook. The play runs Feb. 7-9 and Feb. 14-15 at the Coronado Performing Arts Center at 650 D Avenue.
“Peter and the Starcatcher” features a creative script, innovative storytelling and is appropriate for the entire family, according to play director Kim Strassburger. In addition, it’s packed full of thrilling surprises and sensational scenes.
“The play pushes our cast and company to its limits in creating a world that needs imagination,” said Strassburger. “There’s the music, stage combat, magical levitation, flying cats…all of these are things that our cast is creating on stage to share this story with our audiences!”
The production is unique in that it includes students from Coronado High School and Coronado Middle School, in addition to CoSA, according to Strassburger. Ellis Quesada from CMS plays Molly; CoSA freshman Kleber Toala plays Peter; CHS student Luca Morocco plays Slank and CoSA senior Jess Nelson plays Captain Hook.
“Just wait until you see our students play Victorian era British sailors, mermaids and pirates,” she said.
“Peter and the Starcatcher” was first performed at the La Jolla Playhouse in 2009 and went on to become a Broadway hit, winning a Tony Award in 2012. The play is based on the 2004 novel “Peter and the Starcatcher” by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, and relies more on J.M. Barrie’s original story of Peter Pan as opposed to the Disney version, explained Strassburger.
A portion of the royalties that CoSA paid to produce this production of “Peter and the Starcatcher” will go to the Great Ormond Street Hospital, a leading children’s hospital in London, per Barrie’s wishes.
Tickets are on sale online. Visit CoSASandiego.com.
