Blackfriars Theatre Presents PETER AND THE STARCATCHER

Blackfriars Theatre's third show of its 70th Anniversary Season features a dozen actors portraying over 100 characters and telling the timeless tale of the most famous boy who would never grow up. Based on the young adult novel of the same name by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, written by Rick Elice (Jersey Boys), with music by Wayne Barker, Peter and the Starcatcher is a wildly theatrical adaptation that relies on ingenious stagecraft and the limitless possibilities of the imagination.

The play follows a young orphan and his mates who 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.

Peter and the Starcatcher is perfect for children of all ages, eight to 80, and offers a refreshing alternative for all patrons and families during the holiday season. "It's the perfect blend of adventure, humor and heart that inspires every child in the audience and ignites the child within all of the parents and adults as well," shares Artistic & Managing Director, Danny Hoskins. "At first glance, it's a simple coming-of-age story but wrap it in the theatrical whimsy and joy provided by watching a dozen actors take on multiple roles, including mermaids, pirates, crocodiles, horses; even playing the inanimate: doors, water, trees...and all of a sudden we're thrust into a world of innocence and make-believe, where our imagination is on fire and our hearts yearn and hope for the unattainable: to never grow up. It taps into the freedom of childhood - the love, the play, the joy and adventure, the innocence and invincibility - and it's in this realm of youthful yearning where the story becomes most powerful and personal."

Peter and the Starcatcher marks the third of six productions slated for BT's 70th Anniversary Season. Throughout the year they'll also be producing a pair of retrospective concerts, a play reading series highlighting favorites from past seasons, along with showcasing everything that has made Blackfriars special and essential over the previous 69 years as a staple of the downtown Rochester arts scene. The 70th Anniversary Season will be an important moment in the theatre's history as they celebrate the hard work of so many Rochester artists and kick off the next chapter of professionally-minded, artistically-ambitious local theatre-making!

The Peter and the Starcatcher cast includes Mark Brummitt (Lord Aster), Joseph Buck (Prentiss), Marcella Cincotta (Molly), Stefan Cohen (Black Stache), Harry Franklin (Boy), Danny Kincaid Kunz (Grempkin | Fighting Prawn), Ben Liebrand (Ted), Hector Manuel (Alf), Jason Rugg (Mrs. Bumbrake), Scott Shriner (Captain Scott), Jeff Siuda (Smee), Rick Staropoli (Slank | Hawking Clam). The production is directed by Mr. Hoskins, with musical direction by Amanda Valvano Meldrum-Stevenson and choreography by Mandi Lynn Griffith-Gurell.

Peter and the Starcatcher is sponsored by Canandaigua National Bank, Salena's Mexican Restaurant, and in partnership with UR Medicine's Golisano Children's Hospital, with additional support from 2019-2020 Media Sponsors CITY Newspaper and Warm 101.3.

Tickets are available in person at Blackfriars Theatre, online at www.blackfriars.org, or by calling (585) 454-1260. Senior and student discounts are available online or through the Box Office. If available, tickets can be purchased at the door beginning one hour prior to performance. Box Office hours are Monday through Friday, 12:00 p.m. To 4:00 p.m. MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover are accepted at no additional charge.