Welcome to our attic, the playspace, the hideaway, our place of adventure and imagination. This is where we explore with child-like niavety the concepts of
Identity and Family.
Two strong words that we use as definitions of people. Identity we get to discover and develop over time, family we start with out of happenstance and then grow into helping shape the former. Finally when we have a decent grip on Identity, we start to develop our own families. And so the cycle continues generation after generation, for eons of humanity through all societies, "and so our story begins."
There once was a boy without family, making his identity nothing. He experiences only pain, knows only the pangs of loneliness and searches for that which to him is mythical; identity and family. At times, especially in our darker moments, we can feel like that boy.
There once was a girl with a family broken by tragedy, but surrounded with magic and adventure. She discovers the wonders of the world which form her identity into that of a curious but lonely girl, seeking the elusive; acceptance.
Finally there was a man with nothing but his ambition to guide him and his hatred to call family. He was seeking a counterpart to his villany, the ultimate hero. Surrounding himself with those that shared his villinous proclivity, he is fed more and more hatred seasoned with a lavish dose of greed, ambition, and pride. This leaves him empty and longing for someone to complete his identity, to call family.
These three characters of Peter and the Starcatcher help to give us a glimpse of extremes in a tale of adventure and wonder. What is remarkable to me, is what happened with this company: the development of a new family and of growth in identity as a collective. This cast and crew became a unit stitched together and woven into the story. Words cannot express how proud I am of their accomplishments during the process of making this show. It is more than I hoped for and became a shining star in my career. I would thank individual company members normally, but with these student artists, I have to highlight the entire company as having achieved something wonderful. They have found their identity together by becoming a different type of family that has all of the traits we hope for; generous, kind, supportive, empathetic, and most of all, encouraging to each other. They have approached this piece with a child-like openness and fervor. Showing the passion and conviction of storytelling young children have, but with the sensibility of young adults. Each one of them is my Peter, each company member, cast and crew alike, have breathed life into this grand adventure.
I truly hope you enjoy this show half as much as we have making it. Please sit back and enjoy. They will play with enthusiasm and the open minds of childhood. We all welcome you into our home to join in the celebration of identity, family and the power of childhood imagination.
Yours in Art,
Jason Robert LeClair
