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Let me begin by welcoming you to Peter and the Starcatcher. As a seasoned director, designer, technician and avid theatre lover I must say to all of you that what you are about to watch is the culmination of everything that I love about theatre.

I was entrusted with an amazing script and with your wonderful students to tell a story; a story that is vaguely reminiscent to everyone at first glance but will warm your heart with a familiarity that is comfortable and honest by the end. No matter what you think you know about this show, I promise you that we will tell the story in a different way. All that is required of you as an audience member is that you let go of any preconceived ideas that you may have and instead, use your imagination throughout. If you allow yourselves to be taken on a journey we will guide you safely to Neverland and back!

My directorial vision for this production was to start from a minimalist perspective and slowly grow into a more formally realized production. For you as an audience member this means that there are times that the action is fully directed “at you.” This is defined as breaking the fourth wall. However, throughout the show we will slowly build up that wall and become more focused on the action of the play, the relationships between characters and a seamless telling of the story. Additionally, please understand that all of our actors play multiple roles, sometimes switching between them multiple times within the same scene. We also switch between locations rapidly and often without warning. In one moment you will be on the bow of a ship and the next, deep in the bowls of another ship! This requires your active participation throughout which means you are as much a part of our story as we are.

Please know that the process for your students has been one of great personal exploration, extensive ensemble building and sometimes-painful accountability. Throughout rehearsals, my focus for every actor, designer, musician, and technician has been to tell the story honestly. We hope that we have done just that.

And finally, I must take a moment to thank Michael Despars, Genni Klein and the Fullerton High School Academy of the Arts as a whole for giving me the opportunity to work with these amazing students! They are all so special to me at this point that I will be sad when this journey is over.

Thank you,

Stephen John

Director