PETER AND THE STARCATCHER Sails To The Jersey Shore

The Gateway Playhouse hosts the Shaken Not Stirred Players this fall with a swashbuckling and hilarious show. Based on the book series by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, Peter and the Starcatcher gives us insight on how an orphan boy with no name becomes "Peter Pan" and an originally two handed pirate becomes "Captain Hook." Starcatcher features an ensemble cast, storytelling, improvisation, wit, whimsy, subtle and not so subtle humor, timely references, and, of course, fairy dust.

The Gateway cast stars Eric Williams (Black Stache), Paige Sutton (Molly), Stelios Stathakopoulos (Boy/Peter), Mark Glickstein (Grempkin, Sanchez, Mac, Fighting Prawn), James Dalfonso (Mrs. Bumbrake, Teacher), Harry Mossbrook, Jr. (Slank, Hawking Clam), Ryan Daly (Smee), Samantha Hassa (Prentiss), Vincent Piraino (Ted), Greg Dragon (Alf), Mike Palmreuter (Captain Scott), and Timothy Koob (Lord Aster). The show is directed by Deborah Jenkins with assistant Karen Sutherland and stage manager/lighting designer Philip Pallitto. Musical direction is by Debbie Roland.

Peter and the Starcatcher opened on Broadway in 2012, starring Christian Borle and Celia Keenan-Bolger, playing for 319 regular performances before transferring Off Broadway for another year. At its most basic level, Peter and the Starcatcher acts as a sort of prequel to Peter Pan, but the greater message needs no connecting fibers. Starcatcher shows us survival, the evolution of a leader, the power of community, and our universal need for home. It just manages to do it all while providing us with lots of laughter.

Paige Sutton, who is playing the role of "Molly" for the second time, describes the show's message this way, "Peter and the Starcatcher conveys a strong message that it is okay to remain young at heart, that bravery and confidence can take you to extreme heights, and that love arises in the most unexpected of times."

This marks the 20th year of the Shaken Not Stirred Players. The group debuted at the old Gateway Playhouse in 2002 with You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and continued to produce musicals throughout the area, as well as their fan favorite, Broadway By Request, which has been seen by thousands of people from Ocean City's First Night to Connecticut's Mohegan Sun Casino. The group regularly holds auditions for upcoming productions. You can find further information on the Shaken Not Stirred Facebook page or the Gateway Playhouse Facebook page.

Performances will be held at the Gateway Playhouse (738 Bay Avenue, Somers Point) from September 30th-October 9th. Tickets are available by calling the Gateway Box Office at (609)653-0553 or by visiting the Gateway website at www.gatewaybythebay.org.