STARSTUFF

Adapting Neverland
Peter and the Starcatcher is an example of an adaptation. Rick Elice wrote the play based on the novels by Dave
Barry and Ridley Pearson. But when a playwright adapts something for the theatre, hes doing much more than
transcribing the dialogue from the source material; hes reinventing the story for the stage. By experiencing the
process of the playwright, students will encounter the play with a new perspective.
Line of Inquiry: What is the process of the playwright as he adapts literature for the stage?
Standards Addressed:
Curabitur sed leo orci, vel fermentum lorem. Curabitur id diam sit amet diam euismod molestie ac sit amet metus.
Pellentesque semper semper gravida. Suspendisse a dolor metus, ac sagittis turpis. Nam imperdiet condimentum
hendrerit.
Goal: To expose students to the process of adaptation by providing them with firsthand experience in reinventing
literature for the stage.
Objectives: Students will:

Adapt literature by writing original stage scenes.

Use problem-solving skills to creatively solve common challenges associated with adaptation.
Provide and receive critical feedback on creative content.

Warm Up: Dramatic Discussion

Use these prompts to engage your students in a conversation about adaptation:
Are you aware of any books that have been made into movies? Movies that have become stage musicals?
What about books that have become plays?
From the examples you shared, talk about some of the differences between the original version and the
adaptation.
Why do you think the adapters made such choices? How does the way an audience experiences a movie
differ from the way they experience a stage musical? How does the way a reader experiences a book differ
from the way she encounters a play?
What choices might an author make when adapting an old ghost story into a big blockbuster movie? What
about adapting an animated film into a stage musical? What about adapting a big adventure story for the
stage?
Main Activity: Adapting Neverland
Distribute the Starcatcher Studies: Adapting Neverland activity on the next page. After reviewing the directions with
the group, play some evocative instrumental music and walk amongst the class. Prompt inspiration by asking openended questions. How might you indicate a change of location in your scene? How will you stage a battle of 100

Educators Guide

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 1

table of contents
Welcome: From The Playwright . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Welcome: To The Educator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Starstuff: A While Could Be A Very Long Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Starstuff: The People Behind The Boy That Would Be Pan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Starstuff: Synopsis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Starstuff: The Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Teachers Grotto: Class & Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Starcatcher Studies: Class & Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Teachers Grotto: Adapting Neverland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Starcatcher Studies: Adapting Neverland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Teachers Grotto: From Page To Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Starcatcher Studies: From Page To Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Teachers Grotto: Starstuff Stanzas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Starcatcher Studies: Starstuff Stanzas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Teachers Grotto: A Bedtime Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Starcatcher Studies: A Bedtime Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Teachers Grotto: A Trip To The Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 2

WELCOME
From The Playwright
This new play about our hero of old, this boy Peter, resonates with us all, and with the glorious actors and
clever designers who gave it life, first of all, in La Jolla, California, then at New York Theatre Workshop, and
now on Broadway.
I see the characters emerging out of our island, our Neverland. Wendy has not yet appeared. Instead, we have
Molly, our hero, in a time before girls were encouraged to be heroes; a generation before Wendy, name or girl, is
born. We have no Captain Hook neither, or rather, we have no Hook yet. Instead, we have the pirate who shall
become Hook, but not until were through with him. He, whom the pitiful pirate kingdom calls Black Stache. We
have our orphans, perpetually lost, though not quite yet Lost Boys. We have natives and mermaids and a perilously
hungry crocodile. Even Tinker Bell reaches our island before we leave it, because she could not stay away.
And we have a feral creature, bent low from incessant beating, afraid of his own shadow the nameless boy at the
center of our story. How ironic that he learns what it is to be a man over the course of our play, when hes destined
to stay a boy forever. The principle difference between our play and Barries is that we bring this boy and Molly to
the brink of understanding what love might be, so that the thrill of an eternity of awfully big adventures is tinged
with the ineffable sadness of what a boy will never never know. Only when Molly leaves him behind, bound for
adulthood, does our boy truly become Peter Pan.
When I was a boy, I wished I could fly, and the notion of being a boy forever was pure delight. No homework, no
chores, no responsibility, no sorrow. Now that Im in the middle of my life, I understand what Id have missed had I
never grown up, or fallen in love, or stood my ground, or lost a battle or written a play.
In Barries original, Mrs. Darling, leaving the nursery, says, I thought I saw a face at the window. And of course,
thats Peter, the outsider, nose pressed against the glass. A boy-Moses, looking over the Promised Land but
never allowed in. What could be more bittersweet? I wanted to write a play about that, with adult language and
adult challenges. James Barrie found his character by embracing the notion of never growing up. I found mine by
realizing I had.

Rick Elice, 2012

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 3

WELCOME
To The Educator
Thank you for bringing your students to Peter and the
Starcatcher! Weve prepared this Educators Guide to enrich
your students experience at the play. Its full of background
information, experiential lesson plans, and activity handouts for
your class.
But before you dive in, ensure you get the most out of this guide
by reviewing its structure:
S
 tarstuff: These reproducible handouts include background
information on the play and its creators.
T
 eachers Grotto: These sections are written just for you and
present activities in a common lesson-plan format. You can
use these activities in any classroom or afterschool setting,
but these lessons particularly tie in to English Language Arts
and Theatre curricula.

Celia Keenan-Bolger, David Rossmer.

New York Theatre Workshop production. Photo by Deen Van Meer.

S
 tarcatcher Studies: These reproducible handouts are
the student accompaniments to your lesson plans. They are
written for kids, and include directions for completing assignments.
V
 ariations: The lessons in this guide have been written with middle school students in mind, but variations will
include suggestions for working with older or younger students.
S
 tar Symbol: Look for the star on Starcatcher Studies handouts for explanations of theatrical terms, definitions
to uncommon words, and tips for things to look for when students attend the play.

The Common Core State Standards fulfilled through these

lessons will guide your students to:
Demonstrate independence.
Build strong content knowledge.
Respond to the varying demands of audience, task,
purpose, and discipline.
Comprehend as well as critique.

The lessons in this guide have been designed for use

before or after your students attend the show. Weve
carefully aligned them to fulfill the Common Core
State Standards. Teach the lessons as written, or
take what works for you and adapt freely. Above all,
enjoy exploring Peter and the Starcatcher with your
students.
Thank you for your commitment to arts education, and
enjoy the show. Youre in for an awfully big adventure!

Value evidence.
Understand other perspectives and cultures.

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 4

STARSTUFF
A While Could Be A Very Long Time
The play you are going to experience, Peter and the Starcatcher, was 108 years in the making! In 1904, Scottish
novelist and playwright J.M. Barrie wrote Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up. The play was
phenomenally popular, and Peter Pan has continued to captivate audiences in many adaptations ever since.
Here are some highlights of Peters many flights since he first took off:
1904

J . M. Barries play, Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up, premieres at the Duke of Yorks
Theatre in London with the adult actress Nina Boucicault as Peter, launching an often-maintained
casting convention.

1905

Maude Adams plays Peter in the plays New York debut.

1911

Barries own novelization of the play, Peter and Wendy, is first published.

1924

A revival including two songs by Jerome Kern opens on Broadway.

Paramount releases the first movie version of Peter Pan, directed by Howard Brenon. Despite a detailed
scenario submitted by Barrie, Brenon hires Willis Goldbeck to write the screenplay. Barrie retains final
say on casting, which included Betty Bronson as Peter.
1929 Barrie gives all rights to Peter Pan to the Great Ormond Street Hospital, which has earned royalties since
his death in 1937.
1950

Leonard Bernstein provides five songs for a new Broadway production.

1953

 alt Disney releases an animated musical version of the classic tale. A real boy, Bobby Driscoll, is cast
W
to be the voice and close-up model for Peter.

1954

J erome Robbins conceives and directs a new musical version starring Mary Martin. Score highlights
include Im Flying and I Wont Grow Up by Moose Charlap and Carolyn Leigh, and Never Never
Land and Ugg-a-Wugg by Jule Styne, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green. The production is broadcast
on NBC the following year and subsequently enjoys several Broadway revivals and long-running tours,
most notably those starring Sandy Duncan (1979) and Cathy Rigby (1990-present).

1975

 everland, a futuristic, sci-fi, rock n roll version of Peter Pan, debuts at the Kennedy Center in
N
Washington, D.C.; songs from this production (written by Jim Steinman) end up on Meat Loafs album
Bat Out of Hell.

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 5

STARSTUFF
1976

NBC presents another production of Peter Pan, this one starring Mia Farrow.

1978

 BC presents an award-winning docudrama produced by Louis Marks with a script by Andrew Birkin,
B
author of J. M. Barrie and the Lost Boys.

1982

 fter great success staging Nicholas Nickleby with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Trevor Nunn and
A
John Caird tackle the original play, casting a man as Peter for the first time, and including J. M. Barrie as a
narrator speaking his own stage directions.

1987 Inspired by Barries Never Land characters, Joel Schumacher directs The Lost Boys, a film in which two
Arizona brothers move to California and end up fighting a gang of teenage vampires. Sequels include
Lost Boys: The Tribe and Lost Boys: The Thirst.
1989

Peter Pan no Bken, a Japanese animated TV series, premieres.

1990

 new animated TV series, Peter Pan and the Pirates, premieres on FOX. Tim Curry voices
A
Captain Hook.

1991

Steven Spielberg directs Hook, a live-action movie that re-visits Peter Pan (Robin Williams) as an adult.

1996

 eorge Stiles and Anthony Drewe, who adapted Disney and Cameron Mackintoshs Mary Poppins to
G
the stage, premiere Peter Pan: An Awfully Big Adventure at the Ny Theater in Copenhagen. The show
received a new production in London in 2001.

1997

 abou Mines experimental stage production of Peter and Wendy employing puppets and narration by
M
Karen Kandel premieres in New York. The production is revived at the New Victory Theatre in 2010.

1998 Cathy Rigby returns Peter Pan to Broadway in a newly designed production featuring groundbreaking
flying stunts and acrobatics. It is broadcast on A&E in 2000.
2002

Disney releases Return to Never Land, an animated sequel to Peter Pan.

2003

A live-action Peter Pan movie written and directed by P. J. Hogan is released by Universal Pictures.

2004

J ohnny Depp stars as J. M. Barrie in the biographical movie Finding Neverland, directed by Marc Forster
and written by David Magee, based on Allan Knees play The Man Who Was Peter Pan (1998).

Dave Barry and Ridley Pearsons novel Peter and the Starcatchers, a prequel to Peter Pan, is published
by Disney-Hyperion.

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 6

STARSTUFF
2006

 eter Pan in Scarlet by Geraldine McCaughrean, the official sequel to Barries Peter Pan authorized by
P
the Great Ormond Street Hospital, is published.

The first sequel in the Starcatchers series Peter and the Shadow Thieves is published.

2007

 stage concept for Peter and the Starcatchers is explored in workshops at Williamstown Theatre
A
Festival and in New York City by directors Roger Rees and Alex Timbers.

Barry and Pearsons Peter and the Secret of Rundoon is published.

2008 Disney launches a new franchise with the animated television movie Tinker Bell, which tells a new origin
story of this famous Barrie character.
2009

 Page To Stage developmental production of Peter and the Starcatchers, written by Rick Elice and
A
directed by Rees and Timbers, premieres at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego.

Barry and Pearsons Peter and the Sword of Mercy is published.

J . M. Barries Peter Pan, a new musical production staged in a tent with 360-degree CG projections,
premieres in Kensington Gardens and subsequently tours the globe.

2011

Peter and the Starcatcher is produced at the New York Theatre Workshop.

Barry and Pearsons The Bridge to Never Land, a modern story with roots in the Starcatchers series, is
published.
2012

Peter and the Starcatcher premieres on Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on April 15, 2012.

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 7

STARSTUFF
The People Behind The Boy That Would Be Pan
With such a long and varied history, how did Peter and the Starcatcher arrive on Broadway?
First Came a Play
J.M. Barrie (1860-1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright who moved to
London and befriended the Llewellyn Davies family. The five young Davies boys
would become Barries inspiration for his most famous play, Peter Pan, or The Boy
Who Would Not Grow Up. The play, written in 1904, chronicles the adventures
of a magical, ageless boy and an ordinary girl named Wendy. Peter Pan is the
leader of a troupe of Lost Boys, inhabitants of the enchanted island, Neverland.
Throughout their adventures, Peter and Wendy encounter pirates, mermaids,
native people, and fairies. After a successful debut in London, Barrie adapted his
play into a novel called Peter and Wendy. Before he died, Barrie gave the rights
to the Peter Pan works to the Great Ormand Street Hospitala childrens hospital
in London. Barries beloved characters live on through the many productions,
adaptations, and incarnations of Peter that have taken flight since 1904.

J.M. Barrie.

Then There Were Books

Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.

Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson are longtime friends, but the Peter and the
Starcatchers book series is their first writing collaboration and their first foray into
childrens literature. The stories are a prequel to J.M. Barries Peter Pan and explain
how Peter, Hook, Tinkerbell, and Neverland came to be. Dave and Ridley not only
write together, they also play together in a band, that is. Dave plays lead guitar
and Ridley plays bass guitar in the literary all-star garage band, the Rock Bottom
Remainders. The band is comprised of some of the countrys most popular writers,
including Stephen King, Scott Turow, Amy Tan, and Mitch Albom.

And Now Its On Broadway!

Barry and Pearsons Peter and the Starcatchers was adapted for the stage by
playwright Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, The Addams Family). Directors Roger Rees
(Nicholas Nickleby, Waiting for Godot) and Alex Timbers (Bloody Bloody
Andrew Jackson, The Pee-Wee Herman Show) first brought the story to life
on stage at La Jolla Playhouse, before a successful off-Broadway run at New
York Theatre Workshop. With music by Wayne Barker, movement by Steven
Hoggett, scenic design by Donyale Werle, costumes by Paloma Young, lighting
design by Jeff Croiter, and sound design by Darron L. West, Peter and the
Starcatcher is now delighting audiences from around the world on Broadway.
Design Team. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 8

STARSTUFF
Synopsis
ACT I
Prologue
An ensemble of actors enters a bare stage and addresses the audience. With a bit of bickering, they welcome us to
the world of the play and tell us whats in store: flying, dreaming, adventure and growing up. The ensemble invites
us to use our imaginations to create the British Empire. With the snap of an actors fingers, we are transported
to a bustling port. There we meet Lord Leonard Aster, his daughter Molly, and her nanny, Mrs. Bumbrake. Two
identical trunks are delivered to the port. One of them contains a precious cargo belonging to the Queen, who
has appointed Lord Aster as its custodian. Hell voyage with the trunk aboard the Wasp, the fastest ship afloat,
helmed by his old school chum Captain Robert Falcon Scott, bound for the remote kingdom of Rundoon. The other
trunk is full of sand, courtesy of Bill Slank, captain of the Neverland. Amidst the bustle of the port, while no one
is looking, Slank marks the Queens trunkthe one that is supposed to go on the Waspwith a chalk X. Then, at
the last moment, he swaps the trunks so that the Queens cargo is loaded aboard the Neverland and the identical
sand-filled trunk is hoisted onto the Wasp. Grempkin, the schoolmaster of St. Norberts Orphanage for Lost Boys,
sells three orphan boys to Slank. Grempkin tells the boys theyll serve as helpers to the King of Rundoon, but Slank
indicates a more sinister outcome for the lads. After realizing that there is no one who cares enough to say goodbye
to the orphans, one of the boys proclaims that he hates grownups.
The Neverland: Deck
A gang of malnourished sailors prepare the Neverland for the voyage to Rundoon. A squadron of British navy
seamen, led by Lieutenant Greggors, arrive to fetch Lord Aster, who is paying Slank to take care of Molly. Molly
and Mrs. Bumbrake are traveling aboard the Neverland, which is taking a slower, safer route to Rundoon than the
Wasp. As Molly and Lord Aster bid farewell, a crate containing
the orphan boys bursts open and one catches Mollys eye. Before
he departs, Lord Aster confides the missions details to Molly,
speaking in Dodo, a language known only to Dodo birds and
a handful of very special humans. Lord Aster places an amulet
around his neck and a matching one around Mollys. He warns her
never to take it off or let anyone else touch it, and charges her to
use it if she is ever in trouble. Molly protests, and asks to be part
of the mission aboard the Wasp, but Lord Aster convinces her to
stay aboard the Neverland by promising her an exotic vacation
once the mission is complete. Molly comments that she is only
an apprentice Starcatcher, a word that catches Slanks ear. Lord
Aster departs, bound for the Wasp, and Slank ditches the pleasant
faade and turns nasty. Alf, a kindly old seafarer, escorts Molly and
Arnie Burton, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Karl Kenzler.
Mrs. Bumbrake to their cabin below the deck of the ship, and the
New York Theatre Workshop production. Photo by Deen Van Meer.
Neverland sets sail for Rundoon.

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 9

STARSTUFF
The Neverland: Mollys Cabin
In their cabin, Mrs. Bumbrake describes to Molly a family she used to work for in Brighton. The cruel master would
beat the cook, a boy who was an artist in the kitchen. On his way to feed the pigs, Alf checks in on the ladies and
flirts with Mrs. Bumbrake. Mollya lover of all animalsfollows Alf out.
The Neverland: Ships Bowels
Unseen, Molly trails Alf on the long journey to the bilge room. On the way, she discovers sailors gambling, singing
hymns, and torturing Mack, the worlds most inept sailor.
The Neverland: Bilge Dungeon
As Alf enters the bilge, Molly slips in behind him, unseen. The three filthy orphans gather around Alf and his
bucket of food. Prentiss demands to speak to the Captain, and identifies himself as the groups leader. Ted dives
into to the bucket of food and gulps down several handfuls, only to realize hes been fed worms. A nameless Boy
asks Alf about their fate. Alf leaves and Molly appears, startling the boys. Prentiss again asserts his leadership, but
the Boy challenges him and captivates Molly. Molly coaxes names out of Ted and Prentiss, but the Boy doesnt
have one. The Boy lashes out, but Molly challenges him, which sparks something new in him. Molly leads Ted and
Prentiss to find real food, but the Boy doesnt follow. The Boy flashes back to St. Norberts Orphanage for Lost
Boys, where Grempkin is lashing him. The Boy imagines having a family. Molly re-enters to fetch the Boy, saving
him from his nightmare.
The Wasp: Captains Cabin
Greggors escorts Lord Aster inside the ship and then reveals
that his real name is Smee and the seamen are pirates! Captain
Scott is bound and gagged, and the real seamen are in chains
below. Smee demands the key to the trunk, but Lord Aster
refuses. Just then, the pirate crew begins to tremble in fear.
Smee elaborately introduces the most feared pirate captain on
the high seas, the Black Stache, who enters and pukes into a
bucket. Stache threatens to find and kill Molly and then steals
the trunk key from Lord Asters pocket. The amulet around Lord
Asters neck begins to glow.
The Neverland: Passageway
New York Theatre Workshop company. Photo by Deen Van Meer.
Mollys matching amulet starts to glow and the boys notice.
Molly divulges that her father is on a secret mission for the
Queen. Mrs. Bumbrake comes searching for Molly, so she and
the boys turn to escape down a corridor and encounter a flying cat in Slanks cabin! Molly knows that the only
thing that could make a cat fly is starstuff; she realizes that the Queens treasure is on the wrong ship! She tries

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

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STARSTUFF
to distract the boys from the starstuff by suggesting a bedtime story. The Boy unexpectedly blurts out his darkest
secrets and dreams. Molly entrances the boys with her story, and leads them away form Slanks cabin by telling
them the tale of Sleeping Beauty.
The Wasp: Captains Cabin
Back on the Wasp, Stache opens the trunk only to findsand! Smee deduces that Slank must have swapped
the trunks; the treasure is on the Neverland. Stache commands that the ship is turned around, and they pursue
the Neverland.
The Neverland: Ships Bowels
After the boys have been lulled to sleep by Mollys bedtime story, Lord Aster contacts her through the amulet and
warns her that pirates have commandeered the Wasp. Lord Aster instructs Molly to bring the Queens trunk to him
once the Wasp catches the Neverland. Aster tells Molly that she is now a part of the mission! The Boy awakens and
catches the end of Mollys communication; he insists that she tell him what is going on.
The Neverland: Deck
From the ships deck, Molly tells the Boy about Starcatchers,
a handful of people appointed by the Queen to protect
starstuff. The Boy insists that Molly proves she is an apprentice
Starcatcher, so she puts her hand around her amulet, closes her
eyes, and floats a few inches above the deck. Molly explains that
a Starcatchers primary duty to collect starstuff as it falls to earth
and dispose of it in the worlds hottest active volcano, which is
on Rundoon. The Boy tells Molly that he is going to Rundoon
to help the King, but she bursts his bubble and explains that
King Zarboff is actually evil. He would kill for even a thimble
of starstuff. As the Boy laments, Slank enters and throws him
overboard. The Boy, who cannot swim, starts to drown. Molly
dives into the ocean and saves him.

Celia Keenan-Bolger, Adam Chanler-Berat.

New York Theatre Workshop production. Photo by Deen Van Meer.

The Neverland & The Wasp

As a hurricano stirs up in the ocean, the Wasp appears on the horizon. Molly drags the Boy on board the Neverland
and revives him. Slank sees the Wasp and assumes that the British navy must have discovered the trunk swap! He
prepares to outrun the Wasp, but the Boy takes the wheel and changes course. In the midst of the storm, the wheel
flies off the deck and goes spinning out to sea; the Neverland lurches. Below deck, Alf is again flirting with Mrs.
Bumbrake, who stops his advances in order to find Molly. On the bow of the Wasp, Stache and Smee are delighted
that the Neverland is heading straight toward them. When the two ships meet, the pirates board the Neverland
and fight with the sailors. In the bilge, Molly congratulates the boy for doing something big. She then dashes off
to get the trunk from Slanks cabin; the Boy realizes that there are more important things than saving his own neck

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 11

STARSTUFF
and runs to help Molly. On deck, Slank and Stache square off in a boxing ring. Just as Stache gets the upper hand,
the Neverland splits in two. As Molly and Mrs. Bumbrake struggle to move the trunk, Slank intercepts them. Mrs.
Bumbrake throws the ships cat in Slanks face, and Alf steps in to throw Slank overboard. Molly asks the Boy to
stall the pirates while she gets the Queens trunk to the Wasp, and the Boy sits on the sand trunk to protect the
treasure. Stache encounters the Boy and tries to lure what he thinks is the Queens trunk out from under him.
Stache offers the boy a name: Peter. The Boy accepts. Losing patience, Stache knocks Peter off the trunk, opens
it, and realizes hes been had. Sand again! As Peter celebrates his own cleverness, Stache knocks him overboard.
Lord Aster calls to Molly and tells her to bring him the trunk; Molly is torn between saving Peter and obeying her
father and must think fast. Knowing that the starstuff will float, she pushes it in the water and tells Peter to float to
a nearby island. Alf and Mrs. Bumbrake search for flotsam to make a raft; Ted and Prentiss cling to one another;
Molly dives into the ocean and swims after Peter; Peter rides the trunk toward the island with fish swimming in its
golden wake. Stache commands Smee to follow the trunk, and Molly tells Peter to drag it to high ground and save
the world!
ACT II
Prologue
A group of Mermaids recount being transformed from regular fish after swimming in the wake of the starstuff.
The Mountain-Top Lookout Point
Atop a mountain on the island, Peter absorbs the freedom of open skies and clean air for the first time in his life. A
yellow bird pays him a visit before fluttering off. Ted and Prentiss arrivethey are safe! Peter focuses on the mission
to get the trunk to the Wasp so they can leave the island. In the distance, Mrs. Bumbrake and Alf paddle toward the
shore. The boys decide to hide the trunk and go in search of food.
The Jungle
The boys descend the mountain, and go deeper and deeper
into the jungle. They soon realize that they are not alone. Molly,
being a champion swimmer, has made it to the island and
searches for the trunk.
Mollusk Territory
The islands natives, the Mollusks, capture the boys. The chief,
Fighting Prawn, sentences them to death. They are to be
sacrificed and fed to Mr. Grin, the islands hungriest crocodile.
The boys offer the gift of a bedtime story to the Mollusks in
hopes that they will fall asleep, allowing the boys to escape.
Fighting Prawn accepts the offering and the boys perform
Sleeping Beauty for the tribe. Molly approaches and watches

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New York Theatre Workshop company. Photo by Deen Van Meer.

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STARSTUFF
from behind some trees. At the climax, Molly blurts out that the boys have ruined the story. The Mollusks are
amused, but the English invaders must die.
Mr. Grins Cage
Trapped inside Mr. Grins cage, Molly and the boys bicker about what to do. Molly formulates a plan. Peter gets Mr.
Grin to open his mouth, and Molly tosses her amulet in. As Mr. Grin grows, bursts out of the cage, and floats away,
Molly and the boys flee. The Mollusks are furious and pursue them.
The Beach
Smee and Stache cannot find the trunk; Stache decides to trick the kids into bringing it to him. Mr. Grin, now
several times his normal size, floats toward them, forcing Stache and Smee to take cover in the jungle.
The Jungles Edge
Peter wants to get off the island, and begins gathering materials for a raft. Molly reminds him of the trunk and the
mission. Out in the sea, the boys and Molly notice a flashing light. It is Lord Aster, contacting Molly using Norse
Code. Lord Aster instructs Molly to bring the trunk to the beach. The boys and Molly race to the top of the mountain
to retrieve the trunk, with the Mollusks in hot pursuit.
The Chase And The Fall
Peter runs up the mountain with the Mollusks on his tail. The yellow bird returns and distracts Peter, who falls into
a crevice with a splash. He finds himself in a shimmering lake of golden water, far far underground. Peter floats,
neither drowning nor afraid, and gazes up at a mermaid.
The Underground Grotto
Floating in the golden water of the grotto, Peter is greeted by
the mermaid who calls herself Teacher. Teacher explains her
transformation from fish to mermaid, and describes the power
of starstuff to fulfill dreams. Teacher and the island give Peter a
second namePan. Teacher reveals that Pan has two meanings;
the first is fun, frolic, anarchy and mischief. All things a boy
likes. Before telling Peter the second meaning of Pan, Teacher
reminds Peter about the trunk. Peter climbs out of the grotto
and bolts back up to the mountain-top.
The Stormy Night
Molly, Prentiss and Ted arrive atop the mountain and fear Peters
demise. In the distance, they spot Mrs. Bumbrake and Alf sailing
toward the island on a makeshift raft. Molly, Prentiss and Ted

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Arnie Burton.
New York Theatre Workshop production. Photo by Deen Van Meer.

page 13

STARSTUFF
drag the trunk toward the beach. A storm begins as night falls, making the journey dark, unpleasant, and frightening.
As the others fall asleep, Peter appears and surprises Molly. Peter tries to get in the trunk, but Molly tells him that
exposure to so much starstuff is very dangerous. Molly waxes philosophical about avoiding sentimentality until she
falls asleep. Peter gingerly tries to open the trunk, but flees when the boys stir.
The Beach
Smee, disguised as a mermaid, tries to lure Molly, Prentiss and Ted
with a ukulele song. Stache intervenes and tries to bait the kids
with poisoned fruitcake, but Molly identifies him as Black Stache
and exposes his plot. Smee reveals two prisonersMrs. Bumbrake
and Alf! Just then, the Mollusks enter with prisoners of their own
Lord Aster and Captain Scott. Mrs. Bumbrake recognizes Fighting
Prawn as her long, lost kitchen boy from her work in Brighton.
Fighting Prawn proclaims that Betty Bumbrake was the only English
person who was kind to him when he was a kitchen slave.
Stache pulls his knife on Fighting Prawn and tries to get the trunk
from Molly. Molly must decide between saving Fighting Prawns life
Celia Keenan-Bolger, Adam Chanler-Berat.
and her duty to the Queen. Suddenly, Staches words are echoed
New York Theatre Workshop production. Photo by Deen Van Meer.
back to him. Peter continues to distract Stache with his echoes and
challenges him with his umbrella-sword. Peter, Ted, Prentiss, then
Molly attack Stache, and he captures Molly in a headlock. Peter
realizes the only way to save Molly is by giving Stache the trunk. Although this means he will never leave the island, he
acts selflessly.
Stache is impressed by Peters heroic gesture, but lifts the lid to find an empty trunk. In a fit of frustration, he slams
the lid down on his right hand, cutting it off. Delirious from the injury, Stache tries to lure Peter to join his pirate crew.
When Peter declines, Stache vows to be his nemesis and exists, pursued by a crocodile. Peter is lauded! Fighting Prawn
bestows Peter with a hat, allows the English to leave, and exits with the Mollusks. Lord Aster makes Molly a full-fledged
Starcatcher, and promises her a St. Bernard puppy when they return home. With the starstuff gone, their mission has
been fulfilled.
Peter discloses his encounter with Teacher to Molly and Lord Aster; Lord Aster says Peter cannot leave the island and
Molly is heartbroken. They realize that Peter is now homethe island and its inhabitants are his family. Lord Aster
captures the yellow bird in the hat, adds some starstuff from his amulet, and creates for Peter a pixie protector. The
fairy flies off, and Ted and Prentiss chase it down the beach. Peter, now the boy who would not grow up, reluctantly bids
farewell to Molly. Peter begins to forget whats happened and settles into the eternal present of youth. Prentiss, Ted and
the fairy enter; the fairy talks to Peter.
As the boys race down the beach toward the grotto, Peter Pan flies.

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

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STARSTUFF
The Characters
The Orphans
Peter: A boy who doesnt miss much. Nameless, homeless
and friendless at the beginning of the play, and a hero by the
end. Feral, brave, competitive, the boy the others will come
to look up to. A survivor. More than anything in the world, he
wants a home and a family.
Prentiss: A bit older than Peter. Ambitious, hyper-articulate,
logical, yearns to be a leader even as he knows he never
shall be one, on account of the fact that the boys wouldnt
follow him no matter what, and also just the teeny-tiniest touch
of cowardice.
Ted: Obsessed with food: the finding of, the eating of, the
fighting over, the dreaming about. The most talented of the
boys, a natural actor, an easy wit, maybe even a poet.

New York Theatre Workshop company. Photo by Deen Van Meer.

The British Subjects

Lord Leonard Aster: The very model of a Victorian English gentleman, loyal subject to the Queen, devoted father
to Molly, faithful friend. Lord Aster is a Starcatcher dedicated to protecting the earth and all who dwell thereon from
the awesome power of starstuff.
Molly Aster: Raised to believe females can do anything males can. A natural leader, at a time when girls are
mostly followers. Fearless, passionate, devoted to her father, her country and her Queen. Willing to risk everything
for the sake of Doing Right. Curious, intelligent, beginning to feel things she doesnt yet understandromantic
longings that revert to childish tantrums under pressurebecause, for the moment, shes still a thirteen-year-old kid.
Mrs. Bumbrake: Mollys Nanny. British through and through, not afraid of anything including her late husband. A
no-nonsense, good-time gal, who still has enough of her girlish charm intact to turn a sailors head.
Captain Robert Falcon Scott: Captain of the sports teams at Trinity School, now commander of the fastest ship
in Victorias fleet, the Wasp.
Grempkin: The malodorous schoolmaster of St. Norberts Orphanage for Lost Boys. Known as The Angel of
Anguish, he keeps his boys in the dark.
The Seafarers
Aboard The Neverland
Bill Slank: A vicious Captain without the skill or quality to lead anyone but himself, and always into disaster.
Would sell his own mother for a ship to command, would kill his best friend for a leg-up from the stinking hold he

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

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STARSTUFF
calls home. Cheerfully aids the awful machinations of those
who would use starstuff for personal gain, global domination, or
worse. An orphan, too.
Alf: An old seadog whos prouder of achieving the rank of
Mister than he should be, given the state of the competition.
A white knight in search of a damsel, any damsel. Something
about him appeals to the feminine sensibility; might be his bow
legs, his saucy gait or his kind heart.
Mack: A very bad sailor who wants to be anywhere else but
under the thumb of Bill Slank.
Aboard The Wasp

New York Theatre Workshop company. Photo by Deen Van Meer.

The Black Stache: Long after most everyone else had gotten
out of the Pirate business, The Black Stache continues to
terrorize the seven seas. Ruthless, peerless, heartless and hirsute, suspiciously well read, partial to the poetical and
theatrical, and married to his piratical career with a ferocity from which no good shall ever spring.
Smee: First mate to The Black Stache. Simple-minded but single-mindedly dedicated to his Captains every whim.
Sanchez: A hard-working Spanish pirate with an identity crisis.
The Natives
Fighting Prawn: King of the Mollusk natives, son of Jumbo
Prawn and Littleneck Clam. Kidnapped by British sailors and
brought in chains to England, he served as sous-chef below
stairs in a country estate in Derbyshire, where, for no good
reason, he learned Italian wines and mastered Italian cuisine.
Since returning to his island kingdom, he has vengefully
murdered any English with the temerity to land on his Mollusk
Isle domain.
Hawking Clam: Son of Fighting Prawn. Hawking understands
his fathers hatred for the British, but, as often happens with
younger generations, he will gladly bend such strictures when,
one day, he ascends to the Clam throne as head of the Royal
Clam Clan.

Teddy Bergman.
New York Theatre Workshop production. Photo by Deen Van Meer.

Teacher: Formerly a salmon, now an ancient, knowledgeable mermaid.

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 16

TEACHERS GROTTO
Class & Power
Our story takes place around 1885 and begins in Englanda time and place in which class meant power, and
people were often born into their stations in life. The characters in Peter and the Starcatcher span every social
status imaginable, from the oppressed and trampled orphan boys all the way up to the noble ambassador of the
Queen herself. Its important that students understand the very real class struggles of the Victorian era so that they
may fully appreciate the inhabitants of our play.
Line of Inquiry: What are the various social standings of the characters in Peter and the Starcatcher? How does
class and status influence a persons identity?
Standards Addressed: This lesson fulfills the following Common Core State Standards:
Writing, Grades 6-8: 3 (a-e), 4, 5, 9, 10.
Speaking and Listening, Grades 6-8: 1 (a-d), 2, 4, 6.
Reading for Literacy in Social Studies, Grades 6-8: 2, 3.
Goal: To expose students to the rigid class systems present in Victorian England and beyond, and to facilitate an
understanding of the influence of power-dynamics and social status.
Objectives: Students will:
Work as a class to create stage pictures.
Work in pairs to make connections between historically-based fiction and modern reality.
Employ empathy, creative writing, and storytelling skills to explore class and power from a characters
point of view.
Warm Up: Whos Got the Power?
Clear desks out of the way and create an open space in your classroom. Have your class form a standing
semicircle facing the stage. Place three chairs into the playing space. Tell your class that they are to enter the
space, one at a time, andusing only a chair and/or their bodiescommand the most power in the room. Once a
student enters the space and takes her position, she must remain frozen in place as part of the ever-growing stage
picture. The next student will then enter and strike a pose, which he thinks will give him the most power in the
group. Take a few volunteers for a practice round to ensure everyone understands the exercise. Coach the class
with open-ended questions as the activity progresses, and feel free to freeze the game periodically to point out
interesting choices that students make. After everyone has contributed to the exercise, take a moment to discuss
the experience with your class.

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TEACHERS GROTTO
Main Activity: Status Match Up
Divide your class up into pairs, and give each group the Starcatcher Studies: Class & Power activity on the
following page. Review the directions with the class, and walk around the classroom to field questions and
encourage collaboration.
Reflection: A Letter Home
Ask each student to choose a character from Peter and the Starcatcher on her Starcatcher Studies: Class & Power
activity page. Now ask students to imagine their character is away from home on a big adventure. Charge students
with writing a letter home, in their characters voice, describing an encounter they had with another character from
the opposite end of the status spectrum.

Variation
If you are working with older or more advanced students, have your
class investigate how various governments influence class systems
around the world. Using the US, England, and India as case studies,
charge students with writing a comparative essay on current class
structures and the political influences that dictate them.

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

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page 18

STARCATCHER STUDIES
Class & Power
In Victorian England a rigid class system determined much of an individuals life. Typically, a person was born into
a social class, and remained there until her dying day. In 1885, when our story begins, most British subjects were
members of one of the following classes:
Upper Class: Royalty, nobility, and landowners. These people did not work for their money.
M
 iddle Class: Bankers, physicians, merchants, and other professionals. Typically men would work to provide
income for the family.
W
 orking Class: Millworkers, servants, cleaners, and unskilled laborers. Men, women and children would work to
provide income for the family; the work was usually physically demanding and often dangerous.
Under Class: Paupers, beggars, orphans, and others who could not care for themselves or their families.
Directions: Working with your partner, reference the Starstuff: The Characters pages and determine which of the
four primary classes you think each of the following characters from Peter and the Starcatcher belongs.
Character

Class

Character

Class

Molly Aster

__________________________

Lord Aster

_ ________________________

Slank

__________________________

Mrs. Bumbrake

_ ________________________

Peter

__________________________

Ted

_ ________________________

Captain Scott

__________________________

Grempkin

_ ________________________

Black Stache

__________________________

The Queen

_ ________________________

Within each class system do certain individuals out-rank others? The status that comes from class is often relative.
That is, it changes depending on the group of people involved. For example, if Lord Aster were in a room with the
Queen, who would have the highest status? If Lord Aster were in a room with Ted, who would have more power?
Working with your partner, choose a modern day building (a hospital, the White House, an office, a factory) and list
five occupants of that building in order from highest status to lowest status.
Building: _ _______________________________________________
1. Highest Status: _________________________________________
2. _ _____________________________________________________
3. _ _____________________________________________________
4. _ _____________________________________________________

When you attend Peter

and the Starcatcher,
notice how characters
conform to, or stray from,
their class as the play
progresses.

5. Lowest Status: _________________________________________

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page 19

TEACHERS GROTTO
Adapting Neverland
Peter and the Starcatcher is an example of an adaptation. Rick Elice wrote the play based on the novels by Dave
Barry and Ridley Pearson. But when a playwright adapts something for the theatre, hes doing much more than
transcribing the dialogue from the source material; hes reinventing the story for the stage. By experiencing the
process of the playwright, students will encounter the play with a new perspective.
Line of Inquiry: What is the process of the playwright as he adapts literature for the stage?
Standards Addressed: This lesson fulfills the following
Common Core State Standards:
Writing, Grades 6-8: 3 (a-e), 4, 5, 7, 9, 10.
Reading, Grades 6-8: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9.
Speaking and Listening, Grades 6-8: 1 (a-d), 2
Goal: To expose students to the process of adaptation
by providing them with firsthand experience in reinventing
literature for the stage.
Objectives: Students will:
Adapt literature by writing original stage scenes.
Use problem-solving skills to creatively solve common
challenges associated with adaptation.
Provide and receive critical feedback on creative content.

Adam Chanler-Berat.
New York Theatre Workshop production. Photo by Deen Van Meer.

Warm Up: Dramatic Discussion

Use these prompts to engage your students in a conversation about adaptation:
Are you aware of any books that have been made into movies? Movies that have become stage musicals? What
about books that have become plays?
From the examples you shared, talk about some of the differences between the original version and the
adaptation.
Why do you think the adapters made such choices? How does the way an audience experiences a movie differ
from the way they experience a stage musical? How does the way a reader experiences a book differ from the
way she encounters a play?
What choices might an author make when adapting an old ghost story into a big blockbuster movie? What about
adapting an animated film into a stage musical? What about adapting a big adventure story for the stage?

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page 20

TEACHERS GROTTO
Main Activity: Adapting Neverland
Distribute the Starcatcher Studies: Adapting Neverland activity on the next page. After reviewing the directions with
the group, play some evocative instrumental music and walk amongst the class. Prompt inspiration by asking openended questions. How might you indicate a change of location in your scene? How will you stage a battle of 100
people using only 12 actors? Be mindful of time, and give your playwrights five-and two-minute warnings so that
they may conclude their scenes.
Reflection: Scene Swap!
Ask students to exchange scenes with a
classmate, and to read their partners scenes
through twice. Each student should then
write the following on the back of the scene
before returning it to its author:
One thing she liked about the scene.
One thing she noticed about the scene.
One thing she wonders about the scene.
When the scene is returned to its author,
he may read the comments but should not
respond to them right away. There will be
time to address them during the next activity.

This process is a modification of Liz Lermons Critical Response

Protocol, and is designed to elicit thoughtful and deep responses
to works of art.
Variation
If you are working with younger students,
work as a class to adapt a well-known fairytale
for the stage.
If you are working with older students, select
a passage from The Bridge to Never Land, by
Dave Barry and Ridley Pearon, a modern day
story with roots in the Starcatchers series.

For more information on the books used in this lesson, visit peterandthestarcatchers.com
Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell
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page 21

STARCATCHER STUDIES
Adapting Neverland
Peter and the Starcatcher is adapted for the stage from a novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. Barry and
Pearsons Peter and the Starcatchers, on which Rick Elice based his play, is only one in a series of four novels
about the Neverland you never knew. Now its your turn to become a playwright!
Directions:
Choose one of the excerpts on the following page from Barry
and Pearsons other novels for your stage adaptation. Read
your passage thoroughly. Before you start writing, make sure
you can answer these questions:
Where does your scene take place? Aboard a ship?
In the jungle? In more than one location?
Who are the characters in your passage?
Will any of them enter or exit your scene, or will they all be
onstage the entire time?
What are the characters objectives in your excerpt?
What does each character want?
What is the overall mood of the passage?
How might you convey the atmosphere of the piece
on stage?

Christian Borle, Greg Hildreth.

New York Theatre Workshop production. Photo by Deen Van Meer.

Now, get to work! Write a 1-2 page scene based on the

excerpt you selected. In addition to dialogue, playwrights use
stage directions, or unspoken words that tell us where the actors go and what they do onstage. You can put your
stage directions in parenthesis. Remember you are writing a play, not a movie! There are no quick edits or computer
animated graphics, so youve got to use your words and the audiences imagination to tell the story.
Check out this example of stage directions:
SLANK

And while nobodys lookin (everyone turns away,

occupied elsewhere)
Ill just mark the Queens
trunk, the one sposed to go
on the Wasp.
(makes a chalk X on the
top trunk)

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

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page 22

STARCATCHER STUDIES
1

An inhuman roar of rage, like wind from a deep, cold cave, filled the night. The sound froze Slank and Nerezza, who stood
at the end of the walk, having just seen the cab, and their prisoner, off to the ship. In a moment they were joined by Jarvis,
Cadigan, and Hodge, who came running from their posts around the house.
They looked toward the source of the horrible sound and saw Ombras dark form leaning out the fourth-story window, an
arm extended, pointed at something flying awkwardly, erratically, overhead toward Kensington Gardens.
Slank squinted up at it, then cursed in fury.
The boy. The flying boy. And he had the girl.
from Peter and the Shadow Thieves, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

The canoes were now close enough that Molly, from the deck of the ship, could make out the red-painted faces of the

howling Scorpion warriors. Some of the closer ones raised their bows and shot; the poisoned arrows arced through the
air. Most splashed into the sea, but several thunked into the hull.
Father, said Molly, theyre getting awfully close.
Leonard, his eyes on the canoes, nodded. Steadysteady he said to Hook, whose dark eyes danced between
the Scorpions and the sails. The De Vliegen continued on a steady course that kept her broadside to the oncoming
Scorpionsan easy target.
Leonard turned to Peteractually, to Tink, on Peters shoulder.
Now, he said.
In a flash, she was over the side.

from Peter and the Secret of Rundoon, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

Shining Pearl clung to the white starfish wrapped in wet seaweed as she and the others struggled through the mud,

which was ankle-deep and getting deeper every minute in the torrential rain. She followed Nibs, who led the way; behind
them came Slightly, Little Scallop, then Curly, Tootles, and, well back, the twins.
It was very dark, and the windblown rain was coming down so hard that the fat drops actually hurt. The children held
banana leaves over their heads, but these gave them little relief from their misery as they slogged along the water trail
toward the place where it met the mountain trail.
Nibs stopped so suddenly that Shining Pearl nearly bumped into him.
What is it? she said.
I heard shouting ahead, he said. Maybe the shipwrecked sailors. Everybody keep quiet.
What are we going to do? said Slightly.

from Peter and the Sword of Mercy, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

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page 23

TEACHERS GROTTO
From Page To Stage
Rees and Timberss directorial vision for Peter and the Starcatcher draws from story theatre and poor theatre, and
employs a simple yet evocative approach to storytelling. The directors, playwright, designers, and actors invite the
audience to use their imaginations to create what will become Neverland and its many inhabitants. This concept
makes Peter and the Starcatcher theatre in its purest form; the show is a love letter to the stage.
Line of Inquiry: How does a director engage an audiences imagination to facilitate storytelling?
Standards Addressed: This lesson fulfills the following Common Core State Standards:
Writing, Grades 6-8: 3 (a-e), 4, 5, 7, 9.
Reading, Grades 6-8: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9.
Speaking and Listening, Grades 6-8: 1 (a-d), 2, 4, 6.
Materials: For this lesson, you will need to gather some everyday items for your prop trunk. Collect enough
materials so that every group can use three items during the Page to Stage activity. Grab whatever you can get
your hands on: paper towel rolls, pieces of rope, brooms, cardboard boxes, balloons, scarves, and dishwashing
gloves can all go in your trunk.
Goal: To introduce students to the fundamentals of storytelling on stage, and to encourage simple but inventive
solutions to complicated staging requirements.
Objectives: Students will:
Incorporate constructive criticism to improve their work.
Identify the most fundamental components of theatre & storytelling.
Work in groups to realize a classmates creative work.
Work in groups to generate innovative solutions to challenges.
Work in groups to identify the most critical moments of a story.
Interpret and perform a peers work for the class.
Self-assess through reflective writing.
Warm Up: Meet the Dramaturg!
Re-distribute your students scene adaptations from the previous lesson. Give the class ten minutes to consider
the constructive feedback they received from their classmates and to incorporate any changes theyd like to make.
Explain that that each students partner has become her dramaturg. A dramaturg is like an editor for plays, and works
with a playwright to improve the script. After your students have made their edits, collect their scenes once again.

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

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page 24

TEACHERS GROTTO
Main Activity: From Page to Stage
Divide your class into groups of four or five. Distribute one of your classs scenes to each group, along with the
Starcatcher Studies: From Page to Stage activity on the next page. After reviewing the directions with the class,
introduce students to your prop trunk and its contents. Promote creative risk taking by encouraging the class to
experiment with different solutions. Give the groups ten, five, and two-minute warnings so that they may manage
their time effectively.
When time is up, give the class an opportunity to run each of their scenes from beginning to end. This is their dress
rehearsal. Now, establish one portion of your classroom as the house, where the audience sits, and another portion
as the stage. Allow each group the opportunity to perform their scene for the class.
Reflection: Journaling the Journey
Using the established I liked, I noticed, I wonder protocol, have each student write a journal entry about her
experience bringing a classmates work to life on stage. How did limited props enrich or constrain the storytelling?
How did double casting underline or confuse a theme of the story? Ask open-ended questions while students write
to nurture deep analysis and self-assessment.

Variation
If you are working with younger students, work as a
class to stage your fairytale scene.
If you are working with older or more advanced
students, assign certain students to be directors,
dramaturgs, designers and actors.

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

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page 25

STARCATCHER STUDIES
From Page to Stage
The playwright adapts our Peter play for the stage, but its the
director who brings the story to life for an audience. Peter and the
Starcatcher is co-directed by Roger Rees and Alex Timbers.
When people think of Broadway, images of flashy costumes,
large dance numbers, glittering lights and over-the-top spectacle
often come to mind. But Rees and Timbers saw Peter and the
Starcatcher as something different, something special. The
directors vision for the play draws from the tradition of Poor Theatre.
Poor Theatre was created by Polish director Jerzy Grotowski
(1933-1999). When movies began to eclipse theatre as the
definitive form of popular entertainment, Grotowski advocated that
theatre artists should return to their roots. Stage plays could never
replicate the special effects and editing techniques of Hollywood,
he argued, and said theatre should rely on the imaginations of its
makersthe actors, director, and designersand its audiences.
By using clever staging, ropes, planks, a few simple props, and the
actors themselves, Rees and Timbers invite the audience to use their
own imaginations to create larger-than-life spectacles like mutiny aboard
a pirate ship, the far-off kingdom of Rundoon, and flying children.
Directions: Now its your turn! Working in small groups, bring one of
your classmates adaptations to life onstage. But theres a catch! You
must follow these two rules:

Arnie Burton, Celia Keenan-Bolger.

New York Theatre Workshop production. Photo by Deen Van Meer.

There are over 100 characters

in Peter and the Starcatcher,
but only 12 actors! The
playwright specified that
each actor should play more
than one role.

Each group may only use three items from the Prop Trunk to stage
its scene.
Set designer Donyale Werle
Each actor in your
constructed the shows
ensemble must
set almost entirely out of
have something to
reclaimed and recycled
do onstage. If your
materials. Look closely and
scene has more
youll see bottles, corks, and
characters than
plastic forks throughout the
you have actors,
set. How does this choice fit
within the world of the play?
you must work
with your group to
creatively double-cast
your ensemble. Remember: actors arent limited to playing
New York Theatre Workshop company. Photo by Deen Van Meer.
characters; you can also use them to create ships, jungles,
spooky atmospheres, and more!

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 26

TEACHERS GROTTO
Starstuff Stanzas
The language playwright Rick Elice uses in Peter and the Starcatcher is playful, often lyrical, and even includes
poetic verse. By inviting your students to try their own hand at heightened and poetic writing, theyll notice how
language relates to character in our play and beyond.
Line of Inquiry: What can language tell us about character? How do the themes of Peter and the Starcatcher
(growing up, learning to trust, selflessness) relate to students today?
Standards Addressed: This lesson fulfills the following
Common Core State Standards:
Writing, Grades 6-8: 1, 3 (a-e), 4, 5, 7, 9, 10.
Goal: To connect students to the themes of Peter and
the Starcatcher on a deep and personal level, and to
encourage expression through creative writing from
such connections.

Variation
If you are working with older or more advanced
students, ask your students to write a limerick in
character as Stache. Require students to deliberately
use malapropisms throughout their poems.

Objectives: Students will:

Investigate their own wants/needs/goals and evaluate the benefits and consequences of wish fulfillment.
Write an original poem using heightened language about their dreams and ambitions.
Relate their own experiences, hopes and goals to the characters of Peter and the Starcatcher.
Warm Up: Wishing On Starstuff
Now that students have seen the show, ask them to describe starstuff. Why does King Zarboff want it? Why does
Queen Victoria want to dispose of it? Why must Lord Aster take his mission so seriously? What happens to Peter
when he falls into Teachers grotto?
Ask each student to complete the following phrase on a piece of paper: If I found starstuff, Id wish to __________.
Main Activity: Starstuff Stanza
Distribute the Starcatcher Studies: Starstuff Stanza activity sheet on the following page. Review the directions
with the class, and read the example limerick aloud. Provide the group with any classroom resources that may help
students complete the assignment (thesaurus, rhyming dictionary, etc.). If time permits, solicit a few volunteers to
read their poems to the class.
Reflection: A Boy Forever
When Peter immerses himself in the starstuff in Teachers grotto, his desire to remain a boy forever is realized.
But this wish fulfilled is bittersweet. Ask your students to write a journal entry reflecting on their poem. If their
wishes came true, what would they have to sacrifice? What does Peter sacrifice in order to remain a boy forever?
What does Lord Aster sacrifice to uphold his duty to the Queen? What does Molly sacrifice to become a fullfledged Starcatcher?

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 27

STARCATCHER STUDIES
Starstuff Stanza
Black Stache is a pirate poet; a romantic at heart who relishes in the written word (though hes prone to
malapropisms). When we first meet Black Stache, he introduces himself through a limerick. Limericks are a type of
poem that were made popular in the 19th century, when Peter and the Starcatcher takes place. Limericks are often
lighthearted and silly in nature, always consist of five lines, and follow a specific rhyming pattern. Notice the meter
(or rhythm) and rhyming pattern of this limerick:
My father, he sat on a chair,
For sitting he has quite a flair.
But the chair it went crack,
He fell flat on his back.
Id have laughed, but I just didnt dare.
-Therese Saward

Malapropism: The misuse

of similar sounding words.
Notice Black Staches
malapropism habit when
you attend Peter and the
Starcatcher.

Limericks always follow an AABBA rhyme scheme. In other words, the first, second and fifth lines always rhyme, as
do the third and fourth lines. Usually, there are eight or nine syllables in the first, second and fifth lines, and five or
six syllables in the third and fourth lines (but there are often variations on this meter).
Directions: Think about what you would wish for if you came across some starstuff. Now write your own limerick
about your starstuff dreams!
Limerick Title:__________________________________________________
Line One:_____________________________________________________ (A)

The pirate Black Stache

Line Two:_ ____________________________________________________ (A)

through this limerick. Well, its

Line Three:____________________________________________________ (B)

carried away and doesnt quite

introduces himself to Lord Aster

almost a limerickStache gets
complete the verse:

Line Four:_____________________________________________________ (B)

Line Five:_ ____________________________________________________ (A)

A pirate with scads of panache

Wants the key to the trunk with
the cash.
Now, heres some advice,
Tho I seem to be nice -
ILL SLICE YOU!!

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 28

TEACHERS GROTTO
A Bedtime Story
Peter and the Starcatcher is a prequel that tells the story of how the iconic characters in J.M. Barries Peter Pan
came to be. But there is a gap of time between the end of our play and the beginning of Barries tale. What
happens to Peter, Molly, Stache and the others after the curtain comes down?
Line of Inquiry: What happens to the characters at the end of a story? What happens to students at the end of
an artistic process?
Standards Addressed: This lesson fulfills the following Common Core State Standards:
Writing, Grades 6-8: 1, 2, 3 (a-e), 4, 5, 7, 9.
Reading, Grades 6-8: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9.
Speaking and Listening, Grades 6-8: 1 (a-d), 2, 3, 4, 6.
Goal: To bring closure to the Peter and the Starcatcher experience, and to reflect on the play itself.
Objectives: Students Will:
Further their experience in creating considered and specific stage pictures based on plot and character.
Participate in imaginative play and develop improvisation skills.
Decode and sequence a story by identifying key plot points and character traits.
Write creative, stylized, original fiction.
Warm Up: Tableaus Through Time
Divide your class into four groups. Assign one of the following character categories to each group: Mollusks,
Sailors, Pirates and Children. Give each group three minutes to create a tableau (a frozen stage picture)
representing their characters at the end of the play. Allow each group to share its tableau with the class. Working
within their groups again, charge students with creating a new still image showing their characters two months after
the play has ended. Give the class time to devise some ideas of what might happen after the end of the play. Share
the new images. Repeat the activity, this time making images representing a year later. When the groups share
these images, tap some students on the shoulder and invite them to speak their characters inner thoughts. Repeat
once again, this time after five years have passed.
Main Activity: An Afterthought
Ask the class to volunteer some of the stories they created to support their tableaus. Pick one or two of the ideas
from the group and invite the class to act out this next chapter of Peter and the Starcatcher with you. Explain that
you are working on an unscripted play; there are no right or wrong answers.

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 29

TEACHERS GROTTO
Have your students continue in the roles they established during the warm-up exercise. Select a few gregarious
students to play parts specific to your new story. You should serve as the narrator for this new tale; encourage your
students to jump in and offer dialogue and drama to move the play forward. Feel free to stop the exercise often to
explore new takes on certain scenes. As the narrator, your job is to provide the cues your class needs to find the
beginning, middle and end of this improvisation.
Reflection: A Bedtime Story
Distribute the Starcatcher Studies: a Bedtime Story activity on the next page. Review the directions with the class,
and ask open-ended questions while the students write.

Variation
If you are working with younger students, have your
class form a circle. Each student may contribute one
sentence to your new story, which gets written out on
the blackboard.

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 30

STARCATCHER STUDIES
A Bedtime Story
Molly tells Peter and the boys a bedtime story to distract them from the starstuff. Later in the play, the boys recount
the story in hopes of escaping the Mollusks. Think about the language used in Peter and the Starcatcher. How does
Stache speak? How does Molly speak? Think about the choices the playwright makes to tell us about character.
Directions: Write a bedtime story based on the new Peter and the Starcatcher tale you created with your
classmates. Your story must have a beginning, middle, and end, and use a style of your own to tell us about
your characters.
Once upon a time __________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
THE END.
Now write a journal entry answering these questions:
What did you like about Peter and the Starcatcher? What do you
like about your story?
What did you notice about Peter and the Starcatcher? What do
you notice about your story?
What do you still wonder about Peter and the Starcatcher? What
do you wonder about your story?
Carson Elrod, Dave Rossmer, Adam Chanler-Berat.
New York Theatre Workshop production. Photo by Deen Van Meer.

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 31

TEACHERS GROTTO
A Trip To The Theatre
Your class trip to Peter and the Starcatcher should be an enriching adventure! Review these tips to ensure your
students get the most out of their theatre-going experience.
Expectations and Etiquette
For many of your students, this class trip may be the first
theatrical experience of their lives. The event itself can be
overwhelming; from the bright lights of Times Square to the
blackouts during the show, your students senses will be in
overdrive. Take a few minutes before your field trip to tell your
class what to expect. What is a Playbill? Are there assigned
seats? How long is the show? Can the actors see the
audience? What is an intermission? Young theatre-goers will
have many questions about the experience.
Likewise, tell your group what is expected of them.
Talking during movies is rude, but talking during a play is
unacceptable; unlike movies the performers can actually hear
the audience, which also means laugh when something
is funny! Clap when you are wowed! Actors appreciate an
enthusiastic (but focused) audience.

New York Theatre Workshop production. Photo by Deen Van Meer.

When You Arrive

Youll arrive at the theatre early so that you have plenty of time to get everyone in their seats and settled. If you have
a little time before the play begins use it to your advantage! Remind your students of the explorations theyve done
leading up to this moment. What was it like when they wrote their own adaptations? Was using only a few props
and an ensemble of actors to tell the story challenging or inspiring?
Each student will receive a program from an usherwhy not have a Playbill treasure hunt? Make a game of learning
about the show and its creators. Who can find the name of the shows directors first? Who wrote the music in
Peter and the Starcatcher?
Back at School
Young people need time to unpack and process an artistic experience to solidify what theyve learned. Its important
that you devote some time for reflection once you are back at school. Many of the activities in this guide can be
used as post-theatre reflection and assessment tools, but a simple conversation can work just as well. Start by
soliciting overall impressions from the group. What did they think? What did they like? How did the activities they
participated in before they saw the show influence their experiences? From there, ask students what they noticed
about each element of the play (script, music, staging, design, performance). Finally, devote some time to field
remaining questions from your students. Is there anything they are still wondering about?

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

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STARSTUFF
GLOSSARY
Nautical Terms
Aft

In or near the hinder part or stern of a ship.

Capstan

 n apparatus used for hoisting weights and heavy sails. It consists of a vertical spool-shaped
A
cylinder, around which rope is wound. It is rotated manually.

Foretop

The top of a foremast (the forward lower-mast).

Frigate

A high-speed, medium sized sailing war vessel of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries

Gangplank

 board or ramp used as a removable footway between a ship and a pier. When one wants to
A
exit the ship, one walks down the gangplank to the pier. To walk the plank is a fairly similar
process, except theres no pier (bring your swimmies).

Jib The jib is the triangular shaped sail at the front of the boat. If you feel like giving someone an
unusual compliment, tell them I like the cut of your jib.
Knots

 he nautical measure of speed. Knots are determined using a piece of knotted string fastened
T
to the log-line, one of a series fixed at such intervals that the number of them that run out while
the sand-glass is running indicates the ships speed in nautical miles per hour.

Longboat The largest boat belonging to a sailing vessel.

Merchant Sailors

Sailors on a trade vessel.

Mast

 n upright pole, usually raked, which is fixed or stepped in the keel of a sailing ship in order to
A
support the sails, either directly or by means of horizontal spars.

Mizzen-mast

On a ship with two or more masts: the mast aft of the mainmast.

Poop 1) Stop giggling.

2) Its not what you think.
3) The name given to the short, aftermost deck, raised above the quarter-deck of a ship, which
in large ships comprised the roof of the captains cabin.
Spar The gaff and the boom are spars, i.e. long round bits of wood.
Swag

Plunder or booty.

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 33

STARSTUFF
Water Creatures
Ahi

A large tuna fish, esp. the bigeye tuna and the yellow-fin tuna.

Albatross

 large sea bird usually found in the southern hemisphere that is known for its extended
A
gliding ability.

Crocodiles Interesting facts: Crocodiles are believed to be 200 million years old; they outlived the
dinosaurs! These reptiles close their nostrils when underwater. The average age of a
crocodile is 70 years old. The crocodile has the strongest and most forceful bite of any animal.
The largest crocodiles measure at about 20 feet long and weigh over two-and-a-half tons!
Dover Sole

 efers to two types of fish: the solea solea found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean commonly
R
used for fillet cooking, and the microstomus pacificus found in the Pacific Ocean primarily
used for grilling.

Eel

 snakelike fish without pelvic fins that dwells on the bottom of the ocean or in a
A
freshwater habitat.

Mahi Mahi

 he Hawaiian name for the species called the dolphinfish (no relation to dolphins). A large
T
marine food and game fish found worldwide in tropical waters, having an iridescent blue back,
yellow sides, a steep blunted forehead, and a long continuous dorsal fin.

Porpoise

 cetacean (sea mammal) closely related to the whale and the dolphin. Porpoises are often
A
confused with dolphins but there are some visible differences between the two species. Also,
porpoises are generally smaller than dolphins.

Smelt

 species of small saltwater Northern Hemisphere fish that breed in freshwater. Smelt are a
A
common food source for the salmon and the lake trout. The orange eggs of the smelt, also
known as roe, are often used to garnish sushi.

Squid

 mollusk with eight arms and two tentacles surrounding the mouth that is related to the
A
octopus and cuttlefish.

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 34

STARSTUFF
Features of Mollusk Island
Bamboo

 lthough people may think the bamboo is a kind of tree, it is actually a woody type of grass
A
with a hollow stem and stalked blades. Bamboo is typically found in tropical or semi-tropical
areas and can grow up to 30 meters (98 feet) tall.

Bird of Paradise The flower known as strelitzia is not to be confused with the actual flying bird of paradise,
although strelitzia bears a striking resemblance to it. The Bird of Paradise is considered a
flower or shrub with stalks of orange and purplish-blue flowers, resembling a bird. The Bird of
Paradise flower originated in South Africa but can grow in different tropical areas. The shrub
can be anywhere from 6 feet to 20 feet in height.
Grotto

 cave or cavern, esp. one that forms an agreeable retreat. In Peter and the Starcatcher,
A
the grotto is underground and connected to the ocean.

Lagoon

A shallow body of water, esp. one separated from the sea by sandbars or a barrier reef.

Sentry Palm

 lso known as the Kenita Palm, this is an upright palm with arching, dark green leaves. Its use
A
as an indoor palm dates back to the socialite days of the Victorian era. It is native to Eastern
Australia, and it can grow to be 60 feet tall.

Britishism
Ta ta for now

 nother way of saying see you later. Originally abbreviated to TTFN for writing purposes, this
A
abbreviation has made its way into spoken English, but there isnt much point as it still has the
same number of syllables.

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 35

RESOURCES
J.M. Barrie & Peter Pan
The Little White Bird, by J.M. Barrie (1902)
Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up, by J.M. Barrie (1904)
Peter and Wendy, by J.M. Barrie (1911)
The Annotated Peter Pan, by J.M Barrie, Edited by Maria Tater (W.W. Norton and Company, 2012)
JMBarrie.co.uk
Dave Barry & Ridley Pearsons Peter and the Starcatchers Series
Peter and the Starcatchers, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson (Disney-Hyperion, 2004)
Peter and the Shadow Thieves, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson (Disney-Hyperion, 2006)
Peter and the Secret of Rundoon, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson (Disney-Hyperion, 2007)
Peter and the Sword of Mercy, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson (Disney-Hyperion, 2009)
The Bridge to Never Land, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson (Disney-Hyperion, 2011)
Official Website: Peterandthestarcatchers.com
Peter and the Starcatcher on Broadway
Peter and the StarcatcherThe Annotated Script of the Broadway Play, by Rick Elice (Disney-Hyperion, 2012)
Official Website: Peterandthestarcatcher.com
Educational Standards
Common Core State Standards: corestandards.org
The New York City Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts: Theatre (NYC Department of Education, 2005)
Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) Compendium Standards: mcrel.org

Peter and the Starcatcher Educators Guide, written by Lisa Mitchell

Disney | peterandthestarcatcher.com

page 36