Smash-hit, Tony Award-winning Broadway production ‘Peter And The Starcatcher’ will have its Australian premiere from 2024.
Originally developed by Disney Theatrical Group, the Australian production will be reimagined by creative powerhouse Dead Puppet Society. It’s the untold story of Neverland: before Neverland, there was an island. . . And before Captain Hook, a moustachioed pirate. Before Wendy, her mother Molly, and before Peter, a nameless orphan.
Dead Puppet Society are acclaimed for their visually astounding worlds like in ‘The Wider Earth’, and this production is set to blur the lines between reality and fantasy, traversing oceans of mystical mermaids, and lands of curious creatures.
“The initial production of ‘Peter And The Starcatcher’ was a passion project — just a great group of artists and high expectations. To see the play come to life over and over again around the world is a joy I never expected,” the play’s writer Rick Elice says.
“And to witness the marriage of this humble piece with the vast imagination and ingenuity of Dead Puppet Society is more than a joy, it’s a privilege — and, for this playwright, an inspiration.”
David Morton and Nicholas Paine - Image © Scott Barton
“Nearly everyone knows the tale of Peter Pan, but Peter and Wendy’s origin story has been a much more closely guarded secret,” Dead Puppet Society Creative Director David Morton says. “Rick Elice’s incredible play takes the characters we know and love and charts the course they take to Neverland and into the classics when a group of lost orphans, moustachioed pirates, and Wendy’s mother Molly collide over a trunk full of Starstuff, the most powerful substance on earth.”
“This lightning-paced, whimsical show was a mega hit on Broadway. To have the opportunity to bring an all-new production to Australian audiences, reimagined with Dead Puppet Society’s approach to design-led theatre and stagecraft, is both an honour and a dream come true.
“Ultimately this is a story of villains finding their heroes, of timeless friendships, and fates that can’t be avoided. But don’t be fooled. . . This isn’t just a show for young people, it’s for the young at heart, and anyone else who never wanted to grow up.”
Peter And The Starcatcher 2024/2025 Australia Tour Dates
From 15 October – Canberra Theatre CentreFrom 8 November – Arts Centre Melbourne
From 9 January 2025 – Adelaide Festival Centre
From 31 January 2025 – Capitol Theatre (Sydney)
From 14 March 2025 – Queensland Performing Arts Centre
