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PETER AND THE STARCATCHER

Tony-winning Peter and the Starcatcher upends the century-old story of how a miserable orphan comes to be The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up (a.k.a. Peter Pan). A wildly theatrical adaptation of Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson’s best-selling novels, the play was conceived for the stage by directors, Roger Rees and Alex Timbers, and written by Rick Elice, with music by Wayne Barker. From marauding pirates and jungle tyrants to unwilling comrades and unlikely heroes, Peter and the Starcatcher playfully explores the depths of greed and despair... and the bonds of friendship, duty and love.

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A young orphan and his mates are shipped off from Victorian England to a distant island ruled by the evil King Zarboff. They know nothing of the mysterious trunk in the captain’s cabin, which contains precious, otherworldly cargo. At sea, the boys are discovered by a precocious young girl named Molly, a Starcatcher-in-training who realizes that the trunk’s precious cargo is starstuff, a celestial substance so powerful that it must never fall into the wrong hands. When the ship is taken over by pirates – led by the fearsome Black Stache, a villain determined to claim the trunk and its treasure for his own – the journey quickly becomes a thrilling adventure.

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Featuring a dozen actors portraying more than 100 unforgettable characters, Peter and the Starcatcher uses ingenious stagecraft and the limitless possibilities of imagination to bring the story to life. It teaches us that even when we age, we never truly grow up.

AUDITIONS

Thursday, August 27, 2026
Building 45, Room 212
6:30 pm - 10:00 pm

We invite all currently enrolled Cal Poly students, regardless of major or previous theatre experience, to audition for three upcoming theatrical productions at Cal Poly. Auditions for the Students' Stage production of Peter and the Starcatcher will be a combined audition with two other shows: the fall Theatre & Dance Department show, A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare, and the department's spring devised production, The Sandbox Show. Students of all backgrounds, identities, and experience levels are encouraged to audition.

CALLBACKS: August 29, 2026 (1:00 pm - 5:00 pm)

Building 45, Room 212

What to Prepare:

Can I be cast in all three shows?

  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream does not overlap with either of the other projects, so it is entirely possible to be cast in both A Midsummer Night’s Dream and one of the other shows. However, The Sandbox Show and Peter and the Starcatcher do overlap during Spring Semester right before performances, so it is not possible to be in both The Sandbox Show and Peter and the Starcatcher. On both of those audition forms, you can indicate your preference if there is a project you would rather be a part of.

Casting Philosophy:

These productions are looking to cast individuals of all backgrounds, beliefs, ethnicities, social classes, genders, gender identities, gender expressions, national origins, documentation statuses, religious affiliations, sexual orientations, ability – and other visible and nonvisible differences. The rehearsal room will provide an inclusive environment for every member of the cast, and all members of the cast are expected to contribute to the work with respect. Casting will be based on artistic fit, storytelling needs, and ensemble collaboration, and the specific vision of the production.

A Note About Casting: We know that historically this show is traditionally cast with only one woman and eleven men, but we will have gender inclusive casting and will not be following the show's traditional casting practices.

If you have any questions about any of the productions, please contact:

REHEARSAL SCHEDULE

AUDITION FORM

We will have printed forms at the audition for you to fill out, but HERE it is if you would like to take a look at it!

AVAILABLE ROLES

BOY (PETER)

A boy who doesn’t miss much. Nameless, homeless, and friendless at the beginning of the play, and a hero by the end. More than anything in the world, he wants a home and a family. If he could grow up, he’d fall for Molly in a big way. But it’ll never happen. Speaks with an East End Cockney accent that blends with an RP (Received Pronunciation) accent at times.

MOLLY ASTER

A true leader at a time when girls are mostly followers. Will risk everything for the sake of Doing Right. Curious, intelligent, and beginning to feel things she doesn’t understand, Molly learns what it means to grow up. Speaks with an RP (Received Pronunciation) accent.

BLACK STACHE

A pirate characterized by his face foliage. Heartless and hirsute, suspiciously well-read, and partial to the poetical and theatrical, the one thing Black Stache truly wants is a hero worthy of defying him. Speaks with an East End Cockney accent with a Victorian Stage Villain affectation.

SMEE

First mate to Black Stache. Single-mindedly dedicated to his captain’s every whim. His motto: “‘Tis good to be busy.” Speaks with a West Country accent.

MRS. BUMBRAKE

Molly’s nanny. British to the bone. Still has enough of her girlish charm to turn a sailor’s head. Speaks with an RP (Received Pronunciation) accent. The actor playing Mrs. Bumbrake will also play Teacher.

ALF

An old sea dog. Something about him appeals to the feminine sensibility – might be his bow legs, his saucy gait, or his kind heart. Speaks with a West Country accent.

PRENTISS

An orphan who yearns to be The Leader. Ambitious, logical, and a bit of a blowhard, he doesn't realize that the more you claim leadership, the more it eludes you. Speaks with an East End Cockney accent.

TED

An orphan. Called “Tubby” by Prentiss, though not due to girth but rather due to his immense appetite. A natural actor, an easy wit, and perhaps a future poet. Speaks with an East End Cockney accent.

BILL SLANK

The Neverland’s vicious captain. A seafarer who cares more about personal gain than anyone else's well-being. An orphan, hardened by the cruel world. Speaks with a West Country accent. The actor playing Bill Slank will also play Hawking Clam.

FIGHTING PRAWN

King of the Mollusks. A runaway slave. Upon his escape from British Captivity and return to his homeland, Mollusk Island (set on Garnish Island, Ireland, in our show), he vengefully torments and murders any English who dare to set foot on his island. Speaks with an Irish Gaelic accent. The actor playing Fighting Prawn will also play Grempkin, Mack, and Sánchez.

LORD LEONARD ASTER

The very model of a Victorian English gentleman: a loyal subject to the Queen, a devoted father to Molly, a faithful friend. A Starcatcher – dedicated to protecting the Earth and all who dwell thereon from the power of starstuff. Speaks with an RP (Received Pronunciation) accent.

CAPTAIN ROBERT FALCON SCOTT

Captain of Britain’s fastest frigate, the Wasp. Based on the real-life British hero Scott of the Antarctic. Speaks with an RP (Received Pronunciation) accent.

GREMPKIN

The malicious schoolmaster of St. Norbert’s Orphanage for Lost Boys. Speaks with a Yorkshire accent. The actor playing Grempkin will also play Fighting Prawn, Mack, and Sánchez.

HAWKING CLAM

Son of Fighting Prawn. One day, he will ascend the Mollusk throne as head of the Royal Clam Clan. Speaks with an Irish Gaelic accent. The actor playing Hawking Clam will also play Bill Slank.

TEACHER

Formerly a Scotch salmon, now a knowledgeable mermaid. Speaks with a Glaswegian-Lite Scottish accent. The actor playing Teacher will also play Mrs. Bumbrake.

MACK

A very bad sailor who wants to be anywhere but under the thumb of Bill Slank. Speaks with a West Country accent. The actor playing Mack will also play Fighting Prawn, Grempkin, and Sánchez.

SANCHEZ

A hard-working Spanish pirate questioning his career choice. Speaks with a Spanish, Zorro-esque accent. The actor playing Sánchez will also play Fighting Prawn, Grempkin, and Mack.

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