Peter and the Starcatcher: cast announced

The cast of the original Off-Broadway production of Tony Award nominee Rick Elice's (Jersey Boys) new play, Peter and the Starcatcher, based upon the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, will reunite for the show's Broadway premiere, which opens at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on 15 Apr 2012, following previews from 28 Mar 2012.

As previously reported, Christian Borle, a Lucille Lortel winner last year for his performance (and star of NBC's "Smash"), will return as 'Black Stache.' He is joined by Adam Chanler-Berat (Next to Normal), who recently departed the Off Broadway production of Rent, returns as 'Boy'; and Drama Desk Award-winner Celia Keenan-Bolger (25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) will reprise her role as 'Molly,' the titular Starcatcher.

Returning cast members also include Teddy Bergman (Seven Minutes in Heaven), Arnie Burton (The 39 Steps), Matt D'Amico (Fizz), Kevin Del Aguila (Jacques Brel...), Carson Elrod (Reckless), Greg Hildreth (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) and David Rossmer (Don't Quit Your Night Job).

Producers Nancy Nagel Gibbs and Greg Schaffert said, "We are overjoyed to have this incredible company back together, and we are very grateful that Christian Borle was, in the end, able to work around his commitments to the TV series "Smash" so that he can reprise his role as 'Black Stache.'"

In Peter and the Starcatcher, directed by Roger Rees and Alex Timbers, a company of twelve actors plays some 50 characters - all on a journey to answer the century-old question: How did Peter become The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up?

The show opened Off-Broadway to mixed, but mostly positive reviews: Superb story telling (newyorktheatreguide); Never stops flying (NY Times); An imaginative and wildly entertaining adaptation (Back Stage); A magical show in every radiant way (Newsroom Jersey).

The play set a record for the highest grossing single day in NYTW's history. The production went on to receive five Drama Desk nominations (and a win for Outstanding Music in a Play); two Obie Awards (for Direction and Design) and two Lucille Lortel Awards (for Outstanding Lead Actor and Outstanding Choreography).

The entire creative team reunites for the Broadway production and includes scenic design by Donyale Werle, costume design by Paloma Young, lighting design by Jeff Croiter and sound by Darron L. West.

The Off-Broadway production, which was also directed by Roger Rees and Alex Timbers, featured Adam Chanler-Berat (Peter), *Christian Borle (Black Stache), Celia Keenan-Bolger (Molly), and also included Teddy Bergman (Fighting Prawn), Arnie Burton (Mrs. Bumbrake), Matt D'Amico (Slank), Hawking Clam (Fizz), Brandon Dirden (Captain Scott), Carson Elrod (Prentiss), Kevin Del Aguila (Smee), Greg Hildreth (Alf), Karl Kenzler (Lord Aster) and David Rossmer as (Ted).
*from 1 Apr 2011 Steve Rosen alternated the role of 'Black Stache' with original cast member Christian Borle.

Peter and the Starcatcher began its journey to the stage in 2003 when Disney Theatrical Productions president Thomas Schumacher discovered the first Barry and Pearson book while it was still in galleys, and its development has been shepherded by DTP ever since.

With just a few scenes outlined, the project received its first lab in 2007 at Williamstown Theatre Festival under the direction of Rees and Timbers. A full length version of the play was then written by Elice and developed in a Page to Stage production at La Jolla Playhouse in the winter of 2009.

Following further revisions, the play received its first fully staged production with the spring 2011 run at NYTW.