Peter and the Starcatcher: Is Christian Borle to star as Stache?

Variety reports that Christian Borle will reprise the role of 'Black Stache' in the previously announced Broadway premiere 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, opening at Broadway's Brooks Atkinson Theatre on 15 Apr 2012, following previews from 28 Mar 2012.

Borle created the role of 'Black Stache' in the Off-Broadway premiere of the play which performed at the New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) where it opened on the 9 Mar 2011, following previews from 18 Feb 2011, and played an extended engagement through to 24 Apr 2011.

It was not known if Borle would star in the production on Broadway due to probable scheduling conflcts with the filming of the upcoming premiere of NBC's "Smash," in which the actor stars as "Tom Levitt."

Borle's was nominated for a 2007 Tony Award for his performance as 'Emmett Forrest' in the musical 'Legally Blonde.' Other Broadway credits include: 'Mary Poppins,' 'Spamalot,' 'Amour,' 'Thoroughly Modern Millie,' 'Jesus Christ Superstar' (2000) and 'Footloose.'

No cast has been officially announced for the Broadway premiere.

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.