Second Star To The Right

A good story is often hard to shake. Readers often want to spend as much time as possible within that fictional world with those fictional characters. The more books, the better; the more films, stage plays, games, collectibles (Harry Potter, I'm looking at you) based on the book, the better -- any way to hold on to that magic, even a new story about a character before he becomes the character we know and love.

Young Actors Guild will present "Peter and the Starcatcher," the origin story of Peter Pan, this weekend in Van Buren.

"I remember thinking (as a child), 'Where did Peter Pan come from? I don't get it,'" says Missy Gipson, executive director of YAG. "'Peter and the Starcatcher' gives that explanation and (explains) how he ended up getting into this magic star stuff. The landmark parts of the (original) story, we now figure out where they came from."

The play is based on the first novel in a contemporary young adult series by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson and serves as a prequel to J.M. Barrie's works.

YAG originally wanted to produce "Peter Pan," Gipson says, but budget constraints caused the organization to scrap those plans. But scrap turned out to be the operative word.

Gipson says she first learned about "Peter and the Starcatcher" while at a workshop in New York.

"They were talking about this show that used a lot of recycled and reclaimed items to create it," she says.

Gipson also loved the idea of children using everyday items in ways other than intended, like when a box becomes a ship or a toilet plunger becomes a sword.

"The childlike approach becomes the process. ... That's how my kids play," says the mother of three children, ages 7 and younger. "It doesn't matter what the prop is, as long as it's convincing,."

The show will be staged at the historic King Opera House in downtown Van Buren. The venue first opened in the late 1800s and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Victorian-era structure was renovated and reopened in 1979.

"It lends itself to the fairy tale aspect of (the story)," Gipson says of the opera house. "As soon as you walk in, you feel it. Before the show starts, that venue helps you get (mentally) where you need to be. It's an intimate venue with a lot of history. It's just a magical environment."

And a little bit of magic is something we all could use.

-- Kelly Barnett

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NAN What's Up on 07/22/2016