Who are you? What year are you? What are your interests?
My name is Greer Patten and I am a Senior. Outside of this show, I am president of the drama club, Assistant Editor of Highlander publications, and am involved in Younglife.
What exactly do you do for Peter and the Starcatcher?
I play Molly Aster, the thirteen-year-old daughter of Leonard Aster and the Wendy-equivalent in this production. Molly is strong-willed, a bit hot-headed, caring, blunt, and not your typical Victorian young lady.
What brought you to join the cast for Peter and the Starcatcher?
I have done theater for as long as I can remember. When I was little, I loved watching the “big kids” perform and practically idolized them. Now that I’m in high school, I want to be someone those kids could look up to and be like I was at that age. I want to keep the magic of theater alive in them as much as I can.
Do you have any stories from rehearsals?
When we were blocking the very first scene, Aidan(Lord Aster), Addison(Mrs. Bumbrake), and I experimented with our British accents when they were working on sailor things, by just saying the most random words in a British accent, or making sentences sound stereotypically British(there was lots of “Cheerio”). This was so fun because we all got to know each other really well, which has helped our onstage relationships as well. I also do a lot of sitting on trunks in this show, and after a long day of school, I find the most uncomfortable position on these trunks and may or may not try to nap. Because of this, there are multiple pictures of me lying on assorted trunks.
Peter and the Starcatcher is a prequel to Peter Pan and a comedy about finding your own path and how you fit in the world. How have you connected to the story?
Apart from being so fun and light-hearted, this show has a really deep message about finding yourself when it comes to growing up. As a Senior this year, that is an extremely prevalent topic in my life. As all of my classmates are applying to different schools, it is really weird to think about leaving the people I have grown up with. However, this show, and specifically my character Molly, make it very clear that it is okay to change and for things to end. Two of my favorite lines that I get to say are, “It’s supposed to hurt, that’s how you know it meant something,” and “Be part of a different sort of family, with friends. Who understand that things are only worth what you’re willing to give up for them,” because they perfectly encapsulate my current life. I am going to be so unbelievably sad to leave my best friends, but I know how important they are to me because of how much it will hurt.
What do you hope the audience will be thinking about in the car as they drive home after this show?
Apart from, “Wow, that was hilarious,” I really want audiences to see the power of different relationships. So many of the characters go through such dynamic relationships, and as goofy as they can be, are very powerful. There is friendship, romance, and familial love that is the backbone of the entire show. But, I also want the show to be an escape from reality for a little bit. Peter and the Starcatcher is SO FUNNY! I have heard these lines and the actors’ deliveries countless times, but I still laugh(I swear, I’ll try not to while I’m performing). It is a lot of really dumb humor that is a really nice relief from everything going on in people’s lives.
Anything else you want to talk about?
Every single actor, stage crew member, and director have worked SO HARD on this show. We all thought we were auditioning for a play…yeah, turns out it was a musical. So please support this insanely talented, hard-working, flexible, fun-loving, and insanely amazing group of wonderful people.
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