Colorado State University Theatre is showcasing “Peter and the Starcatcher,” adapted by Rick Elice, from March 7-14. The play is a theater classic that tells the tale of Peter Pan’s backstory, following his journey across ships and forests to find his home.

The listing for the play on CSU’s Events Calendar says the fable features how “marauding pirates, jungle tyrants, unwilling comrades and unlikely heroes playfully explore the depths of greed and despair and the bonds of friendship, duty and love.”

“I’ve seen a CSU play before, and it’s so good,” said attendee Avery Adair. “I loved the last one, too, but this one is fabulous.”

The play puts a unique spin on the ebb and flow of traditional play structure. Its pacing is dynamic, keeping the audience on their toes and making it almost impossible to guess what comes next.

Humor plays a substantial role in the production as well. Though bouts of seriousness for the purposes of plot and character development are present and well utilized, the jokes make up the foundation of the play’s appeal.

“I am really impressed with the whole setup, and it’s creative that they’ve done two ships on the same set; I think that’s cool to see. We were sitting next to the sound, so seeing that next to us as well was really exciting.” -Tim Stasevich, “Peter and The Starcatcher” attendee

Jokes of many sorts frequently spill from the cast, consisting of silly humor and pithy banter. Most everyone can find a part of the play to laugh at or with.

The humor, along with several fourth wall breaks, displays a side of theatre that few other plays dare to explore: the absurdity of theater plots. The play shows the raw nature of theater in a way that simultaneously mocks and celebrates the craft.

“It’s one of my favorites in general because it makes fun of theater plotlines,” said Auden Henning, an attendee.

The sound design enhanced the atmosphere of the play. A notable part of such was the organic use of a keyboard, a drum set and a variety of auxiliary percussion instruments. These were used for both music and general sound effects.

The set design contained replicas of two ships in the first act, one named “The Wasp” and the other called “Neverland,” and a forest for the second act. The set crew utilized the most of an otherwise limited space, and the result of their effort drew in as much attention as the acting.

“I am really impressed with the whole setup, and it’s creative that they’ve done two ships on the same set; I think that’s cool to see,” said attendee Tim Stasevich. “We were sitting next to the sound, so seeing that next to us as well was really exciting.”

The play’s keystone scenes drive the mood of the play. In between the comical moments that progress the plot — and make light fun of it at the same time — the audience gets hit with an emotional punch right through the soul. What is most impressive is not how well the show jokes around but how well it weighs on viewers in the spots where it counts.

“Peter and the Starcatcher” will be showcased at 7:30 p.m each evening from March 12-14. Tickets can be found at the Ticket Office website for the University Center for the Arts.

Reach Robert Sides at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.