Long Beach's Alexandra Starr performing in NYC's 'Pip's Island'

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Long Beach’s Alexandra Starr is currently performing in the Times Square production “Pip’s Island.”
Long Beach’s Alexandra Starr is currently performing in the Times Square production “Pip’s Island.”
Photos by Paul Mariano

Upon entering the Long Beach home of actress and singer-songwriter Alexandra Starr, I was asked to remove my Lands’ End flip-flops and follow her to the living room — where an array of instruments are strewn about as if she had just finished playing them. The room itself feels like the creative nucleus of Starr’s outstandingly fresh musicality.

The 23-year-old has already made a name for herself with current projects like the Broadway-caliber production “Pip’s Island,” a theatrical fantasy adventure running in New York City, and her band, DREAMDIVE. She also performs as a solo artist and has her own Spotify platform. In 2017, she released the single “I See it All,” which currently has over 10,000 streams. 

Starr, who has been acting since the age of four, explained that performing is all she’s ever known. Years after working on shows like “The Naked Brothers Band” and “Dora the Explorer,” she claimed a lead role in the 2018 HBO short film “La Piel De Ayer.” Directed by Andrew Garcia, the film tells the story of Randwin, played by Andres Nicolas Chaves, who struggles to support his family after Hurricane Maria. It features real interviews from Starr’s relatives who talk about the impact of the storm on Arroyo, Puerto Rico — their hometown.

Before Starr was casted for the role of Sandra, her mother, Julie, was in the process of aiding 109 families who were displaced after Maria. They worked together to provide shelters and solar-powered devices to Arroyo’s residents during Starr’s time in the country. “La Piel De Ayer” first aired this year on May 1 and is available to stream on HBO. 

Starr was cast in “Pip’s Island” as Pebble in February. The interactive children’s show in Times Square, on West 42nd Street, incorporates puppets, animation, live actors and visual technology, and presents children with wildly entertaining and immersive mystical world. The show — the brainchild of sister-and-brother team Rania and Rami Ajami, and Creative Director Walter Krudop — encourages kids to become the heroes of their own stories, and is full of intuitive games.

The story follows the adventures of a cast of charismatic characters, led by a boy named Pip and his fellow adventurers, Pebble and Finn. Starr’s character is responsible for transporting the trio of explorers on her Cloud Rover in their journey to take back the island from villain Joules Voulter. Starr expressed that performing in the show has been a great experience.

“When I look at these kids and their faces light up… it leaves me with the feeling that they will feel capable after the show,” Starr said.

Starr is also the lead singer of the band DREAMDIVE, another project she’s currently focused on. Fans have described the trio’s musical style as a mix of Coldplay and Bastille with Paramore, she said.

“If I can picture myself running across stage, it’ll be a good song,” Starr said. “Half of the performance is the song and the other half is what you’re doing on-stage.”

The band released its radio-friendly debut single, “Can’t Trust,” in May and the track is currently streaming on Spotify.

“Tucker, who’s the drummer, Danny, our guitarist and Chance, the manager of the band, are all such genuine, great people,” Starr said. “We all share the same love for music, and we’re all equally as dedicated. We want to make a living doing what we love, share good music and make people happy.”