The Dolores Theater Troupe is presenting the stage version of “Alice in Wonderland” at the end of this week, featuring a cast of students ranging from elementary school to high school.
The production, adapted by Anne Coulter Martens, opens at the main gym on the Dolores School District campus at 7 p.m. Thursday, with additional performances 2 and 7 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students and seniors.
Students described the show as closely following the classic story while incorporating new characters. Rather than Alice (played by Julianna Vega) starting her journey by chasing the White Rabbit (Callie Vaughn) from her home, the story begins directly in Wonderland. The play includes roughly 50 participants, from actors, technical crew, extras and even elementary students who play roles such as flowers, heart children and soldiers.
“I think for me, playing Alice gives me such a great opportunity to work with so many different actors because she meets so many different characters,” Vega told The Journal. “Getting a chance to work with the amazing people that we have in this cast has been really special for me.”
Ben Carpenter, who plays the March Hare, noted that the program allows elementary school students to participate and added that his first play with the program was in fourth grade.
“It introduces a whole new group of people to theater,” he said.
Vega spoke of the sentimentality of playing a lead role after initially playing a background character in elementary school.
“This was actually my first show,” she said. “My first ever show was ‘Alice in Wonderland’ as one of the flowers, and now I’m playing Alice in the same show. That wouldn’t have happened if I wouldn’t have joined back then.”
Jadyn Gorsuch, who plays the Cheshire Cat, is also one of the costume designers for the show, mixing her love of interacting with other students in a theater setting with design.
“It’s our last show. It’s nice to have a part where I can interact with almost everyone in the cast, kind of for a final hurrah,” Gorsuch said. “Then I really like the costume designing part.”
Other popular characters audiences can expect to see on stage include Caterpillar (Sam Lindus), Queen of Hearts (Navaeh Settles), Mad Hatter (Amelia Pym), Tweedledee (Piper Green/Addy Thompson) and Tweedledum (Nyah Gorsuch/Levi Rantz). A host of new characters will also be featured.
Carpenter, Vega and Gorsuch laughed while sharing their favorite parts of playing their characters, which included “being passive aggressive toward Alice” as the March Hare and being “cryptic” as the Cheshire Cat.
The Cheshire Cat also breaks the fourth wall with the audience, drawing them into the story.
“I feel like nothing I say (as the Cheshire Cat) makes sense,” Gorsuch said. “One of my favorite parts is I do a little side piece to the audience every now and again.”
Vega shared the wonder and joy that is possessed by Alice, adding that she hopes the audience picks up on the message behind it.
“I think Alice is so fun to play because she has so much wonder about the world and she’s so excited to meet new people and learn new things,” Vega said. “There’s just so much excitement and joy that I try to put into the character. I think there’s so much value in appreciating the world around you and enjoying every minute of the journey you’re on.”
The actors also highlighted the creative aspects of the costume and set design, which is mostly set in a forest, along with flowers, greenery and another distinct setting that takes place in the trial room between Alice and the Queen of Hearts.
The troupe encouraged community members to attend the production, saying it is a “refreshing” take on a classic.
“I think that the community should come and see the play because it really is built off so much joy,” Vega said. “There is so much heart in the story. That’s why it’s such a classic. It’s been known for generations.”
bduran@the-journal.com
