Every musical theater performance has a goal, to get the audience to suspend their disbelief and lose themselves in a wonderful world of storytelling and magic– “Alice by Heart” does just that.
This story follows a teenage girl, Alice Spencer, who disappears into the classic tale of “Alice in Wonderland.” It follows her down the rabbit hole to hide out underground, escaping the horrifying landscape of WWII England and dealing with the loss of her best friend, Alfred.
The play wrapped up on Feb. 16, debuting on Feb. 8.
This is the first Department of Theatre production since 2021 to have a live orchestra performing in the pit. The music is by Duncan Sheik, and lyrics were written by Steven Sater.
The musical numbers and instrumentation in “Alice by Heart” play a critical role in taking the audience to Wonderland. The live musicians are able to follow the characters’ emotions and play whimsical melodies and chimes to transport the audience.
Senior musical theatre major Julia Gustafson, who plays Alice, said the music in the show has a very imaginative quality to it.
“[My favorite moment is] ‘Down the Hole.’ It brings us to Wonderland, and there’s so much joy in it, especially for my character who gets swept up in the fantasy of it. It’s so fun. It’s so magical, getting able to be swept up in my imagination like that,” Gustafson said.
The musical is based on the book by Steven Sater and Jessie Nelson. The musical itself was directed and choreographed by Alison Levenberg, with musical direction by Alex Lefevre.
At the start of the show, the set reflects what the characters are living through, a bleak and depressing time in history that is overwhelmed with grief and sadness. However, Alice recalls the story of “Alice in Wonderland” to help her escape from reality of the underground tunnel which transforms into a magical world with colorful characters.
One of the ways the set changes is through the use of lighting and props. Both of these elements are used very intentionally to change the landscape and represent wonderland but still allow the wartime reality to poke through.
Assistant professor Chian-Ann Lu, who is the lighting designer for “Alice by Heart,” said there’s challenges and strengths to switching between each ambiance during the play.
“The challenge is to create realism and surrealism because they are overlapping with each other constantly,” Lu said. “Sometimes there’s a magical moment and then they’re drawn back to reality.”
The use of handheld and on-stage props is also intentional. Characters and ensemble actors use items such as crutches and helmets that would be commonly found in wartime London.
“They’re dancing with crutches on stage, and they’re dancing with blankets and moving things around the stage,” sophomore musical theatre major and assistant choreographer Carly Palmetto said. “The props are challenging, but they do an amazing job.”
The musical “Alice by Heart” reminded some of the actors and cast members of small, magical moments that can be found in everyday life.
“If we were to use the story to reflect on our life right now it should help us understand what to hold precious to us, look at what is most important to us in the current moment,” Lu said.
PHOTO GALLERY BY KELLER GOLDSTEIN, PHOTOGRAPHER:
