by Conner Sura
The classic children’s novel, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” by Lewis Carroll holds a special place in many hearts. The novel was published in 1865. Can you imagine an Alice in the 21st century?
On Nov. 9, Sartell Middle School premiered its fall play, “Alice @ Wonderland.” It was a re-imaging of the classic story that includes techno touches like the Internet, Google, Smartphone and Sass from its heroine, Alice.
Alice @ Wonderland was written by playwright and New Haven University Professor Johnathan Yukich and published in 2013.
Sartell Middle School theater teacher and director Brooklyn Riggs, when asked how Alice @ Wonderland compares to the original, said “The classic Alice in Wonderland is much more of an innocent girl kind of going through a dream world. And here it’s a little bit different. Our Alice is definitely not quite so. She’s got a bit of an attitude – chip on her shoulder – because she’s got the phone and the apps. And we show a very stark reality that the animated Alice doesn’t. So we’re showing a contrast because the characters in Lewis Carroll’s World of Wonderland don’t know all the modern references Alice is making. Like there’s reference to Starbucks and Google and Smartphones and the Internet. The reality, the real world, is dark and dim and all the color has been sucked out versus Wonderland that’s bright and wonderful because we’re not prisoners to our technology in that world.”
Riggs, who lives in St. Cloud, has more than 20 years of theater experience, with 12 of those years specializing in theater education. She has been teaching at Sartell for two years. Alice @ Wonderland is one of the largest projects she has undertaken with more than 50 cast and crew.
Many of the students share Riggs’ enthusiasm for theater. For most, this was not their first performance. Cast members shared their thoughts on the play.
Eighth-grader Emmaline Brinker of Sartell said she felt amazed when she was cast as the White Rabbit. She said the White Rabbit was always so fun and energetic and so she could imagine herself playing that role.
“Always being original can impact you and your future life,” she said. “And I really feel like it’s amazing how that goes.”
Sixth-grader Charlotte Wills of Sartell, who played The Queen of Hearts, said:
“It’s bigger and funnier because my other roles were with the GREAT Theater Company, so it was only a week, and with this one I had more time to play with my character and really grow.”
Wills praised Riggs for making things exciting, calling her “an incredible director.”
Sixth-grader Avaya Bahen of Sartell performed as one of the three Alices.
“It was so much fun to play Alice,” she said, “because not all the time you can be sassy without getting in trouble.”
Weeks ago, after tryouts, Bahen did not know she’d landed the plum role of Alice until one of her friends showed her the cast list.
Eighth-grader Emily Swinson of Sartell, who played one of the two Cheshire cats, said she was so excited to learn she would get a role in the play.
“This is one of my first times being a bigger character,” she said, “and it was definitely a character I had really wanted to play because the character is not exactly a hero but definitely not a villain and definitely not on Alice’s side.”
Audience members could feel the passion the crew put into the play. The set design was immaculate. The bright, colorful painted props captured the wacky, vibrant and flamboyant world of Wonderland. The performers gave their “all” to their roles – especially Charlotte Wills, who captured the insanity of the Queen of Hearts with exuberance. The shouts and cheers from the audience shook the theater, and one could feel a sense of awe in the air. It was a special production that captured the heart of the classic story while bringing lots of modern interpretive twists to it.
The audience applauds and cheers heartily after watching a large cast perform “Alice @ Wonderland” Nov. 8 at Sartell Middle School. The production was a delightful triumph for the cast and crew and for those who watched the play.
