Theatre as a Rehearsal for Life!

Education Programs at Wheelock Family Theatre

Wheelock Family Theatre’s Education Programs are sustained by both a professional theatre staff and Wheelock College, whose mission is improving the quality of life for children and families. Child-development faculty from Wheelock College work with artist-educators from WFT to create a challenging and rigorous theater curriculum that is available throughout the year. The result is a dynamic and exciting education program for students between the ages of 5 and 18. A scope and sequence process can inspire at any age. Some young people might pursue a career in the arts, some may develop an appreciation for patronage, and others might take the practices of critical thinking and creative problem solving into business or science. WFT wants to develop healthy, caring, engaged citizens with the necessary tools and skill sets for life!

WFT - Pioneers in Access and Inclusion

Since 1981, WFT has interpreted every production in American Sign Language.

Access has not been limited to our audiences—actors who are blind, deaf, and physically disabled have consistently been given performance opportunities on our stage. WFT was one of the few theatres in America to offer a theatre education program for deaf teen-agers, receiving the Coming Up Taller Award from the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities.  From 1992 to1998, PAH! Deaf Youth Theatre provided creative and social learning opportunities for deaf teens. 

WFT's new Director of Education: Lloyd Woodcock

WFT is pleased to welcome Lloyd Woodcock to the Wheelock community as Wheelock Family Theatre’s new Director of Education. Lloyd began on July 1 and already has endeared himself to students, parents, and teachers alike. Prior to WFT, he worked with the celebrated “TADA! Youth Theatre” in New York. As the former Theatre Coordinator of the New York City Department of Education’s public schools, Lloyd oversaw multiple programs and collaborations, including those with the Shubert Foundation and Music Theatre International Broadway Jr.

And a great big thank you to John Bay upon his retirement!

To the Wheelock Community,



It is with mixed emotions that I write to inform you that John Bay is retiring, effective June 30. As WFT’s first full-time Director of Education John built a model program that continues to thrive. Firmly grounded in child development and multiple intelligences theories, he hired and mentored countless teachers in a child-centered approach to teaching and learning through and about the arts. He developed longstanding partnerships with schools and organizations to make classes available to students who are most in need. With intelligence, thoughtful planning, a collaborative spirit, and openness to new approaches, John made the WFT’s education program a crucial component of the theatre.

Understudies in Shrek the Musical at Wheelock Family Theatre!

Thanks Annie for the LOVERLY video celebrating the understudies for Shrek the Musical!

Review Quotes! Everybody Loves Shrek!

“Wheelock's delightful and energetic Shrek sends a positive and timely message about not judging ourselves or others by what's on the outside rather than by what's on the inside. In our looks-obsessed society, it's a message that kids can't hear enough.”
-Margaret Hagemeister; Boston Events Insider

“The performance itself was… full of heart, dedication and sincerity. The ensemble cast sings and dances their hearts out, and their comedic timing is on point.”
-Meghan B. Kelly; WickedLocal.com

WFT Actor: Jessica Ayer in Shrek the Musical

"I remember seeing WFT's production of The Sound of Music with Angela Williams as Maria. This particular show stood out for me because it was my first time seeing a show with non-traditional casting. Before this, I had thought that if the original character was white, then you had to be white and if the original was black, then you had to be black. Being a mixed girl, that did not leave me with many options. So this show truly made me feel like I could do anything. 

I started at Wheelock when I was 6 years old with their summer acting classes. Being the overly-dramatic, high-energy child I was, I automatically fell in love. I remember the teachers made it so much fun that I never wanted to go home. Since then WFT has taught me so many important lessons that I will never forget, the most prominent of which is to never give up. During middle school I dealt with a lot of disappointment during school shows and began to think that acting was not for me. I decided to give it one last shot when I heard that WFT was going to produce Hairspray. As soon as I walked into the first rehearsal I realized why I had fallen in love with WFT and acting so many years before. Everyone was so kind and helpful throughout the whole process. I felt like my 6 year old self again, excited to perform and never wanting to leave a show because WFT felt like home. 

WFT is inspirational - from their non-traditional casting to their ASL performances and affordable prices, there is absolutely no other place like it. I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to grow up here and work with so many talented people. WFT will always hold a special place in my heart."

WHO is SHREK? Christopher Chew at the Wheelock Family Theatre

"Arts education is essential. There can really be no debate about the importance that the arts have on a civilization or more specifically a community. Education without significant contributions from the arts truly does not exist whether school systems and communities acknowledge that or not. The creativity, collaboration, critical thinking and communication fostered through arts education touches every other aspect of education more so than any other discipline. Wheelock Family Theater recognized that long before it became popular to talk about 21st Century Learning Skills or the 4 Cs of successful education. Their mission has been focused on transforming lives through exposure to live theater and education in the arts throughout their successful history. Wheelock Family Theatre has not only participated with the theater community at large in the creating art that transforms lives, WFT has nurtured and established an environment that has been transforming lives of countless individuals fortunate enough to walk through the doors and join this inclusive, wonderful family.

My entire professional career has been devoted to both education and theater. Whether I was teaching a theater course or not, my theater education has profoundly affected my perspective on how I work with students in all of my classes and now as a building principal. My acting career has always been affected by my perspective in education and the awareness of how our choices are perceived by others. My experiences here at WFT have allowed me to bring my entire experience with me to the storytelling craft more so than many of my other performing opportunities. I have treasured each and every aspect of my journey with WFT and value the rich tradition that it has and the magical impact it has on its audiences. It is an honor to be a part of that tradition and a privilege to be able to include my family in the larger Wheelock extended family. As a professional actor, there are not many opportunities to share the stage with my children and my daughter’s participation in this production has been a truly special experience that we will both always treasure. For that, we are both tremendously grateful to WFT and appreciate their contribution and commitment to the wonderful Boston Theater Community!"

Christopher returns to WFT having appeared in The Little Princess, Beauty and the Beast and The Sound of Music.

WFT Actors: Grace Brakeman in Shrek the Musical

"I have always loved coming to see shows at Wheelock Family Theatre since I was a little girl. But when I started taking summer classes and was cast in Ramona Quimby the next year, WFT became my second home. My relationships and experiences at Wheelock over the past ten years have allowed me to become friends with people of all backgrounds and views.
Wheelock is the only place I know of that is committed to excellent productions as well as inclusion and accessibility. In addition to presenting important stories in an engaging way, WFT is special to me because it fosters a nurturing, loving, and accepting atmosphere. I love getting to work together with a team of creative people with distinct perspectives. Just like the fairytale creatures in Shrek encourage each other to 'let their freak flags fly' and embrace their individuality, WFT celebrates people's differences and unique qualities that make them special.
Yet WFT does more than create a supportive environment: It has a progressive policy of non-traditional casting. Wheelock's dedication to color and ability blind casting has cultivated teams of incredibly talented and diverse people. Each child in the audience can be inspired by an actor that they personally identify with.
After closing Shrek (my tenth show at WFT) and moving to Chicago to study in the theatre major at Northwestern University next year, I will dearly miss my WFT 'cast families'. I am forever grateful for the opportunities and coaching at WFT and for Jane Staab, Sue Kosoff and all the wonderful people I have been lucky enough to know here."

Puppet Showplace Theater Celebrates 40 years - with a show at Wheelock!

Puppet Showplace Theater: The 40th Anniversary Exhibit

January 28 - February 21, 2015

Towne Art Gallery at the Wheelock Family Theatre

180 The Riverway, Boston 02215

Gallery Talk: February 11, 2015, noon - 1 p.m.
Reception: January 31, 2015, noon - 2 p.m.
Gallery Closed: February 14, 2015

This exhibition celebrates Puppet Showplace Theater's 40th anniversary by showcasing decades of work by the theater's resident and affiliated artists. Historic puppet characters made by founder Mary Churchill and master puppeteer Paul Vincent-Davis will be presented alongside the work of New England-based puppet companies who have made Puppet Showplace their home. The exhibit will also showcase innovative work by young and emerging artists. Visit www.puppetshowplace.org to learn more.


The exhibition will coincide with Wheelock Family Theatre's production of Pinocchio, featuring puppetry created in collaboration with Puppet Showplace Theater.
 

Girl Scouts and Cookies coming to Pinocchio!

Troop 76269, Brownie & Junior Girl Scouts, will host a cookie sale in the lobby of the Wheelock Family Theatre on Sunday, February 8th at 5pm; after the 3pm show of Pinocchio!

Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Patties, Caramel deLites, Lemonades, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Trefoil Shortbreads, Thanks-A-Lots, and Cranberry Citrus Crisps, all cookies are $4.00 a box.

There is also a new trial cookie; a gluten-free, chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal cookie for $5.00 a bag, "Trios".

Both troops are using the proceeds from the cookie sale to fund badge work, trips and service projects.

Additionally, you can support the Girl Scouts and donate purchased cookies to Rosie's Place. The Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts are involved with Cookies for a Cause and donating to the Greater Boston Food Bank and troops overseas.




Join the Girl Scouts on Sunday February 8!

PINOCCHIO study guide excerpt...

Carlo Collodi, the author of Pinocchio, was born Carlo Lorenzini in 1826 in Florence, Italy. When he began to write for publication, he adopted the name Collodi, after the town in which his mother was born.

As a young man Collodi worked as a bookseller. He later became a journalist, motivated by an interest in Italy’s political situation. At that time Italy was not a unified nation as it is today, but rather a patchwork of governments, many of which were controlled by other countries. Collodi supported a movement to make Italy an independent nation. To that end, at the age of 22 he founded a newspaper called Il Lampione (The Lamp Post), which combined satiric humor and news. The movement was successful and Italy became one nation around 1871, with Rome as its capital.

Collodi continued working as a magazine editor. He also began translating French fairy tales. Writing his own children’s tales was a logical next step. In 1881, Pinocchio appeared as a serial in Giornale dei Bambini (Journal for Children), a magazine responding to the increasing interest in children’s literature. The story of the puppet/boy Pinocchio, whose independent spirit and gullibility land him in increasingly dramatic situations, was immediately popular. Church leaders, however, disapproved, fearing it would encourage a rebellious spirit in the nation’s youth.

Initially Collodi ended the story with Pinocchio hanged in a tree, presumed dead. The author had no intention of reviving him, but the public clamored for Pinocchio’s return. So, Collodi brought the puppet back to life and sent him on even more sensational adventures.

Create Your Own Children’s Newspaper

Like Carlo Collodi, create your own newspaper and fill it with humorous articles.

What is the name of your newspaper?

Write a funny story, or an article poking fun at something.

Illustrate your newspaper, either with your own drawings, or with images from magazines. Remember, the newspaper is supposed to be amusing.

As a reporter, write a humorous article about an episode in a book or a play as if it actually happened.

Create your own new adventure for Pinocchio before he becomes a boy.

Now imagine you are going to write a book called Pinocchio’s Life as a Real Boy. Create an episode of his life as a boy, and share your story with the class.  How do the adventures compare? Which stories do you prefer?

 

NEW PLAYS 2014

Emerging Playwrights Program

New Play Staged Readings: Sunday December 14 at 7:00pm

Free and Open to the Public

Wheelock Family Theatre’s 34th season of high-quality theatre not only entertains young people but also challenges students to examine themselves, their relationships with others, and the world in which they live. WFT producer, Wendy Lement, teaches the Emerging Playwrights Program, a dynamic and exciting drama curriculum that develops playwriting skills, encourages dialogue, and promotes collaboration.

 

 

The Man Who Dreamed of Being God, by Max Wheeler (directed by Daniel Bolton) with Sam Lathrop and Christopher Spencer.

SISTERhood, by Joseph Rowland– (directed by Korinne T. Ritchey) with Alisha Jansky* and  Susan Lombardi-Verticelli*.

Mistakes, by Dinia Clairveaux  (directed by M. Lynda Robinson) with  Kimetra Thompson and Sonya Raye*.

Boots With The Fur, by Anastasia Lamothe (directed by Donna Sorbello) with Poornima Kirby and Alexandra Nader*.

THE BEST OF THEM, by Channtel Ravenell (directed by Fran Weinberg) with Anthony M. Mullin and Melissa Healey*.

We Don’t Like You, by Reid Merzbacher (directed by Adam Sanders) with Grace Trapnell and Simon Kiser.

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association

 

• Box Office: 617-879-2300; tickets@wheelock.edu
• Date and Time: Sunday December 14 at 7:00pm
• Tickets: Free!
• Website: www.WheelockFamilyTheatre.org
• Location: 180 The Riverway on the campus of Wheelock College in Boston’s Fenway district
• Parking: MASCO garage at 375 Longwood Avenue
• MBTA: Fenway or Longwood on Green Riverside Line (D train); CT busses to Beth Israel

Wheelock Family Theatre: Access and Inclusion

At the final performance of ALICE, WFT regularly offers ASL interpretation for our patrons who are Deaf, and a live Audio-description for our patrons who are Blind. On this date, our pal Ona came to see the show. Ona is deaf and blind - so she got an extensive tactile tour onstage before the show began and we provided two interpreters for her. Always a big project but WFT loves Ona AND Ona LOVED the show!

 

ALICE. a dramashop at the Eliot Pearson Children's School

Today was another day of bliss and busy fun in our kindergarten classroom. John from the Wheelock Family Theatre came and told the children the story of the play they will be seeing tomorrow. It was fantastic! He told them that the play is an adaptation of the Alice in Wonderland story, so there will be some things that will be different from the original story and from the Disney version. For one thing, the main character, Alice, is played by an African American actress, and not depicted as a blond haired, blue-eyed child. John explained that Wheelock Family Theatre strives to give its audience the chance to see people like them performing on stage. After offering a summary of the story, he asked if anyone would like to do a little acting exercise - being a caterpillar. Three children volunteered.

After today's morning meeting about riding the school bus and viewing Alice the Musical, I expect that the children are ready for our school-wide adventure and will likely have a great time tomorrow. Here are a few pictures taken during their meeting with John.

A Review of ALICE at Wheelock Family Theatre

October 24, 2014
By: Ali Hutchinson, editor and publisher of Macaroni Kid Newton-Brookline

Last weekend, my son, friend, and I were guests of the Wheelock Family Theatre for their production of Alice.  We attended the Sunday afternoon performance which was scheduled to begin at 3:00pm.  The literature on the production recommends the show for children ages 6 and up, so I decided to leave my 4 year old son at home.  In hindsight, although he most likely would not have been able to follow along with the plot, the action and colorful costumes most likely would have captured his attention enough to keep him engaged. 

From the moment we sat down, my son began asking questions about the set.  "Why is there a bed momma? Is Alice going to start there?  What is the wood on the side for?  Will they be going up and down?"  It was exciting to see the sparks of imagination fly and the intrigue build as we waited for the show to begin. I could tell he was anticipating and wondering about the show. The set design was creative and multi-purpose.  Many pieces were used for different purposes in different scenes throughout the show.

WFT's closed captioning along the side wall for the entire script was not nearly as distracting as I had initially thought it might be.  As a matter of fact, it turned out to be quite helpful.  My second grader who is learning to read and who sometimes misinterprets words in songs was able to follow along with the characters as they spoke and sang.  I never heard, "what did she say"?  He was able to refer to the closed captioning and figure it out for himself.

The show itself quickly drew us in. Right from Alice's (Maritza Bostic) first song, I began to feel for her; able to identify with a time when I wanted to do anything except that which was expected of me.  I remember the feeling when my parents said, "Don't disappoint me". That feeling was evident on Alice's face.  Between the characters facial expressions, voices, and mannerisms, we all felt as if we suddenly became a part of this world; a friend of Alice's; and we were making this journey with her.

I was especially impressed with the young actress who plays Alice's cat Dinah(Julia Talbot), and then dons a puppet to take on the persona of the Cheshire Cat.  At only 14 years old, both her physical interpretation of a cat's behavior and her vocal deliverance of the lines were strikingly accurate and those realms of reality and fantasy began to collide.

Alice's interactions with the Mouse (William Gardiner) were especially endearing; displaying tender conversations and moments of what you imagine might go on between Alice and her father.  The scenes with the Duchess and Cook as well as the Tea Party with the Mad Hatter, Hare, and Dormouse infused physical comedy into the show. There was also action in the aisles at times.  A range of emotions are felt as Alice finally finds her garden, is disappointed as it no longer looks how she imagined, and then comes to a realization about growing up.  Even my 7 year old looked up at me at one point with tears in his eyes.  Even as a young theatre goer, he was able to be drawn into the lives and emotions of the characters.  It is truly a magical show when a performance can cross ages and generations and have the same effect on vastly different people with different experiences.

I have to mention that by far the best part of the show for my son was after it was over, when the cast lined up in the foyer and were available for pictures and autographs.  He was enamored!  And although we got pictures with almost all of the cast, I'll share just a couple. The cast does this after every Sunday afternoon show.

Here he is with Alice and then with a couple of the Flower Buds. If you hadn't considered going to see the show, consider it.  Alice runs on Friday nights at 7:30, Saturdays and Sundays at 3pm.  

Please note:  I was given press tickets to review this show for my readers.  All of the ideas and statements in this article are my own.  

"Alice" at Wheelock finds balance for young and old audiences

Metro Boston - 10/22/2014  -Nick Dussault

The Wheelock Family Theatre kicks off its 34th season with “Alice,” a new musical adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic books “Alice in Wonderland” and “Alice through the Looking Glass.”

Written and directed by 24-year-old Stoneham native (and frequent Wheelock performer) Andrew Barbato, “Alice” takes the audience on a fun trip down the rabbit hole for a coming-of-age tale that’s sure to resonate with people of all ages. Barbato's script finds a sweet spot somewhere between fairy tale and the acid trippiness of Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit."

Rife with humor (some of which goes right over the younger heads in the crowd), “Alice” also boasts some not-so-subtle messages including the belief that nothing is impossible, the importance of what you do for others, and the high price of perfectionism.      

While Barbato’s enthusiasm for the story is clear from the start, his narrative sometimes loses its way. In Act I you might find yourself wondering who’s who and how you got to certain places. But stick with it. By the time you get to the Mad Hatter’s tea in Act 2, everything makes sense, except, of course, the logic of the locals at the tea.

Though the music, written by Lesley DeSantis, isn’t something you’ll be singing on your way out the door, it is warm, touching and perfectly appropriate for this piece. Alice (a vocally stunning Maritza Bostic) and the Queen of Hearts (the always-impressive Leigh Barrett) share the show’s finest musical moment, a lump-in-your-throat rendition of “Paint the Roses Red.”

Aubin Wise also delivers a standout performance as the White Queen, while Alexandra Nader shines in her stellar turn as the Cook. Russell Garrett finds the perfect amount of mad for the Mad Hatter and Jenna Lea Scott shines as the Frog Footman.

Matthew Lazure’s set (which feels like it could work in a Tim Burton film) is the perfect backdrop for “Alice” while Scott Clyve’s lighting design greatly enhances the magic of Barbato’s impressive debut production.

 

Wheelock Family Theatre's ALICE Appeals to the Little Ones

BWW Reviews : by Nancy Grossman

 

 

Wheelock Family Theatre opens its 34th season with Alice, a musical reimagining of Lewis Carroll's classics, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass. WFT veteran Andrew Barbato wrote the adaptation and directs the production featuring a garden of flower buds played by children who may one day follow in his footsteps, as well as some perennials on local theater stages who deserve to have more than a few bouquets tossed their way. From seedlings to adolescents to full-grown, the vibrant members of this ensemble are all ready to embark on the journey with Alice, down the rabbit hole and wherever it may lead.

Alice is set in two worlds: the real world (circa 1900) of a young girl waking up on her 13th birthday, and the fantasy world she escapes to in search of her dreams. Her excursion is a little like that of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, as she encounters strange beings in a strange land and learns that most of your dreams can be fulfilled from the comfort of your own bed. Feeling misunderstood by her strict mother (Leigh Barrett, in fine voice) and older sister (Jennifer Elizabeth Smith), Alice (the delightful Maritza Bostic) skips out on her birthday party in an effort to hold on to her childhood just a little bit longer. Enthralled by the notoriously tardy White Rabbit (a hare-brained Stephen Benson), Alice follows him, the first of many risky choices she'll make on this important day.

Adapting from two of Carroll's works required Barbato to pick and choose the segments of the stories that he thought would be the most compelling. Among the familiar tropes are Alice growing and shrinking to try to get through a door; the Tea Party with the Mad Hatter (Russell Garrett), the Dormouse (Merle Perkins), and the March Hare (Jane Bernhard) telling Alice there's no room for her at their long table; and the Queen of Hearts (Barrett in all her regal glory) demanding that all of the roses in her garden be painted red. Barbato bookends Alice's trip with adventures on the high seas with Mouse (William Gardiner), giving her an opportunity to find some skills she didn't know she possessed, and introduces the lesser-known beautiful White Queen (Aubin Wise) who acts as a supportive spirit guide to the young girl. Alice starts out looking for an escape, but learns that you can always keep your childhood dreams, even if letting go is part of growing up.

Despite the selective process that leaves the show at about two hours (plus intermission), Alice could benefit from some judicious editing. There's a plethora of life lessons to be taught, but in act one the pace feels frenetic, one scene and musical number tumbling into the next in order to get them all in. There are seventeen songs before intermission (and another ten in the second act), making it hard to distinguish or remember many. I'm not sure that every character has to have a song. For example, out of nowhere, the Frog Footman (Jenna Lea Scott) sings about being lonely and, although Scott sings it beautifully, it's one that could go. The Tea Party trio does a cute little song and dance, but not until the conclusion of their overly-long scene at the top of act two. If some of the book segments could be cut, the flow of the remaining scenes and existing songs might improve.

The eclectic score includes, among other genres, bluesy and gospel music, as well as a sea shanty. Musical Director Robert L. Rucinski conducts a four-piece orchestra, sitting in at the piano himself, and they handle the load well. The singers are never over-powered, but (note to sound designer Roger J. Moore) there were a few instances when actors started speaking before their mics kicked in at the Saturday matinee performance I attended. The ensemble is loaded with vocal talent, but Wise and Robin Long (Duchess) deserve special mention, as does the harmonic pairing of Dashiell Evett (Tweedle Dee) and Noah Virgile (Tweedle Dum). The designers - Matthew T. Lazure (set), Scott Clyve (lighting), Marjorie Lusignan (props) - create a wonderful playground, and Lisa Simpson's costumes resonate in both worlds of the play.

Despite its flaws, there is much to recommend Alice and more than a little credit lands on the shoulders of Bostic. Although we know she's a recent college graduate, she makes us believe that she's a thirteen year old girl and, more importantly, reminds us to believe in ourselves and our dreams. There were lots of little ones in the audience and the show seemed to hold their attention, although it didn't always hold mine. For me, there wasn't quite enough wonder and magic as a percentage of the whole play, which is why I think that less might be so much more.

ALICE - a new musical

Edge Media 10/20/14 - Kilian Melloy

Has any children's book sparked so much interest, and so many re-interpretations across so many forms of media, as Lewis Carroll's 1965 novel "Alice in Wonderland" and its sequel, published six years later, "Through the Looking-Glass?"

The first film adaptation hit screens in 1903; since then there have been multiple Cineplex and television versions of the story, with a forthcoming follow-up to the 2010 Tim Burton big-screen version now in production.

On stage, the first musical version of "Alice in Wonderland' went up in 1886; two operas, a ballet, and a musical with song by Tom Waits (!!) all followed.

Now, Boston's own Andrew Barbato has chimed in with his own musical, titled -- as was the Tom Waits-involved project -- "Alice." The world premiere of the new "Alice" is ongoing now through Nov. 16 at the Wheelock Family Theatre. The thumbnail review is this: As with so many Wheelock productions, you can (and ought to) take the kids to this one. And you don't want to miss it.

Barbato has clearly scrutinized Carroll's books, but he's not slavish to them. There's a shift in emphasis, away from Lewis Carroll's political satire and onto the question... or problem... of time -- or, rather, a human awareness of time's passage, something that children scarcely register but that weighs ever more heavily on adults.

This Alice (played by Maritza Bostic) faces her thirteenth birthday with more than a trace of apprehension. Her mother (Leigh Barrett), a laced-up Victorian sort, experts Alice to behave as a proper young lady and entertain the guests at her party with a piano recital. Alice isn't so sure about going from child to young woman instantaneously, and as a function of the calendar; she determines to run away. Cue the white rabbit (Stephen Benson), the plunge down the rabbit hole, the Cheshire Cat (Julia Talbot), and all manner of elixirs that expand the mind, enlarge and shrink the body, and make doorways of opportunity into splendid gardens (or tragic wastelands) either possible or not.

Seen from a child's perspective, the world of adults is unfathomably arbitrary, not to mention inexplicably convoluted and obscure. Barbato holds on to that sense of things being askew, but streamlines the narrative so that the Cheshire Cat puts in more than a cameo appearance (she's actually more of a guide in this version) and Alice's goal -- to find her way into the fabulous garden of the Queen of Hearts (Barrett, doing nicely symbolic double duty), by way of the Queen's fancy party -- is more easily traced.

Familiar episodes abound, but they have been given a different twist to fit into the new thematic thrust. Tweedle Dee (Dashielle Evett) and Tweedle Dum (Noah Virgile) appear as brothers reluctantly compelled by their masculine pride to settle differences by means of combat -- even though, like Alice, they seem to want to hold on to childhood a bit longer.

A murine boatman (William Gardiner) ferries Alice around, the Caterpillar (Elbert Joseph) lounges on a staircase in an imaginatively staged manner, the Frog Footman (Jenna Lea Scott), armed with twisty logic, guards the gateway into what might be considered domesticity and motherhood, and -- of course, because this just wouldn't be Alice or Wonderland without it -- the Mad Hatter (Russell Garrrett) and March Hare (Jane Bernhard) host their tea party, narcoleptic Dormouse (Merle Perkins) their eternal guest.

But always there's the underlying sense that Alice is slowly coming to terms with impending adulthood; after all, she can run away from home, but she cannot escape the clock, and its ticking follows her at every turn.

That's not the play's only audible element. This is, after all, a musical, and Barbato proves to be a talented songwriter. He's prepared about 30 songs for this play; they fit the material as well as the script, with its carefully judged tweaks to the source material, does. In an early song, Alice and her mother both lament that they need "Another Person's Life"; while shipboard with the mouse at the helm, Mouse and Alice engage in a duet called "Sea As Our Guide," a deft shorthand evoking the act of faith that growing up is in and of itself.

When the terrifying Queen of Hearts -- lopper of heads, erratic tyrant and ultimate mother figure -- finally grants Alice entree to her garden, the two duet on "Paint the Roses Red," a paean to transformation that touches upon fertile physicality as much as on intellectual maturation.

In one way, this "Alice" is a generally faithful adaptation, despite some quite striking departures; in another, however, it's an updated re-imagining that speaks to a 21st century audience while identifying new elements of universal appeal. No need to update the character -- Alice is still a little Victorian girl, and it would have been crass to re-cast her as a contemporary American.

What's fresh and exciting is how the play understands that even plugged-in, tech-savvy modern children, their iPhones and other devices in hand, speak the timeless language of children and view the world from a stature different from that of adults -- a stature in flux, allowing the world to be in flux, also.

"Alice" Grows Up in New Musical Wonderland

Arts Fuse 10/22/2014

Andrew Barbato’s musical turns the Dormouse, the White Queen, and even the Red Queen (“Off with their heads!”) into nurturing Montessori teachers, concerned with comforting and reassuring an upset Alice.

By Lin Haire-Sargeant

There is much to enjoy in the Wheelock Family Theater’s Alice, a musical interpretation of Lewis Carroll’s high Victorian children’s books Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There (1872).

Talented 24-year-old playwright Andrew Barbato has imagined an entertaining coming-of-age story for Alice (ably played by Maritza Bostic). It’s the morning of her 13th birthday, and Alice dreads attending a party where she must mind her manners and play the piano for guests. Her imaginary world, Wonderland, is her only escape. As designed by Matthew T. Lazure, Wonderland’s vertical stage-filling maze of wooden trunks, platforms, ladders, and staircases contains plenty of places for Alice to hide, fall down rabbit holes, and change sizes. Beloved characters from the books (The Queen of Hearts, The White Queen, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Cheshire Cat, and many more) are arranged around the set like statues that come alive and interact with Alice. In the story that follows there are lively song-and-dance numbers; there are tears; there is laughter. As the playwright explained in a post-show discussion, each scene teaches Alice a different lesson about growing up. By the end of the play, Alice has been successfully coaxed to attend her party and to accept her impending womanhood.

But there’s a problem.

Lewis Carroll didn’t want Alice to grow up.

Alice’s adventures were told by Charles Dodgson (pen name Lewis Carroll) to 10-year-old Alice Liddell and her two sisters on a series of idyllic boat-ride picnics on the River Thames in the summer of 1862. He imagined for the children a glimmering alternative world, viewed through the golden gauze of summer afternoons. Alice’s father Henry Liddell was dean of Christ Church at Oxford University, where Dodson taught mathematics. The writer cherished his friendship with this distinguished family. Though shy and uncomfortable with grownups, in the company of little girls he blossomed. Adept at magic tricks, comic verse, and genteel, childish puns, his relationships with his numerous “child friends” were correct but intensely loving. It was not thought odd or alarming at the time that a grown man would be fixated upon little girls; indeed, all the evidence confirms that Dodgson never committed an impropriety. But he remained an unmarried bachelor all his life. Is there anyone less likely to create a story celebrating maturity, aside from J. M. Barrie, creator of Peter Pan? Alice cannot grow up any more than Peter. Carroll’s delightful imaginative world depended on Alice NOT celebrating the birthday that would take her to womanhood.

In addition, anyone who tries to faithfully adapt the Alice stories for dramatic presentation encounters a formidable obstacle: drama depends on development. Films can count on spectacle; a few successfully reproduce the static anarchy of the Alice books, such as Disney’s cheerfully nonsensical 1951 animated Alice in Wonderland and, on a darker note, Czech Jan Svankmajer’s surrealist 1988 stop-motion Alice. But a theater production is more earthbound—it has to get somewhere. But Carroll’s books are word-art. On the page, the transformations Alice goes through can happen as quickly and as effortlessly as a child can imagine—there is no worry over emotional impact or symbolic meaning. Many of the originals for Carroll’s poetic parodies can be known only through footnotes; others, like the tail-shaped lyric “A Mouse’s Tale,” must be seen on the page to be appreciated. This kind of intimate charm is not stageable.

Barbato’s version departs from Carroll’s in other ways. Barbato’s 13-year-old heroine is emotional and vulnerable. Carroll’s Alice may be a 7-year-old upper-class Victorian female, but she is as tough as Winston Churchill in the face of danger. She is never fazed by the behavior of Wonderland’s rude and self-absorbed characters; her automatic good manners and perfect poise smooth over any encounter. In fact, it’s vital that the characters are indifferent to Alice. She has to take her own fate in hand, and she does. In contrast, Barbato’s play turns the Dormouse, the White Queen, and even the Red Queen (“Off with their heads!”) into nurturing Montessori teachers, concerned with comforting and reassuring an upset Alice. Furthermore, whereas mathematician and logician Carroll uses the rules and pieces of games (cards, croquet, and chess) to supply a firm scaffolding for his witty chaos, Barbato eschews game structure for the biological imperative: grow or die.

That said, perhaps imposing a coming-of-age plot on Alice was the best option open to playwright and adapter Barbato. It is a time-honored story format that works well on stage, with child protagonists engaging in struggles that move them from ignorance into knowledge. The Wheelock Family Theater has a strong history of producing such plays. Recent seasons have included The Miracle Worker, The Secret Garden, and Anne of Green Gables: all of these stories center on girl protagonists who overcome trauma in order to reach self-determination. Alice acquires power too, regulating her size to suit the situation and finally reaching the garden that is her goal. Barbato makes good use of these factors—in one effective scene a long skirt is unfurled from the top of the set and Alice pops up above it, suddenly 20 feet tall. At the end of the play, Alice herself creates the garden she has been desiring by imagining it—child actors’ flower bud hats suddenly sprout outsized bright flowers. “The garden is all around you,” Alice learns. “Nothing is impossible.” These are fine lessons for children, and Barbato is to be applauded for including them.

Still, it must be noted that some children like their Alice “real.” In a post-show discussion, about 20 children crowded the front rows, eager to question the playwright. The first asked, “Why did you change Alice up?” Barbato answered that he had chosen the parts he liked best from the Alice books and movies and made that into a new play. Another question followed: “Why didn’t you just make the play out of the book?” Barbato replied that it wouldn’t have been any fun for the script to tell the same story as the book. “But some plays do,” the child insisted. Other questioners asked why some things were left out of the stage adaptation, and why characters from Through the Looking-Glass were mixed in with a mostly Wonderland-inspired play. The children debated Alice’s age: “She’s ten.” “No, seven and a half!” “No, she’s about five!” and wanted to know the actors’ ages. It turns out that several of the “flower buds” (some as young as nine) were products of Wheelock’s acting programs for children. The age of the woman playing the Cheshire Cat was a big surprise. Julia Talbot’s movement and acting skills would be impressive in an adult, but she’s only 14, another Wheelock acting alum.

Other performance standouts: Jenna Lea Scott, delightfully funny as the Frog Footman; Russell Garrett, who brought the whimsical polish of the British Music Hall tradition to the role of the Mad Hatter; and Aubin Wise as the White Queen—her gospel-diva singing has no logical connection to the setting, but she’s such a pro that it is a joy to go wherever she leads. The Duchess (Robin Long) and the Cook (Alexandra Nader) convulsed the audience with housekeeping so crazy that it turns their baby into a pig! Finally, Elbert Joseph as the speaking part of the Caterpillar (four other actors played his lower segments down a spiral staircase) haughtily interrogates Alice in dialogue straight from the Carroll text. Actors, musicians, designers, and production staff bring energy and polish to this production of a new work.

Alice’s score, written by Lesley DeSantis, dutifully samples cabaret and gospel styles. The production’s performers generally deliver the tunes via the now declamatory Broadway mode: enthusiasm trumps nuance. It did not help that during the first act the voices of the singers were amplified to the point of pain. The volume was turned down in act two, which at least made listening more comfortable. Aubin Wise’s beautiful voice and expert delivery stood out, as did the antic vocal turns of Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee (Noah Virgile and Dashiell Evett). Pianist Robert L. Rucinski’s versatile ensemble was excellent throughout, accompanying the singers with tact and steadiness.

The production I attended drew an impassioned young audience, in the know about Alice and more than ready to be thrilled by a retelling of her story. The widespread graying of the theater-going demographic is not apparent at the WFT, where the majority of the people onstage and in the audience are, as Shakespeare would say, in their salad days. If nothing else, this Alice confirms something that we tend to forget at our peril—that theater is a special enthusiasm of the young.