Words mean what we say they mean. But who— who— are— you? Are you who you say you are? Do you expect to believe that you are who you say you are? Are you— Alice? Do you know Alice By Heart? Book by Steven Sater (lyrics too) & Jessie Nelson? Music by Duncan Sheik? If you weren’t able to answer yes to any of those questions, then you should tumbled own the rabbit hole by way of Street Lamp Community Theatre to experience this rarely produced musical gem. Directed by Matthew Peterson with Musical Direction by Mia Bray and Choreography by Christi Janney, this maudlin but evocative, tragic but beautiful explorative tale tumbles the audiences down Alice’s rabbit hole in a much darker way than usual. (As if Lewis Caroll’s original adventures weren’t darkly curious enough!) Set amid the London blitz in World War II, a bedraggled band of survivors find themselves sheltering in place in a London underground tube station where all Alice Spencer wishes to do is escape to her own personal Wonderland, which she knows by heart.
Some of the brilliant simplicities that oft arise at Street Lamp Community Theatre is the versatility of the minimalist set. Built by Kevin Woods under Matthew Peterson’s vision, you get a lone double-stack platform in one corner, a singular high-rise tower in the other, and stationary boxes for each of the characters to lean upon when they’re in the reality of war-decimated London. And that’s it. Save for a table that might appear itself during the Mad Hatter’s tea party. It’s Peterson’s blocking and Christi Janney’s succinct choreography that make the minimalist approach work; with as many as 15 people on the stage at any one time, spatial alignment, awareness, positioning of people, and execution of moves is crucial to successful pacing and visuals in this particular production.
Peterson also serves as the show’s Lighting Designer and there are a lot of colorful effects programed throughout to set the mode and tone of various scenes. Teals and blues bathe the play space for “Those Long Eyes”, which probably could have more aptly been named ‘The Lobster Ballet’ as it features exactly that in its choreographic routine, while blinking bright whites and angry reds are featured for “Isn’t It a Trial?” and “Do You Think We Think You’re Alice?” as The Queen of Hearts is featured heavily in this number. Peterson helps the cast find little ways to transition into their wonderland selves, with the most elaborate perhaps being The Queen of Hearts herself (the card-crown, and bloody-hand-print dress and full-face of pale makeup) whereas others are more subtle— a simple pink and purple knit-cap for Cheshire Cat and three wristwatches stitched across the button-down shirt for when Alfred becomes the White Rabbit. It’s a symbolic nod as to how the lines of fantasy and reality are quite blurred in the living hellscape that is the London Blitz. And the deeply harrowing symbolism of the tortoise shells that look just like soldier helmets during “Your Shelf of Grief” is lost on nobody.
Christi Janney’s choreography makes full use of the stage, limited space though it is. Whether it’s the terrifying marching assault during “Brillig Braelig” or the little flamingo hand-jerks during “Manage Your Flamingo” or the wavy-wiggly-worm-wonder that is crafted from the entire ensemble during “Chillin’ the Regrets”, you get the sense that Janney knows both Wonderland and the black box with a intimate familiarity. There’s a waltz of sorts during “Those Long Eyes” but the really trippy dancing (is not just the wiggle-worm thing happening during “Chillin’ the Regrets”) is the ‘tumbling down the rabbit hole’ and ‘flight lifts’ that happen to both Alice and Alfred as they descend into Wonderland. It’s suspension of disbelief at its finest as ensemble members ‘fly/tumble’ these two characters and it’s beautifully wondrous strange to behold.
Mia Bray brings together glorious, exquisitely harmonized sounds for this production. Some sound balance issues (which will hopefully be adjusted) at the beginning with the tracks overbearing even some of the more powerful soloists, those aside, the ensemble sounds stunning. Particularly as they traverse their way through Duncan Shiek’s dazzlingly torturous and simply gorgeous score. Clever lyrics by Steven Sater drift down into Shiek’s music like fine mist and under Bray’s musical direction with this talented cast it’s a remarkable aural experience. Emotion is at the forefront of each song, whether it’s a groovy trippy feel, one of cautious optimism, fury-driven rebellion, or the deepest despair; Bray ensures each musical moment is lived fully with an excellent range of feelings and a perfect blend of harmonies, pitches, and belted sustains.
Young Alice (Carly Greaver) and Young Alfred (Noah Casey) appear for but moments, first at the very beginning as a memory, then as spectral-style counterparts during “Afternoon” and it’s a harrowing but bittersweetly beautiful moment, particularly when you hear Greaver and Casey’s dulcet tones blended against Alice and Alfred during that number. Watching them in that frozen moment of shadow light, Greaver and Casey are seated stage right on the lowest tier of the plinth-stack, staring into their storybook as real-time Alice and Alfred’s story comes to a close during “Afternoon” and it’s a truly evocative moment.
The ensemble— which is everyone except Alice & Alfred (and their younger counterparts)— are vocally sublime. Isabel Bray, Kalea Bray, Dirk Carr, Natalie Giovan, Alana Guardipee, Lindsay Hamilton, Scout Hoerl, Grayson Mallon, Molly McVicker, Michael McDonald, Elizabeth Ostrusky, Sydney Ridgely, Madeline Saldaña, Lindsay Serio, nearly all of whom also take up named Wonderland characters throughout the journey, exist as a powerhouse bunch when it comes to singing, emoting, and telling their story. Watching them as the traumatized, shattered, shells of human beings at the beginning (they all have real names though the only one whose real name you ever hear much if any of is Harold Pudding) is unsettling at best and sets the tone for the show. Watching them transform into their warped, twisted, mad Wonderland counterparts is fascinating if not entirely frightening.
Michael McDonald is one such, starting off as the simple doctor amid the melee in the underground; becoming the Jabberwocky for “Brillig Braelig” has the audience shying back into their seats to get further back from the stage as he’s quite imposing and fearsome. Grayson Mallon, as the Duchess, has somewhat of the opposite effect. Though his piercing shrieks in that highly-affected vocal choice for the character has the audience stuffing their ears with scones and tea biscuits, the over-the-top campy nature with which Mallon executes the movements in this character are hilarious. And his astonishing blast-belts at the end of “Manager Your Flamingo” is as jarring and blindsiding as the bomb-drop SFX that blasts the cast back into their traumatic underground reality.
Our easygoing, slick and smooth Caterpillars (primary— Madeline Saldaña, secondary— Dirk Carr) lend almost sinfully slippery vocals to “Chillin’ the Regrets” and Saldaña in particular has a masterful hand on the slinky body language, which is perfectly suited for this number. The deranged behavior jolting out of Elizabeth Ostrusky when she becomes Mad Hatter is terrifying; particularly when she faces the audience with that dead-eye stare during “Sick to Death of Alice-ness.” This number features Ostrusky, Natalie Giovan as Dormouse and Chris Williams as Alfred-come-White-Rabitt-pretending to be March Hare (it’s as confusing as a generic dive down the rabbit hole!) and it’s definitely one of the more sinister numbers in the piece but deeply disarming in how much it makes you want to retreat back into your seat.
Molly McVicker’s portrayal of Cheshire Cat is a burbling and curious blend of cheeky nonsense, mordant humor, and glimpses of weathered reality all rolled up into one enigmatic and engaging experience, if only for a moment as the black-light UV effect nearly blinks her out of existence at times! When her voice graces into Alice’s “Somethings Fall Away” there is a full wave of mystery, intrigue, and grief plentifully present. McVicker carries the doleful tune for “Those Long Eyes” as well, narrating the dance as Alice and Alfred-WhiteRabbit look on from the high tower stage left.
Erratic, unsettling, vocally sublime and visually intense, Alana Guardipee delivers a mercurial presentation of the Queen of Hearts. Between the deranged facial expressions, particularly her overly animated eyes, and the vocal insanity she’s got going on when speaking, it’s like being drawn to a flaming car-crash painted in bloody red hearts. You’re intrinsically pulled into her performance, terrified of and by it, and desperate to get back to safety but are unable to look away; it’s incredibly evocative and experiential. You get a proper blast of her vocal prowess during both “Isn’t it a Trial?” and “Do you Think We Think You’re Alice?” It’s intense!
Radiant and bright, despite the condition of Alfred, Christopher Williams has mellifluous vocals that are perfect for the many blended duets that he gets to perform opposite of Alice (Abigail Edwards.) Vocally versatile, just like Edwards, Williams spends a lot of time with the syrupier ballad-style numbers, though its gorgeous and perfectly pitched. “The Key Is…” and “Still” are just musical gems that grace the ear in vocal capabilities of both Williams and Edwards. As the titular character, Edwards has a great many moments where the tempestuous emotional maelstrom in which she’s tossed is exploding all throughout her singing voice. Clinging to sanity by a thread, you get a powerhouse rendition of “I’ve Shrunk Enough” from Edwards (accompanied by Molly McVicker’s Cheshire Cat and Williams’ White Rabbit/Alfred in this whole-cast number.) The pair do an extraordinary job navigating the turbulent waters of their existence both in and out of Wonderland.
Curious? Yes. But wonderful too. This melancholy, macabre production that so beautifully blends an iconic children’s fairytale with the grim realities of World War II, and so brilliantly presented in such an intimate play space as Street Lamp Community Theatre’s black box stage. So down the rabbit hole you go and there you are! At Alice By Heart with Street Lamp Community Theatre. But don’t hesitate— or you’ll be late, be late, be late! And this show, much like the vanishing body of the Cheshire puss will disappear right before your eyes!
Running Time: Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission
Alice By Heart plays through April 6th 2025 at Street Lamp Community Theatre— 5 Valley View Drive in Rising Sun, MD. For tickets call the box office at (410) 658-5088 or purchase them online.
