Middletown High School presents a weekend long show of Alice in Wonderland ending with a special audience participation Mad Hatter Tea Party before the matinee performance. Dates are November 18, 20 at 7 p.m., Friday, November 19, at 8 p.m. and a 2 p.m. performance on the 21st. The kid friendly matinee Tea Party will include members of the cast and cupcakes from 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, the 21st with a showtime of 2 p.m.
Based on Lewis Carroll's novels "The Adventures of Alice and Wonderland" and "In the Looking Glass", the stage adaptation tells the strange tale of Alice, a young and curious daydreamer played by senior Amy Schildwaster, who follows the White Rabbit, played by senior Nathan Fletcher, into a magical land filled with mysterious creatures.
Once Alice drinks a magic potion that shrinks her to a miniature size, she meets the Mad Hatter, played by junior Mike Cho, the White Rabbit played by senior Zak Fletcher and finds she must come up against senior April LaRosa as the Red Chess Queen.
With a cast of over seventy, director Christopher Briggs was able to bring many beloved characters to the stage including a troop of Cards, the Cheshire Cat, the Frog Farmer and others. Briggs, who also designed the minimal sets for the show, says that a lot of the shows whimisical elements will come from the bright and imagintive costumes.
"I'm trying to strike a balance between the lighter and darker elements in the play, with the understanding that we'll have a younger audience and so I'm placing it somehwere between the Tim Burton and the Disney versions," says Briggs, who teaches acting, directing and popular literature at the high school.
Not all the talent is on stage, and Briggs says they've been very fortunate with the proficient students who have been a part of the technical crew including Supervisor Stage Manager Andrea Szegedy-Masvak, currently a junior, along with assisting stage managers (also juniors) Genna Spignesi and Amber Drew. This is the last year for senior Lighting Guru Jordan Brown who has participated both behind and in the spotlight.
Tickets for the show will be available at the door and are $10 for adults and $8 for students under 18 years of age. The Middletown Performing Arts Center is located inside Middletown High School and the lobby entrance is to the right of the main school entrance and next to ample parking. The school is located at 200 LaRosa Lane.
4 comments:
No need for MHS to stage this show. The City, City Council, and the BOE already have this whole Alice in Wonderland thing down pat.
should read "Mayor, City Council and the BOE."
d'oh!
In regard to MHS' production, as opposed to our city's ongoing tragicomedy:
I'd like to give additional kudos to Mrs. Judith Kalinowski, who puts in many hours making costumes for the shows, after teaching physics every day. There's an active parents' group helping out, too.
Speaking as a cast member, there are a few corrections to be made:
Rachel Calter, senior, is Supervising Stage Manager, while Andrea Szegedy-Maszak is Head Stage Manager. Senior Zak Fletcher plays the March Hare, not the White Rabbit, and there is also a show on Saturday November 20th at 7 PM.
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