Alice's Wonderland at Coterie
Alice's Wonderland A World Premiere Musical Showing at Coterie June 21 - Aug 7, 2022
- PRICE: $14.00 for youth under 18, students, and seniors 60 and older; $18.00 for adults; $6.00-$12.00 for groups of 20 or more
- INFO / RESERVATIONS: The Coterie Box Office Phone: 816.474.6552 Online: www.thecoterie.org
NOTABLE PERFORMANCE EXTRAS During the run of Alice's Wonderland, The Coterie will offer these special performances:
- Interpreted performance in American Sign Language - Saturday, July 2 at 1:00 p.m.
- Sensory Friendly performance for neurodiverse audiences featuring technical adjustments, sensory supports, house lights on and flexible audience expectations - Thursday, July 28 at 1:00 p.m. and Friday, July 29 at 7:00 p.m.
This week, my daughters, niece, and I attended Alice's Wonderland at Coterie. Having watched the Disney versions of the story and having read the books, we can truly say this version is unlike any other! This brand new family musical, Alice's Wonderland, is adapted from Lewis Carroll’s classic story and features an original score with book, music, and lyrics by J. Quinton Johnson and Julia Riew -- based on a treatment by Linda Chichester and David Coffman.
The story is set inside the imagination of a modern-day Alice (played by Genevieve Lefevre), a teen videogame designer who created her own game where everyone can be the hero. She embarks on an adventure as she lives her own videogame encountering the White Rabbit (Robert Vardiman), Caterpillar (Douglass Walker), Cheshire Cat (Courtney Germany), Mad Hatter (Danny Gage), and of course, the Queen of Hearts (Amari Lewis).
As a musical, this show uses rap, hip hop, and jazz to present the story of Alice. The play is co-written by J. Quinton Johnson, a composer and performer who is currently in the cast of Hamilton on Broadway, and Julia Riew, an accomplished writer who is a St. Louis native and recent graduate of the Harvard Theater and Music program. The play is based on a treatment by Linda Chichester and David Coffman of HipHopMusicals.com. The majority of the dialogue is performed through song, taking the audience on a rapid-fire musical journey.
“Since Alice's story has been adapted in so many ways, I looked forward to unearthing a new story,” says Julia Riew of their first collaboration together. “We dreamed up the entire world and story together [and] Q took the lead on music and lyrics, while I took the lead on the book. One of the things that we wanted to do with this adaptation was to focus on making Alice an active protagonist!” exclaimed Riew of their decision to make Wonderland a place of Alice’s own creation. “What better way to have Alice happen to Wonderland than have her actually build Wonderland herself?!” explained Johnson. Riew adds, “This isn't just any Wonderland. This is Alice's Wonderland. This is an adventure that she decides to jump into, and she makes every decision every step along the way.”
Knowing that backdrop for the inspiration, audiences enjoy this new telling of the famous tale. This time, Alice is the hero in her own story. As she sings, dances, and raps her way through each "level" of the video game, conquering the villains and avoiding their lures, she discovered the importance of self-confidence as she works to defeat the Queen of Hearts, before she is "deleted."
Coterie has long-established itself for truly outstanding casting, costuming, and sets and this show continued that legacy. Alice's Wonderland displayed the tremendous talent and imagination of the Coterie crew as the stage magically transformed into a giant Macbook the cast performed inside of as they conquered Alice's videogame. The vocalists among the cast are extremely talented, and the vibrant colorful show is fresh and imaginative.
This show is recommended for ages 8+. The video game concept and the fast-paced music will be especially enjoyed by older elementary students. Treat your family to this great show this summer! Buy tickets today!
J Robert Schraeder