Wright State's musical theater department performs "Alice by Heart," immersing audiences in a reimagined version of "Alice in Wonderland". Under the direction of Greg Hellems, the head of Musical Theater, the spring production skillfully delved into themes of grief, trauma, and belonging.
About the show
“Alice by Heart” started as a book before being adapted into a musical. Jessie Nelson and Steven Sater wrote the book, and later, Duncan Sheik, with the help of Sater, added the music and lyrics.
The musical follows the story of a girl named Alice Spencer, played by Cate Lightbody. Alice is seeking safety from WWII in a shelter with many strangers, alongside her best friend Alfred, played by Aidan Fracker.
Alfred fell ill with tuberculosis, so Spencer tried to make him feel better by reading him her favorite book, “Alice in Wonderland." The woman in charge of their facility believed Spencer spent too much time with her head in books, so she took it from her.
This left Spencer to recall the story from memory, inevitably causing changes to the story and conflict between characters. This put a new spin on a classic tale, with Spencer becoming a part of the story she had loved for so long.
Some elements from the original book stay the same, like the Queen of Hearts being out to get Alice, and the White Rabbit and Cheshire Cat befriending her.
The Cheshire Cat, also known as Tabatha in the WWII bunker during the rest of the musical, was played by Juno Brosas, an acting major at WSU. Her character was there to support Alice as she lost her friend and began to see the evil in Wonderland.
“Sometimes we overcome, you know, just by going on,” Brosas said.
The purpose of the musical is to act as a metaphor of dealing with grief and trauma and how to use your imagination to escape and get through difficult times. Anna Bennett, a reviewer for the Historical Novel Society, shared her opinion of the author’s intention.
“Sater’s experience with health-induced isolation and the escape through literature calls to the reader’s own frantic desire to plunge into the printed page,” Bennett said.
Theater at WSU
The WSU Theater program puts on one main show in the Festival Playhouse in the Creative Arts Center every semester. The fall production was “By the Bog of Cats,” and the spring production is “Alice by Heart.”
The show list was announced last year, giving students time to plan and prepare for the show before rehearsals began in early January.
Greg Hellems directed the show, but most other production positions were filled by students. Claire Northcut and Ellie Sassano are both acting majors at WSU and acted as the assistant director and assistant choreographer.
In addition to these students, Kaitlin Teller, a design and technology major, worked as the stage manager for the show. She has been a WSU student since 2023 and has worked on five shows. She shared a little bit about her experience with this production.
“I have loved getting to work with the cast of this show. I transferred to WSU from Sinclair and am now a senior in the program. It has been great to collaborate with so many different people, versus the very tight-knit group at Sinclair,” Teller said.
The main stage productions put on in the Festival Playhouse are exclusive to students with a major in the performing arts. However, there are clubs and other organizations, such as Troupe, that put on other shows throughout the year.
For students interested in joining a play or musical on campus, be sure to check the Wright State Theater schedule at the start of each semester to find your opportunity.
