By Camille Kelly | Reporter
Baylor Theatre is transporting audiences into the world of Wonderland in its upcoming production of “Alice by Heart.” The musical is set in World War II and reimagines Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.”
A twist on the classic tale with elements of grief, love and imagination, this show is a coming-of-age story running Feb. 18 to March 1 in the Mabee Theatre at the Hooper-Schaefer Fine Arts Center.
Killeen senior Analisse Nicholson plays the lead character, Alice, a role that marks her fourth year of acting within the theatre department. Nicholson said that she loves the historical drama aspects of the show. Most of all she loves the music because it’s “not what people would expect.”
“It takes the original story by Lewis Carroll and sets it during World War II, during the London Blitz, so you have all these characters who double as Wonderland characters,” Nicholson said. “Alice, with her friend Alfred, grew up with the story, and they kind of cling to it during this horrible time. It’s a story of love and growing up, and it all wraps everything together.”
Tickets are on sale now at baylortheatre.evenue.net, and student tickets can be purchased at the Theatre Box Office for CAE Credit. The show runs just under 2 hours, a block of time for which Nicholson’s character never leaves the stage once.
“I hope that people can see firsthand the hard work that this whole process has been,” Nicholson said. “Just putting on a show like this is a big feat, and everyone’s doing such a great job with the costumes, the tech elements and the lighting and sound.”
Keller sophomore Dan Dunning, who plays the co-lead character, Alfred, said his favorite part of the show is the music. Dunning said that between both the beautiful and upbeat numbers, people won’t want to miss the opportunity to see this show and its “amazing cast.”
“There’s so many different skill sets that everybody has, and it comes together to form things that are really beautiful — some amazing vocals, some gorgeous acting — the whole shebang,” Dunning said.
In recent years, Baylor Theatre has staged well-known musicals, such as “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” and “Little Women: The Broadway Musical.” This story, however well-known, has something unique to offer, according to Nicholson.
“I think it’s unexpected, but I think for me, when I go see a show that is something I didn’t really know about, and I’m hit with all this beautiful music and these gorgeous visuals — that just makes it all the more better,” she said. “I think that people should just go see more theatre. Go experience art.”
