The Pros and Cons of Producing Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, Jr.
Life has a way of making its mark on you. Don’t you agree?
When I was entering college, I really had no idea what career I wanted to pursue. Loving the arts as I did was a challenge, because I came from a family of business owners and teachers and studying something like the arts was considered frivolous and a waste of time. (I think that’s what they thought. I honestly don’t know.)
How would my arts interest sit with them? I know that doesn’t sound like an important thing to consider when you are starting out in your life as an adult, but I did care that my family approved of my future career pursuits.
Ironically, as things would have it, I ended up getting my teaching certification in English and later in Speech and Theater. I loved to perform. However, when I graduated from college in 1977 New York City was not somewhere I wanted to move and pound the pavements for a possible job. I was more practical than that. I admire anyone who makes it on Broadway. That has to be a tough road to go.
I had high hopes of ending up in a large high school. At the time, jobs teaching theater at the high school level were scarce. I taught English for three years then stayed home with our daughters for eleven. Instead of teaching theater in a high school, I developed and administrated several youth theater companies for community theaters. Once our daughters were in elementary school and I no longer needed to stay home with them, I went back to teaching.
For many years, I taught at the same time as I ran the youth programs (my last teaching position included teaching students in second through twelfth) with all of these other responsibilities. It was a crazy busy time, and grueling but it was necessary and I enjoyed it.
Thirty-eight plus years later, I see my talents and knowledge were best used with students of every grade level. Because I taught many classes over the years for several different school systems, I discovered where the holes were in the curriculum and took note of them.
The Pros and Cons of Producing Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, Jr.
Part of my mission is to provide guidance and advice selecting a musical for a school or youth theater program. I’ve directed over 250 plays and musicals through the years.
I’ve recommended Willy Wonka, Jr. in another blog post. You can read about it HERE.
Another junior musical I recommend is Disney’s Alice in Wonderland.
A quick synopsis—
In the most perfect day of summer, children play in a park, Alice dreams of a world of her own while her sister Mathilda lectures her on the books she is reading until Alice falls asleep. She wakes and finds a White Rabbit talking about how late he is. Alice follows the White Rabbit down a rabbit hole where strange creatures offer her advice. Finally, at the end of her fall, Alice encounters a talking doorknob which tells her that a place called “Wonderland” is on the other side. If you are familiar with the Disney movie version, you’ll love this script! It follows the movie version completely.
Characters–
One of the most important reasons I recommend this musical to teachers and youth theater directors is the number of roles available. Whoever adapted this script, did a very clever thing–wrote it so there are three Alices (one of average size, one taller and another even larger) That’s great from the stand point of giving more students opportunities to perform. Some roles can be gender fluid such as the White Rabbit and the Catepillar.
I’ve even switched the genders of the Queen and King of Hearts and cast a male as the Queen and a female as the King. Audiences LOVED it!
Here is Marshall portraying the Queen of Hearts!
Costumes, Sets and Props–One of the most worrisome parts of directing in amateur theater is the technical aspects. I’ve had the incredible luck to find a school where I could rent the lead characters’ costumes. However, you can produce this show with a limited budget, too. If you can only afford tee shirts, then use different colored shirts for each character. For example, Alice could be in bright blue, King and Queen in red, her court in white, etc.
A set design can be as simple as perioktois painted with three different scenes to denote locations. Or use a unit set and merely change a few set pieces for each scene.
Here’s a secret–an audience will believe anything you believe first. Direct the show in your school cafetorium or library or outside on the playground. Now there’s a thought! Be creative and step out of the norm. I have and it’s worth it!
The Pros and Cons of Producing Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, Jr.
Audience appeal–Lewis Carroll’s classic is still popular with children. Coupled with the availability of the Disney movie, it isn’t difficult to fill your theater with an enthusiastic audience. Whole families can attend without any worry about subject matter or language. The lines are quotable and well loved. Some of the best lines are delivered by minor characters and let me tell you, a young person feels so special when the audience laughs at his few lines.
Music–Oh my gosh, it’s so clever! It’s written in key signatures young voices can reach and sing strongly. No trying to reach notes which are completely out of their range. Students pick it up quickly, plus Music Theater International provides rehearsal CDs for your students to use. Personally, I think the rehearsal cd is worth its weight in gold. Students become very confident singing because they learn the music right along with the CD. If you’ve never used the MTI rehearsal CDs, you will not believe how much it helps the students.
If you are considering double casting, Alice in Wonderland works well double casted. Check out Double Casting a Show?
Having directed Alice in Wonderland, Jr. four times, I know it very well. It never grows old.
One complaint
Length–The show is a little long. The problem is the number of reprises. There are simply too many of them, although I understand the reasons for including them–it gives more students opportunities to perform. If you have students which can sustain their energy for ninety minutes, then great! It’s my experience that the length drains their energy. I mean, they are only kids, you know?
DramaMommaSpeaks Broadway Musical Units and Lessons
You may be unaware of it, but now that I’m retired I create theater ed. units and lessons for the classroom. Some of my most popular are my Broadway musical units.
Here are a few:
- letter to the teacher explaining the unit
- teacher’s script to begin the lesson
- a warm up
- plot
- synopsis
- list of songs
- creative staff biographies
- Tony awards the production has won
- Trivia
- Student’s note and Teacher’s Key (yay!)
- Lastly, an enrichment activity page which is customized for each musical.
Irregardless of the musical you select for your students, just know that if you consider the students first you will succeed. It’s really that simple.
What is your favorite musical to direct with your students? I’d love to hear about it. Contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net
