Down the Rabbit Hole with Alice by Heart
Published: November 14, 2024 | Author: Abbie Cochrane | Read Time: 3 minutes
Cedar City, UTAH–
Southern Utah University’s student-run theater company, 2nd Studio, is set to open their production of Alice by Heart on Nov. 14, 2024. A unique musical journey based around the familiar and loved characters from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, the show explores themes of grief, letting go, and growing up. Directed, designed, and performed entirely by students, Alice by Heart is one of 2nd Studio’s most ambitious theatrical endeavors yet.
Directed by Randy Jo Sly, who’s in his third year at SUU, Alice by Heart tells the story of Alice Spencer, who, in the debris of the London Blitz of WWII, comes to terms with loss and love through her favorite book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
“One of the reasons I love theater so much is because stories are so important to what it means to be human. My vision for the show is to portray intentional human qualities. Sure, there’s grief and suffering, but there is also joy and connection; they can’t exist without each other,” said Sly.
To some, a black box theater may appear as a theater with limitations, but to Music Director and junior Caden Marshall, a black box theater is where some of the most moving art happens.
“I primarily wanted to do the show because the music is outstanding,” Marshall stated, “But I also really fell in love with the themes about processing grief and how art has the power to transform. My favorite moment in the show is when the main character realizes it’s going to be okay. I think that’s such an important message for us all right now.”
Stage managing this beautiful story is Tessa Cheshire, a senior, who added, “At its core, this show is about humanity. It is truly unlike any show you will ever see 2nd Studio do, and at SUU as a whole. It gives you a chance to view Wonderland through a different lens and in doing so, gain a whole new perspective.”
With a cast of a dozen people, the actors take on various roles in the “real world,” which are reflected “through the looking glass” of their counterparts that they parallel in Wonderland. Alana Bowers, a junior at SUU, who plays the titular role of Alice Spencer, stated, “This is the biggest role I’ve ever played. I’ve always identified with Alice as a character, and this process has shown me the power that comes from a community.”
"This show demonstrates just how important stories and storytelling are,” stated Jacob Merrill, who plays Alfred/ The White Rabbit/ The March Hare and is a sophomore at SUU. “A lot of people turn to stories as a form of coping, which I think plays really well into how this show represents using stories to help overcome grief.”
Bringing representation to characters that are not as commonly featured in other adaptations of Alice in Wonderland is another part of what makes Alice by Heart so special. Harry B. Reid, a junior who plays Dr. Butridge/ King of Hearts/ The Jabberwocky, said, “We’re incorporating elements from the original Alice in Wonderland, and also Alice Through the Looking Glass. A lot more of the world and character relationships that are commonly overlooked are more exposed focal points in this take on the story. It amplifies the empathy, which is what I think is the most important thing that theater does–it makes people care about other people.”
Alice by Heart runs from Nov. 14-16, with shows at 7:30 pm and a matinee on the 16th at 2 pm in the SUU Auditorium Blackbox. 2nd Studio is also active on Instagram, @2ndstudio. And be sure to get ready for 2nd Studio’s spring shows, Medea by Euripides and 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche Evan Linder and Andrew Hobgood.
Tags: Student CurStu FacStaff Theatre Arts and Dance College of Performing and Visual Arts
Contact Information:
Brooke Heath
4355865400
brookeheath1@suu.edu