‘Scenes from Alice’ staged at Anna Arts Center
Alice in Wonderland (Jossilin Needling) met Alice Through the Looking Glass (Brinley Corbit) in the play “Scenes from Alice,” written and directed by Dr. Lynn Steveson.
The play was performed April 28-30 at the Shawnee Hills Arts Council/Anna Arts Center in Anna.
The arts center’s Lee Hackney shared the following “wrap” of the play:
Susan Whitemountain stated: “What fun! The cast did a great job – one of the best children productions that I have seen.”
Lewis Carroll wrote “Alice in Wonderland” in 1865 and “Alice Through the Looking Glass” in 1871.
The two books are literary classics and quoted in the English language often.
Lewis Carroll was the pen name for Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, who was an English writer, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer.
Dr. Steveson shared that “these two books are in the genre of fantasy, and especially, nonsense! This is what makes them so much fun to dramatize for children and adults alike.”
Bonnie and Russ Daniels from Marion “marveled at the children’s discipline in performing their roles. The show was extraordinary with great costumes.”
The cast included:
Alice Liddell was portrayed by Jadden Brimm and the White Rabbit portrayed by Zach Finstad.
Three performers comprise the Heart family. Pete Housman was the King of Hearts, Trinity Sweet was the Queen of Hearts, and Anthony Jimenez played the role of the Knave of Hearts.
Several performers played the spade playing cards from Wonderland. They were Madelyn Hansen, Jadden Brimm, Mya Laster, Sydney Waun, Ava Vasicek and Alexandria Keller.
The Mad Hatter was played by Jessi Riley, with Caroline Hansen as the March Hare, and Kenzie Stover as the Dormouse.
Kevin Thomas played the White King and Zack Finstad was the Red King. Two Anna Arts Center veteran performers were seen as the Looking Glass Queens; Debby McKibben as the White Queen, and Nancy Kucera as the Red Queen.
The Flowers in the Red Queen’s Garden were: Elizabeth Corbit, Marilyn Musgrave, Maggie McMahon, Ava Vasicek, Sydney Waun, Elizabeth Black and Alexandria Keller.
The Jabberwock was played by Trinity Sweet, Tweedle Dee - Bailey Robinson, Tweedle Dum and Humpty Dumpty - Bailey Robinson.
Shawnee Hills Arts Council/Anna Arts Center wants to recognize all the people behind the scenes to make this happen.
Special thank yous to Dr. Steveson, director/adapter; Choe Williams, assistant director and lighting; Susan Kennedy, production assistant; Cindy Wright, costumer; Elaine Crain, costume assistant.
Ellen Spalt, scenery design; Mary Tweedy, assistant scenery painter; Kelly Rust, scenery construction; Cody Acklin, choreography of Jabberwocky.
Mary Jimenez, tickets; Linda Warren, programs; Bonni Littleton, photography; Pete Housman, house manager/set change choreographer; Justin Kostal, stage crew, Gentry Sales, Thomas Sisler, Buncombe Elementary School; Mark Hathy; carpet cleaner; and to all of the parents for shuffling their kids to rehearsals.
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The photographs which accompany this article are by Amber Skelton.