TURNERS FALLS — Students at Great Falls Middle School and Turners Falls High School are taking a trip down the rabbit hole with their production of Alice in Wonderland, a student-adapted play premiering Thursday evening.
The play, which features 50 students between two casts, “is definitely more catered to the younger kids,” according to director Kimberly Rose. The show’s young stars, Rose said, have not yet fully outgrown “the age of not believing” and embrace Wonderland’s magic for an immersive experience.
“The energy, especially from the younger kids, is really fantastic,” she said.
Alice in Wonderland is adapted from the original 1865 novel by English author Lewis Carol titled “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” The plot entails a young girl named Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into an alternate world of anthropomorphic creatures. With such a wide array of whimsical characters and an easy-to-follow storyline, Alice in Wonderland lends itself well to youth performance, Rose argued.
“It’s definitely a magical show as opposed to something that’s serious or in-real-life,” Rose said. “It’s a great show for kids for that reason.”
“I’ve been in a lot of plays before, so I know how it feels like, but this one’s different because every character is kind of crazy and has different personalities,” said eighth grader Marketa Vachula-Curtis, who stars as Alice.
Adding to the magic will be vibrant set pieces and special effects, such as a bubble machine, sparkling lights, black lights, images hidden in the stage’s background and luminescent paint.
The play, which has a runtime of about an hour, has been further simplified by Turners Falls High School junior Isabella Vachula-Curtis, who adapted the story and directed the second half of the play. Vachula-Curtis said she combined elements from the Disney animated film, a musical and a play to create a version that would be palatable to those who don’t know the plot.
“I just picked what scenes fit best to me as somebody who doesn’t really know the whole story,” she said. “I tried to keep the funniest and best parts, or the ones that worked out really well.”
The production’s other student leaders include stage manager Syna Katsoulis and set designer Clara Guidaboni.
“It’s exciting because it does just feel so student driven and we have so many students taking on leadership roles,” said assistant director Jessica Vachula-Curtis, who is also Isabella’s mother.
“Everyone’s working really hard,” added Guidaboni, a first-year student at Turners Falls High School. “I’m so proud of everyone. They’re putting so much effort into it and that’s what makes our shows great.”
High school senior Maddie LeBorgne, who plays the Queen of Hearts, said having two casts and limited rehearsal time has made the production “stressful, but also fun.” She said those used to the grind of theater, though, have kept their poise.
“We’re ready to just go,” she said.
Alice in Wonderland will be performed Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m. in the Turners Falls High School auditorium. Tickets will cost $10 for adults; $8 for students and seniors; and $5 for children under five years old.
Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-930-4231 or jmendoza@recorder.com.