SHIPPENSBURG – Shippensburg University’s Acting Group recently presented a completely student-run production of William Glennon’s adaptation of “Alice in Wonderland,” based on the novel by Lewis Carroll.
The school offers a theater minor, but not a major, so the student thespians are comprised of a broad array of academic backgrounds.
The audience journeyed down the rabbit hole in Memorial Auditorium, where the grand drape sparkled with stars to light the way to Wonderland. This retelling took the form of a play within a play, as the enthusiastic cast of every character, except one, was in search of the final addition for their show to begin … they needed Alice.
In short time, they found her, on the verge of reality and a dream.
Madeline Thievon played a bright British-accented Alice, a distinction from the rest of the cast, which lends to the sense of being drawn into a dimension outside of common geography. She fatefully followed the cheeky White Rabbit, played with spunk by Caniah Mayo.
Mayo as White Rabbit
Lex Boyd played Actor 1 in the top of show acting troupe, then took on the adorable role of Mouse, navigating Alice’s ocean of tears when she shrank in size after having been a comparative giant.
Alice and Mouse swim in an ocean of tears
Keaira Derise played Frog Footman as she celebrated her second show at Shippensburg, previously appearing in last year’s fall play, “Fairytale Courtroom.”
Derise as Frog Footman
She partnered so well with Fish Footman, Skyler Warren, that it’s easy to fantasize that they could have their own spinoff adventures.
Derise and Warren as Frog and Fish Footmen
The Fish Footman delivered an invitation from the Queen to play croquet, and though intended for the Duchess in Carroll’s original, in this rendition, the Duchess was replaced by a Duke.
Ansley as Duke with Thievon as Alice
Robbie Ansley played the Duke with all the animation of a cartoon in the flesh, stirring under a cape in evocative clashing plaid and argyle. Tommy Kane joined the animated fervor with the banging of pans as the Cook. This marked Kane’s fifth Shippensburg performance.
Kane as Cook
Evelyn Lacombe takes to the stage for her first show at Ship as the grinning Cheshire Cat, taunting with dramatic poses.
“We’re all mad here.”
Lacombe draped in madness as Cheshire
Alice invited herself to the Mad Hatter’s tea party, where two more outrageous characters made an impressive Ship debut.
Jacob Haney played the Hatter with style, curly red locks exploding from his chapeau, a complement to his impeccably coifed moustache. Haney’s zealous spirit was matched by Talan Salinger’s March Hare, with Salinger putting his background in Shakespearean comedy to good use.
The Hatter and March Hare torture Alice with nonsense
Amanda Mansberger played the dozy Dormouse in a comic performance that didn’t put anyone to sleep. This marked Mansberger’s first theater production outside of church Christmas pageants, with plenty of room to further explore the realm of theater.
The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party
Next, Alice was off to see the Queen, encountering her court along the way.
Bramwell and Martin are painting the roses red
More stellar Ship debuts are in the cards for Lilly Bramwell, as the Two of Hearts, and Grace Martin, as Seven of Hearts.
“Off with their heads!”
Alex Heckman was a commanding Queen of Hearts, stomping her court about in militant style, including Knave of Hearts, Wren Gephart, making his theater debut in some of the most striking wardrobe and makeup in the show.
The croquet scene was the crowning glory of movement choreography, as the ensemble took on the form of different sports for each strike of the flamingo mallet.
Not even the subservient doting King, played by Kaeden Martin, could calm the Queen. Martin carried his Shippensburg High School theater experience over to college, marking his seventh show as an actor.
Martin as King to Heckman’s Queen of Hearts
When The Queen ordered that the Duke be executed, she diverted Alice away to meet the Mock Turtle, played by Jess Shoedel, who has been acting since she was 12.
Mock Turtle yearns for the past, when she was a real turtle
Carroll’s turtle creature was written to have the head of a calf. The appearance derived from the Victorian-era dish, mock turtle soup, which was made from veal to mimic turtle. This is the basis for the Mock Turtle’s bovine print pants in this production.
Mock Turtle was in the company of Gryphon, fittingly played by education major, Sophia Price, in both her debut and swan song on the Ship stage. Lewis Carroll intended Gryphon and Mock Turtle as a parody of the Victorian education system.
Gryphon and Mock Turtle demonstrate the Lobster Quadrille
The Queen, pleased by nothing, threatened heads in every direction. Alice was called as a witness against the Knave of Hearts in a trial put before a puppet jury–a satire of the legal system.
Alice goes to court
When the Queen ordered “Sentence first—verdict afterwards,” Alice was critical of the injustice, resulting in the Queen ordering, “Off with her head!”
Fortunately, Alice woke up from her dream just in time to evade the attack and further descent into madness, as she returned to the natural world, where she had quite the tale to relay to her cat, Dinah.
Who was who in the mad crew?
This marked the stage directorial debuts for Charlotte McAleer and Lydia Lyman.
Directors, Lyman and McAleer
McAleer said, “Theater has always been a place I have treasured. Finding a company like this after high school has been amazing.”
“I have been involved with theater for over 10 years, with this being my 17th production,” Lyman noted, “I have always wanted to direct a show, as having devoted directors as a child is what made me fall in love with theater.”
Assistant Director and Senior Chase W. Robinson, also president of the Acting Group, noted, “It’s bittersweet knowing this is my last show.”
Third year Acting Group member, Madeline Thievon, served as dance instructor in addition to playing Alice. Artful choreography replaced special effects, taking a practical approach to creating the rabbit hole portal that delivered Alice to Wonderland, along with other impressive feats of movement.
Stage Manager Miranda Nolen counts two years among the Shippensburg actors with theater roots stretching back to high school.
Rayne Calvanelli celebrated their first involvement in theater, ambitiously taking on the role of producer.
This marks Head of Set Kaitlyn Kipe’s third production with the Acting Group, assisted by Tommy Kane, Ian Wood and further supported by Kylie Bere, Emme Houck and Echo Jones.
Dovetailing with the costuming and choreography, the set design maintained uncomplicated ingenuity, transforming cardboard, paper, paint and a few support beams into everything from size-shifting doors to a sea of tears, with many worthy production touches that go above and beyond while sustaining simplicity.
This department proved that the recycle bin is indeed a treasure trove, when repurposed by skilled hands. A smattering of three-dimensional pieces, like the royal gold thrones in purple velvet, lent a punctuation to the one-dimensional aspects of the set, creating an appropriate off-kilter whimsy.
Three-dimensional set and props mingle with the one-dimensional
Head of Costumes Ash Conway comes from a theater crew background, which shone through in well-crafted costumes that lent a creative homespun feel, perfectly complementing the set design and digging into a classic interpretation that doesn’t lazily borrow from Disney. Costume Assistant Skyler Warren joined Conway along with Keaira Derise, Evelyn Lacombe, Amanda Mansberger, Skyler Warren and Mallory Smith, who especially enjoyed helping crochet some of the pieces.
Though there is an even keel of quality in the production value, some of the costumes that stood out exceptionally include the Red Queen, the Knave of Hearts, the Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit.
Set and costume elements feel taken from the pages of collages and scrapbooks
Both costumes and sets felt like they had been scrapbooked from dream remnants. Florals and paper created partial arches to nowhere and the Hatter felt like an art paper collage.
Makeup contributes greatly to the characters builds
Co-Hair and Makeup Heads Maddie Balliet and Taylor McElwee continued a love of theater that began in high school. They were joined by Emma Barrow, who was one of the original Shippensburg actor members. Striking makeup went a long way to build this ensemble of whimsical characters.
Props Head Keila Bittinger was joined by Kylie Bere, Echo Jones, Penny Wentz and Christian Fleitas, who claimed no theater background, but began helping the Acting Group on “Three Musketeers” and keeps showing up.
Simple props make a splash
Lighting Designer Ethan Poust used gobo patterns that hinted of playing card graphics and thematic colors cast on the cyclorama, a complement to pivotal characters and moments. He played as much with absence of light and shadows as he did with illumination. Poust said he “has loved being a part of behind the scenes, making everything come to life.”
Poust helps create the otherworldly rabbit hole with light and shadow
Safety Head Alder Wise has been doing theater since he was a kid. He was joined by Faith Verlander, who is building upon former high school experience as a deck captain.
The production paid a special thanks to Set Painter Elizabeth Lonkart and the Ceddia Union Building staff for providing technical support.
Be on the lookout for the Shippensburg University Acting Group’s next adventure!
Photo Credit: Madison Sharp (Instagram: @Madsharp_Photography)
