‘Alice’ performed at Rogers City Theater this weekend

A spirited cast of 23 young actors are in the final days of rehearsing a Disney classic to be performed at the Rogers City Theater this weekend. Featuring an updated script, great Disney songs and wonderful costumes, the production of Disney?s Alice in Wonderland, Jr. opens tonight (Thursday) and runs through Sunday, August 24 at the Rogers City Theater Show times for the 2008 Rogers City Community Theater Summer Youth Production are 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with a 2:00 p.m. matinee on Sunday. A true ensemble piece, each of the 23 cast members shines as the story takes us from the real world into the surreal world of Wonderland.

?This wonderful cast has labored very hard since just after July 4 to bring this production to the stage,? said first time director, Donna Klein. ?They?ve been singing and dancing their hearts out, as well as learning their lines. They are a joy to work with and have contributed tremendously both on stage and off to the success of this production. Robert McMaster is not only our Mad Hatter, but has been irreplaceable as our assistant director. I offer my heartfelt thanks to each of them for their efforts.?

The play starts out in the park with Alice and her sister Mathilda, along with many children playing games and having fun. Soon, we join Alice as she attempts to find her inner fabulosity in a place where she meets a very interesting quadruped and a doorknob with a huge schnazzola. We follow her as she swims through an ocean of tears, meets a confusing set of twins, sassy flowers, and a very cool insect. We tag along as she partakes in the craziest of tea parties and strangest game of Simon Says! The cast features Kayli Witulski as Alice, Ashley Nowicki as Small Alice, Holle Dittmar as Tall Alice and Rose, Juliann LaBar as Mathilda, Hannah Hazlett, Stephanie Crocker and Alana Wirgau as the Cheshire Cat, Karl A. Heidemann as the White Rabbit, Hannah Dittmar as the Doorknob and Petunia, Emily Barrow as the Dodo Bird, Emily Nowicki as Tweedle Dum, Tara Lamb as Tweedle Dee, Rachel Chojnacki as Lily, Brandi Chojnacki as Violet, Jenae LaFleche as Daisy and the Two of Clubs, Amber Nowicki as the Caterp

illar, Robert McMaster as the Mad Hatter, Bradley Heidemann as the March Hare, Mariah Allum as the Ace of Spades, Salena Heidemann as the 3 of Diamonds, Caitlynn Shadbolt as the 4 of Hearts, Ashley Budnick as the Queen of Hearts, and Ashley Bunton as the King of Hearts.

?Our community has really come together to make this production happen. Many thanks go out to Karl W. Heidemann, Mary Hazlett, Val Schalk, Rachel Klein, Joe Klein, Andrea Shadbolt, Steven Schulwitz, Steven Paull, Hannah and Lauren Hazlett, Tonia Nowicki, Bob Starnes, Nancy Mendrick and everyone else helping to make our show a success,? Klein said.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and $6 for students, and are available through the box office. Call 989-734-3861 to reserve your tickets and for more information. This musical is an updated version of the 1951 animated Disney classic, Alice in Wonderland which is based on the novels The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Lookinglass by Lewis Carroll. Original music and lyrics were by Sammy Fain and Bob Hilliard, Oliver Wallace and Cy Coban, Allie Wrubel and Ray Gilbert, Mack David, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston. The music was adapted and arranged with additional lyrics by Bryan Louiselle. The book was adapted with additional lyrics by David Simpatico. Alice in Wonderland, Jr. is produced through a continuing grant from the Huron Shores Humanities Council.

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