Alice in Wonderland
at Stone Bridge High School

Reviewed on December 4, 2021

Justin Neil
Westfield High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

As Alice bundles up on her sofa, basks in the warmth of the Sun's rays, and drifts off to sleep, she awakes in a bizarre world full of talking cards, acrobatic amphibians, and a speaking caterpillar who ironically implores the words, "Who Are You?" In a vivacious and zany performance of a beloved tale, Stone Bridge High School's production of Alice in Wonderland highlights the excitement of youthfulness and the coming of adulthood.

First created in 1865 as a novel by Lewis Carroll, the story has a long and winding history of donning the stage. The original show debuted on Broadway in 1886, going through many revivals, renditions, and movies throughout the years till the present day. The plot revolves around a well-mannered little girl named Alice who, in a "fever-dream"-esque-nap, encounters anthropomorphic creatures from all walks of life, slowly entrancing her into a realm full of imagination and endless tea times.

Matching the childlike theme of Alice in Wonderland, the school's performance exemplified a bounty of fast-paced and witty dialogue, adorable hand puppets, and playing with the fourth wall, such as a clapping Simon Says game that immersed the audience in only applauding when they were motioned to.

Leading the spotlight with an enticingly dramatic personality and a consistent English accent, Diana Altenhof carried her role as Alice with a playful approach. Her innocence seamlessly blended with the rest of the cast, adding to the authenticity of her character.

Partnering Alice in her ventures, several characters shined on stage. Selling the show with her rambunctious and dynamic zest, not to mention wearing a flawless bunny-ears-top-hat combo, Grace Paskey starred in her role as the Mad Hatter with impeccable detail. Showcasing undisputable chemistry, Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Rachel Emch and Emma Noble) presented youthful humor that had the audience constantly laughing out of their seats. Finally, illustrating a serious yet comical portrayal of Carol and Queen of Hearts, Emily Lough commanded the stage with enthusiasm, making it known to always: "Look up, speak nicely, and don't twiddle your fingers," when in her presence.

To keep up with the show's creative and vivid atmosphere, the wide variety of props (Natasha Adamson, Eva McMullan, Theodore Streaker), from flamingo decorations used as croquet mallets to a large plastic key for "unlocking" doors, and the usage of well-timed sound effects (Evan Harris, Jerry Wang, Alex McCoy, and Adyansh Das) all brought the performance to even greater heights. In addition, the presence of functional moving platforms and doors (Rachel Leary, Diana Altenhof, Alex Merkt, John Blasdell) and a plethora of ingenious spotlight methods (VK Din, Julia Quezada, Riley Seppings, Brian Tui) made this particular production of Alice in Wonderland one of a kind.

Stone Bridge High School's performance of Alice in Wonderland filled the auditorium with enthralling exuberance and a taste of nostalgia. It leaves audiences with the message that coming out of childhood might be very scary and confusing, but with the right people, nothing is out of our reach.

Caroline Tallungan
Heritage High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

In a world of chess boards and queens, Stone Bridge High School gave a fine performance of the play Alice in Wonderland that transported the audience right alongside the title character.

Based on the stories written by Lewis Carroll, Alice Gerstenberg's dramatization of Alice in Wonderland begins with a game of chess in young Alice's home. The story takes a quick turn when the girl is able to climb through a looking glass into a new world known as Wonderland - where instead of playing chess, chess plays itself! She soon discovers that nothing is as it seems, and that things become even more strange as she goes about. Making both friends and enemies, Alice must find her way out of Wonderland before it is too late, and she is beheaded by the Queen of Hearts.

The use of technical elements, such as set and lighting, combined with the talent of each actor, enhanced the flow and overall feeling of this production. Color coded backgrounds complemented the tense conflicts throughout the show, giving a visual representation of what Alice was going through. Additionally, the contrasting personalities portrayed by the characters created well balanced scenes, for example the lovable White Queen with the powerful Red Queen, and Alice with the Caterpillar.

Diana Altenhof played the role of Alice with a youthful flair, and her mannerisms portrayed the girl's variety of emotions throughout her journey. The tough role requires a high energy that Altenhof was able to keep consistently throughout the entirety of the show.

Chemistry is a necessity when creating a well-rounded scene, and the actors of Stone Bridge High School were able to do an admirable job at building relationships between the characters. Goofing around and telling riddles, the Tea Party Ensemble of Grace Paskey's Mad Hatter, Theodore Streaker's March Hare, and Karina Bhawnani's Dormouse created a lively and excitable Act II. Paskey was able to capture the stage with her skilled physicality, and each of the three actors played off one another well. Another notable mention is the performance of Humpty Dumpty by Abby White, who took the traditionally male presenting character and gave it a unique and agile twist.

The lighting in this production, with its crew head of Riley Seppings, was one of the many ways that the magic of Alice in Wonderland was brought to life on the stage. Spotlights were used to look into Alice's emotions, as well as to create a sense of running without actually going anywhere. Complementing this nicely was the Cheshire Cat costume, which included glowing parts and a light on her head, highlighting her catlike movements. In each of these scenes, the transitions were nearly seamless with the help of the stage crew and stage manager Rachel Leary.

Concluding after three acts, the actors and crew of Stone Bridge High School put on a solid production of the magical Alice in Wonderland.

Maya Berry
South Lakes High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

There is something magical about dreams, especially when they are full of wonder, mystery, and danger. In Stone Bridge High School's stage production of "Alice in Wonderland," the audience followed Alice as she fell into the looking glass, entering a magical Underland, and returned to yesterday a new person. In this coming-of-age drama by Lewis Carroll, the entire cast explored the unbiased and innocent way young children approach the world through their encounters with Alice and her adventures in Wonderland.

Alice (Diana Altenhof) struggled to grasp the reality of entering a fantasy world of anthropomorphic characters at the show's inception. After numerous frenzied encounters involving perpetual tea-time with an eccentric Mad Hatter (Grace Paskey), sprinting to nowhere with a tyrannical Red Queen of Underland (Lucy Sampson), and finding her guiding spirit in the form of a Cheshire Cat (Lydia Rouse), Alice wakes up in time for tea in her sudden return to reality.

Every character in the show was well-played with distinct character choices contrasted with the other characters. Altenhof's mannerisms and physicality were evocative of seven-year-old Alice. As the Red Queen, Lucy Sampson was a cold and calculating complement to her younger sister, the despotic and chaotic White Queen, reminding Alice to keep an open mind throughout her otherworldly journey. The Mad Hatter's neurotic and eccentric tendencies were portrayed excellently by Grace Paskey. Paskey played into the humor of her character by switching places on the table at any given time and making absurd personal remarks to unanswerable riddles, all of which drove Alice mad. Lydia Rouse's mysterious appearance in dark-lit hues of pink and purple added an element of complexity to the play. Rouse superbly displayed the morally questionable nature of the Cheshire Cat with each line. Notably, throughout the play, John Blasdell's commitment to his character, the Frog Footman, added an engaging lens to the story. Blasdell was hopping around amidst the chaos of Wonderland, performing impressive stunts and acrobatics!

The props in the production, managed by Natasha Adamson and Eva McMullan, added a colorful element to the chaos of Wonderland. Prop choices were thoughtful, including the Red Queen's red whistle, a pepper holder filled with powder, and an edible bread biscuit used in a spit take. Furthermore, lighting by Riley Seppings, VK Din, Julia Quezada, and Brian Tui fabulously conveyed Alice's transition between Wonderland and reality and all the intricate character-specific encounters. For example, the lighting on the bottle of poison added a fantastic Broadway-level technical element to the show.

Overall, the production wonderfully displayed the power of open-mindedness, magical adventures, and self-growth. When Alice slept in a chair with an apron from Wonderland, the ending cleverly brought the play full circle. The production's finale further illuminated Lewis Carroll's authorial intent and summoned the audience to consider the purpose of their relationships, particularly how mentors can help guide us on life's path. However, most of us do not encounter quite as many talking animals!

Rachael McNutt
Broad Run High School
Submitted for publication to Loudoun Now

After nearly 18 months without live theatre, Stone Bridge High School's production of Alice in Wonderland is like peering through a looking glass into a new era.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, published in 1865, is a well-known children's book by Lewis Carroll. All accompanied by the illustrations of artist John Tenniel. It was transformed into a drama by Alice Gerstenberg in 1915, where a young girl, 7 ½ years old to be exact, named Alice crawls through a looking glass and tumbles into a fantastical, wacky world.

Diana Altenhof brought the energy, ambition, and innocence of the classic character we all know and love. Altenhof performed with a sense of wonder that convinced the audience it was truly her first time bothering her nanny about the logistics of chess or crawling through the glass above her fireplace into Wonderland. There was never a dull moment when she was on stage. Whether that was her reaction to the other odd characters getting in her way or when she spat a nasty biscuit out and proceeded to toss the rest of it into the front row. Altenhof's commitment and execution of this role were nothing short of stellar. Frog Footman (John Blasdell) incorporated the skills of a color guard champion, the contortion of a gymnast, and the dedication of an amazing actor to produce a complete and mesmerizing character. Together, the comedic banter between Alice (Diana Altenhof) and Frog Footman (John Blasdell) had the audience laughing nonstop. This entertainingly outlandish show was made complete by its ensemble and the captivating dynamic of the playing cards. This trio, played by Cori Teel, Zubair Mahedavi, and Anne Treadwell, set the tone for their scenes by providing consistently amusing commentary and facial expressions.

The run crew (Alex Reif, Colin Leary, Syd Yamada, and Sahana Suresh) were spectacular. Their teamwork and organizational skills allowed for seamless transitions that carried this fast-paced show. Following a script that calls for a set similar to the Alice in Wonderland publication illustrations, set designers Diana Altenhof, Rachel Leary, Alex Merkt, and John Blasdell understood the assignment. Using innovative set pieces like psychedelic painted doors in the Hall of Doors scene that could easily be reversed for the following showed the thoughtful design that went into these pieces. The lighting crew (Riley Seppings, VK Din, Julia Quezada, and Brian Tui) showed us the uniqueness of Alice's perspective. This team took advantage of the use of specials and colored lights and the power in the absence of light.

With a phenomenal cast and crew, it's no wonder Stone Bridge's production of Alice in Wonderland felt like a trip into another dimension. The collaboration of this cast and crew brought together an amazing show. As long as it's 6 o'clock, we can continue to laugh, sip tea, and partake in these wacky adventures.

Sophia Kutz
South Lakes High School
Submitted for publication to Loudoun Times-Mirror

Mirrors, what curious objects. They give the appearance of an identical world, just flipped. But is the identical world more than simply an image? In Alice in Wonderland, this mere question is turned into reality.

Alice in Wonderland takes the audience on a beautifully chaotic journey with their young Protagonist, Alice. To begin the story, she finds herself transported into an entirely different world after climbing through the looking glass. Here she finds bizarre people accompanied with an even more bizarre movement of time. She learns that Wonderland is built in a chessboard layout and wishes to become a queen by reaching the final square. She encounters many peculiar people and animals along her journey, and worst of all, The Queen of Hearts. A woman obsessed with the phrase "cut their head off" orders the death of many on a daily basis. The musical ends with Alice yelling at the Queen for her not righteous acts and suddenly waking up back in her living room.

Stone Bridge High School certainly brought the magical chaos of Alice in Wonderland right to the audience. Living true to the phrase "no small roles," each actor was completely immersed in their character to create a truly engaging performance, whether lead or ensemble.

As Alice, lead actor Diana Altenhof did a wonderful job performing with her child-like mannerisms and exaggerated facial expressions. Her seven-and-a-half-year-old Alice performance was believable and made this play a joy to watch. Additionally, Altenhof was on stage for the entire show, never losing energy or making the subtlest character breaks, which were incredible.

Various ensembles in Alice in Wonderland brought the magic of Wonderland into near reality. The Tweedledee and Tweedledum duo was delightful. Their joyful silliness had the entire audience laughing out loud. Other notable actors include Clare Good as the White Rabbit, whose physicality was unmatched by any other actor, and Abby White as Humpty Dumpty, whose acrobatic skills created a graceful performance.

The crew of Stone Bridge High School deserves a standing ovation. All their set-pieces were movable, adding to the beautiful chaos of Wonderland, and the running crew created scene shifts in the blink of an eye. Additionally, incredible makeup and costumes brought each character to life, from handmade dresses to colorful face makeup.

Stone Bridge High's performance was a joy to watch and will have their audience wondering when they look in the mirror if there is a world on the other side.

Isabella Jackson
Fairfax High School
Submitted for publication to Blue Ridge Leader

How far are you willing to dive? Alice in Wonderland immersed audiences by creating a fantastical world of bewilderment and jubilance. Stone Bridge High School's idiosyncratic production perfectly encapsulated the childish wonder of Alice in Wonderland.

Adapted from Lewis Carroll's book of the same name, Alice in Wonderland is a dramatic rendition of the classic story. Created by Alice Gerstenberg and produced by The Players Producing Company of Chicago, the play initially premiered in Chicago and later moved to The Booth Theater in New York. Alice in Wonderland follows Alice finding herself in a land like no other and desperately trying to wrap her head around it. Throughout the show, Alice meets an array of fantastical characters who give her an insight into how Wonderland truly operates.

Alice, portrayed by Diana Altenhof, had a heightened and whimsical approach to her character. She encapsulated the naivety and curiosity of the classic character through her precise characterization. Likewise, the Mad Hatter, portrayed by Grace Paskey, was bursting at the seams with energy throughout the entire performance. Besides her impressive endurance, the zany physicality she created ultimately made the character as memorable as it was. Altenhof's and Paskey's characterizations delightfully juxtaposed each other as Alice was grounded and sensible, and the Hatter was flighty and sporadic. Their dynamic ultimately drove the comedic elements of the scenes they were in.

Though there were dozens of eccentric and memorable characters, two standout performers were the Cheshire Cat portrayed by Lydia Rouse and Tweedledee portrayed by Rachel Emch. Rouse's physicality of the Chesire Cat was feline-centric in every way. Even when she wasn't speaking, she consistently maintained her physicality, making her character more believable. Emch's physical comedy as Tweedledee was reminiscent of Chaplin's routines as it was classic but hilarious in nature. Furthermore, her commitment to upholding energy and never breaking character was impressive.

Though the actors brought the characters to life, the technical aspects really made the show feel alive. Costumes by Anaika Korath and Zoe Howard distinguished each character from the other while also establishing relationships. For instance, the costume team utilized similar dresses for the Red Queen and the White Queen to show the parallels of their characters. The dynamic set by Rachel Leary, Diana Altenhof, Alex Merkt, and John Blasdell was versatile and clever by nature. At the show's onset, Humpty Dumpty (Abby White) was rolled in on a tall platform. Later, the same set-piece was used instead of the flipside for the Queen of Hearts (Emily Lough). The reusing of set pieces was an adept way of saving space while still contributing to the show's vision. The tech was cohesive and contributed to a unified vision for the show.

Through mystifying characters and extraordinarily curated tech, Stone Bridge produced a spectacle. Alice in Wonderland perfectly exhibited the youthful wonder that many long for. They took a universally known piece of literature and put a unique spin on it that was nothing short of imaginative.