[New post] Going down the UPT “Rabbit Hole:” Alice in Wonderland opens April 6
Scott Travis posted: "Following over two years of pandemic struggles, Ukiah Players Theatre is coming back strong, producing a collaborative, bold and big production of the beloved Lewis Carroll tale- and doing it in the inimitable, boundary-pushing style that makes UPT one of" The Ukiah Daily Journal
Following over two years of pandemic struggles, Ukiah Players Theatre is coming back strong, producing a collaborative, bold and big production of the beloved Lewis Carroll tale- and doing it in the inimitable, boundary-pushing style that makes UPT one of Northern California's most innovative theaters.
L to R: Wynona Idica (Alice), Lilly Mayfield (Mad Hatter), Alithia Gallups (Deermouse), Dell Linney (March Hare), Afton Edwards (Ten) and Phoenix Carr (Living Set) rehearsing the Mad Tea Party Scene for UPT's upcoming rendition of Alice in Wonderland, opening April 6.
"Alice" has been on the mind of Jenny Peterman, UPT Executive Director, Art Director for the show and acting as "The Caterpillar" in the performance. Peterman and Director/Ukiah High Drama Instructor and UPT Board President Chris Douthit had been talking about a reprise of the play for years.
"This is our first big show following the pandemic, and UPT's second offering of Alice In Wonderland since the early 2000's," says Peterman.
"Our specific UPT team is so good, we knew it was time to do it," says Douthit. Staff and board waited until they felt the constraints of the pandemic were mostly in the rear-view mirror, because it is a costly, time-consuming production with a large cast, lots of eye-popping costumes, over-the-top puppets and complex production values. The show is being underwritten by John Chan, Black Oak Coffee Roasters and Crane Construction.
This will be a singular version of "Alice" featuring new characters along with the familiar, original songs and set in a very different location.
The Cheshire Cat is one of a number of fantastical puppets that will be employed during the performance.
"As much as people are fans, Lewis Carroll was a complex fellow. We intentionally employed multiple themes- there's no two-dimensional characters or villains in our story. The original story is flat and glib- ours is not. Our Alice is a teenager, exploring and encountering strong characters and different styles of living. Is she going to 'take them with her' or not? She's coming from a place where she's been told there's one path in life. She gets to make her own decisions," says Peterman.
Focusing on youth was a priority for the UPT team. "Covid left teens in a pretty vulnerable place," says Douthit. "Youth in arts is more crucial than ever."
"We have always nurtured youth at UPT. But between social media and Covid's insular world, kids were not expressing themselves. With this show we are nurturing interpersonal communication and empathy," says Peterman. "We leaned into that thematically, cultivating imagination while learning from relationships with others," Douthit adds.
In addition to working hand-in-hand with Ukiah High School, UPT and the Mendocino College Theater Department collaborated with shared try-outs for upcoming performances- possibly the first time that the three groups brought together a community of budding thespians across the academic sphere.
L to R: Azalea Morninglight, Mindi Ramos (Queen of Tarts), Afton Edwards, Alana Richert, Maggie Ramey, Scarlett Kephart, Wynona Idica and Melody Wagar- performing as the "tarts" who serve the Queen perform a tongue-in-cheek dance.
"Our idea was to integrate and rebuild all our programs. Jenny helped me with the fall show at UHS. We were able to utilize UPT costume and makeup mentors at the High School. We're pairing UHS students with UPT veterans so a new generation of teens can learn from older mentors. Instead of competing, we are collaborating and sharing."
"For Alice, we wrote an original show just like we used to with UPT's Repose in Action youth program. We cast mentors and youth together in each scene and in production, so kids had someone to look up to and learn from, translating into multi-generational craziness at rehearsals," smiles Peterman. The student actors are learning everything from set design to mask-making.
The play is set in the time of the Old West, with corresponding music, animals and desert creatures found in California and the American Southwest playing the role of the Wonderland menagerie.
"It's a family-friendly performance with 5 original songs that children will really enjoy. There are definitely pieces parents will delight in and levels that children will love. And it's going to be so beautiful," says Peterman. "The art direction and costumes are outrageous."
"It's been a really great learning experience for the students to access UPT's facility. There's so much for them to learn. Community building, developing empathy, broadening perspectives and horizons while learning to trust yourself impacts students no matter what work they choose. There's a sense of courage this generation of kids has. They have so many obstacles and challenges they didn't have previously; yet they're choosing to do this work and are really appreciative for the opportunities," Douthit notes.
The cast ranges in age from 9 to 62 and consists of Erika Brewer, Phoenix Carr, Nishae Colombo, Rosemary Eddy, Afton Edwards, Alithia Gallups, Michael Gonzalez, Emily Henebury, Ashya Hupp, Lael Hupp, Scarlett Kephart, Dell Linney, Lilly Mayfield, Azalea Morninglight, Jasmine Norris, Sean Powell, Maggie Ramey, Mindi Ramos, Alana Richert, Sean Rowell, Nena Saucedo, Lalo Torres, Eli Vogt, Melody Wagar and Grey Wolfe-Smith.
The show's Choreographer/Light Design is being led by Traci Hunt. The Accompanist and Sound Effects are performed by Mike Gutierrez. Nena Saucedo is the Stage Manager. The Light Board Operator is Indigo Senerchia and Sound Board Operators are Mady Sprague and Kai Krasts.
Alice is being played by Wynona Idica.
"I always liked theatre as a kid," says Idica. "My first show was with UPT in 2011, which was also my last show," she smiles.
"Instead of saddling Wynona with tons of material, Alice is joined by two other actors- her left and right brains- her compassionate, adventuresome side, and the direct, analytical, reasonable side. Alice gets to interact with the different sides of herself and encounters iconic, strong female characters and loveable male characters along the way," says Peterman.
"I came into this with a totally open mind- not quite sure what was going to happen," says Idica. "I was surprised how much I felt personally connected to the two sides of Alice as I'm navigating my real life in my late 20's. It's been amazing having Jenny see into what I've been experiencing- encountering other strong women and seeing all their different successes. I'd like to give myself the same grace."
Lalo Torres is playing "El Rey," the King of Hearts equivalent. He was a graduate of Maria Monti's Ukiah High Theater program and is now majoring in theater and math at Mendocino College. Like Idica, he had little idea of how transformative his role would be during auditions. "They gave us a little warning, but I didn't know how personal the roles would be to each character,' Torres explains. When not performing, he can be found at UPT helping out. "Even on unassigned days, I really enjoy it. It's been so great getting to do everything."
"Lalo is one of our most stellar volunteers," says Peterman. While Torres investigates transfer options, he's loving the Inland Mendocino theater scene. "This is a great community for theater," he concludes.
Michael Gonzalez is a Sophomore in Douthit's English class at UHS. All students received extra credit for auditioning, but Gonzalez was surprised when he landed the role as the Mole- Peterman's replacement for Carroll's Mouse. "Douthit got me hooked," Gonzalez smiles. "I got the bug. He persuaded me into taking drama and stagecraft next year. I guess his daily advertisements worked on me." Waving his arms toward the theater, the set and the cast, he proclaims, smiling, "This entire thing is only for Douthit!"
Alice in Wonderland opens on April 6 and runs until April 30. Showtimes on Thursdays and Saturdays are at 7 p.m. and Sundays open at 2 p.m., with no performance Easter Sunday. Tickets are available online at https://www.ukiahplayerstheatre.org or at UPT's box office. For more information phone (707) 462-9226.
No comments:
Post a Comment