Utica University Theater will present “Alice in Wonderland” from Feb. 29 – March 3 and the cast members are thrilled to perform after a much anticipated wait. The show puts a different spin on the classic story by having Alice experience self discovery.   

This is a family-friendly performance and cast members encouraged people to bring their children. The play is a crossover between Lewis Carroll’s “Alice and Wonderland” and “Alice Through the Looking Glass” stories. 

According to Utica University’s Theatre Department webpage, this tale is a darker, more faithful version of Carroll’s tale that reimagines the experience of Wonderland and ends with an unexpected new twist.  

“You can also expect a few ‘oh wow’ moments as Alice undergoes self discovery on her journey,” said Grace Monaco, a communications and media senior who plays the role of Alice. “This particular story is really close to my heart as it’s been one of my favorites since I was young, so to be able to play Alice is an honor and I cannot wait to bring everyone to wonderland with me.” 

The cast has put in countless hours into this production to make sure everything runs smoothly. Monaco said that preparing to play the character of Alice has been an exciting experience. 

To prepare for any role, Monaco starts by watching or rewatching the movie. She then studies mannerisms, facial expressions and voices. She also rehearses her lines all throughout the day, in and out of practice.

Rachel Wolfe, an associate professor of theater and the director of the play, tries to pick different genres every year and is excited to produce her first children’s play.

“It has been a lot of fun to work on, because we get to do silly things like juggling and tumbling that rarely make it into shows aimed specifically at adults,” Wolfe said. 

With a large production like “Alice in Wonderland,” many students were casted so they were allowed an opportunity to learn the art form, and that makes the production exciting, Wolfe said. Her favorite part of the play is when the cast is all on stage at the end interacting with each other because everyone comes together. 

The biggest challenge for the production was complying with fire codes and determining where they would host the play. Since there was such a large number of cast members, they faced the challenge of exceeding the amount of people allowed in one space. They are now staging the play in Strebel Auditorium.

“I’m hopeful that audiences coming in will still get the feeling that they have stepped into Wonderland, but it’s just more technically difficult to fill a larger space with wonder and strangeness than a smaller one,” Wolfe said. 

There are five performances: Friday, March 1 and Saturday, March 2 at 1 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 3 at 1 p.m. Tickets are $6 for general admission and $4 for students and can be bought at the door or through Eventbrite online.Online ticket purchases carry an additional surcharge. Anyone who wears a kid-friendly costume will receive a free raffle ticket.