Getting engrossed on one’s phone leads to a conundrum for a little girl in a theatre group’s upcoming summer musical. Dewdney Players Group Theatre is bringing the two-act summer musical Alice@Wonderland to the Olde Towne Plaza this weekend and next, which tells the tale of a modern-day tweeting, texting, Googling valley girl who ends up down a rabbit hole that brings her to the 1980s. “Think neon and Rubik’s Cube and Madonna and Boy George and Mario Kart,” said Director Jody Sanderson. “She’s dazed and confused a lot of the time.” Like most fairy tales, everything turns out fine in the end but it’s Alice’s journey that will get audiences cracking up and tapping their toes to the songs and choreography in this outdoors musical. “I think the kids will go “what?” at first but I think they will relate to Alice and the parents will remember the ’80s so it will be a fun thing for them,” she said. Sanderson, who directed last year’s summer musical Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, has been working with a cast of 14 actors ranging in age from six to almost 60. Although there have been challenges with creating choreography consisting of dancers of varying heights and having some actors tackle three different parts, Sanderson said they’re handling it like pros. “I’ve been able to work with such a talented team,” she said. “They’ve been so creative and so supportive and just imaginative.” Some challenges with the show, according to Producer Brian Fea, is the fact that it’s outdoors. Unlike indoor performances where the show must go on no matter what the weather, that’s not the case for a musical in the park. If it rains, the show will be cancelled. The lack of walls and roof presents some other challenges, said Fea. “There’s people coming and going and the train going by and cars going by,” he said. “There are a lot of distractions out there that you need to work around.” Performing in the outdoors can be beneficial when it comes to the technical aspect. “You don’t need to worry about lighting,” Fea said. “It’s going to be whatever nature supplies.” For Fea, it’s about taking advantage of the warm weather while it’s here. “Our summers are so short that we need these wonderful outdoor activities to fulfill it,” he said. “We don’t get that many opportunities in this part of the country to do outdoors stuff because of weather so it’s great that we’re giving everyone a chance to come out and enjoy the summer and the weather and the fun and the music. It’s just a fun musical that the whole family can enjoy.” Outdoor performances remain a priority for the theatre group each summer, Fea said. “For several summers now we’ve been doing these outdoor plays in the plaza,” he said. “It’s just a totally different experience. One of Dewdney’s missions is to involve children and bring them along in theatre and summer is a great time to do that because the kids aren’t all wrapped up with all the other activities that they’re doing all year round. “They can totally be devoted to this play for a few weeks.” Fea expects Alice@Wonderland will be a hit for audience members of all ages with its colourful sets and light-hearted storyline peppered with lively songs and dance. “They’re in the 1980s and they’re dressed correspondingly and she’s in today’s world,” he said. “Alice is wondering what is going on with all of these people and how does she manoeuvre and get out of it. They’re really wondering who this strange person is that’s upsetting their lives.” Performances of Alice@Wonderland take place at 2 p.m. on July 21, 22, 28 and 29 and at 7 p.m. on July 20, 21, 27 and 28. Admission is by donation. Those in attendance are encouraged to bring lawn chairs. Hot dogs and smokies will be provided at the July 21 afternoon performance during Taste of Okotoks.
