Monday, April 30, 2018

Fall Play:


Alice in Wonderland
By Anne Coulter Martens
Based on the story by Lewis Carroll
Plot Summary:


As the curtain rises, Alice slides into view at the end of her long fall down the rabbit-hole. It is a
more delightful place for the audience than for Alice, though, who is trying desperately to get
back home. She tries to get help from the Mad Hatter, the Rabbit, and from the very nice Cheshire
Cat to name a few. Instead of helping her, Tweedledee and Tweedledum get into a fight - The
Mad Hatter has a tea party - and even the Cheshire Cat is enigmatic.  So poor Alice even decides
to ask for help from the evil Queen of Hearts. The action in this script is fast-paced and depicts
all of the delightful charm of Lewis Carroll’s great classic.


Character List
Alice Alice is the main character of the story.  She is a young girl with lots of imagination and is fond
of showing off her knowledge. Alice is polite, well raised and interested in others, although she sometimes
makes the wrong remarks and upsets the creatures in Wonderland. She is easily put off by abruptness and
rudeness of others.


Cheshire Cat The Cheshire Cat serves as sort of a narrator role in this version of the story. The Cat
is always smiling. Alice tries to engage him in a serious conversation, but he replies to her in nonsense
questions and answers. He vanishes and reappears, and sometimes only his head, or his enigmatic smile, is
visible.


White Rabbit The first creature that Alice sees in Wonderland. He leads Alice down the hole to
Wonderland.  The White Rabbit is nervous and seems to always be in a hurry.


Caterpillar The water-pipe smoking character whom Alice finds on a mushroom. He is disagreeable
and insulting to Alice. He is also moody and his color often changes to depict his mood.


Frog Footman Doorman of the Duchess' house. He receives the Queen's croquet party invitation
for the Duchess. He banters nonsense — with variations — to Alice.


Duchess The Duchess is a mad human character of hideous physical aspect and perverse disposition.
She abuses the pig/baby and throws it to Alice. Later, she moralizes with Alice at the croquet party.


Cook The Duchess’ Cook - She throws pots and plates about, but doesn't hit anyone, although one
plate grazes the Frog-Footman's nose. Her indiscriminate shaking of a pepper mill causes everyone in the
Duchess' house to sneeze, especially the pig/baby, who screams and cries.


Queen of Hearts The furious queen of the enchanted garden. She is the real power behind
Wonderland. Her violent and outrageous temper provokes Alice to overturn Wonderland and return to the
world above-ground.


King He is the Queen's husband and also the judge at the trial of the Knave of Hearts.  The King is the
more moderate part of the Wonderland Government.


Knave The only "person" in Wonderland to evoke Alice's sympathy. He is accused of stealing tarts in
the enchanted garden. Alice saves him from the queen's wrath and execution.


Courtier A servant to the Queen.


Ladies Ladies in waiting to the Queen.  They play croquet in the garden scene.


Heart Children Part of the Queen’s people - they play croquet in the garden scene.


Mad Hatter A guest-resident at the Mad Tea-Party. He is mad and speaks randomly, most of which
is nonsense or in the form of a riddle.  He is terrified of the Queen. The Hatter is interrogated by the King
at the Knave of Hearts' trial; he and the March Hare dunk the Dormouse in the teapot.


March Hare Host of the Mad Tea-Party. He and the Mad Hatter try to drown the third guest-
resident, the Dormouse.


Dormouse A hibernating guest-resident at the Mad Tea-Party. He awakes randomly to add
comments and, at one point, sings a song.  He is dunked in the teapot by the Mad Hatter and the March
Hare. He is barely able to stay awake, but appears later at the Knave's trial.


Tweedledee and Tweedledum Tweedledum and Tweedledee are twin brothers, fat little
boys who like grinning and reciting poetry to Alice. They continually act out the nursery rhyme from
which they come, quarreling because Tweedledum says Tweedledee broke his rattle. They are grinning,
rude, mischievous and violent.


Humpty Dumpty Humpty Dumpty is just who he sounds like – the egg-shaped man from the
nursery rhyme you probably learned as a child. Humpty Dumpty is a wordsmith, obsessed with making
the most of his vocabulary and not only reciting but explaining poetry to Alice. He's obsessed with being
able to force meaning to happen. He ends up falling off the wall at the end of his scene and breaking into a
million tiny pieces.


Mock Turtle A sad "mock turtle" who used to be a tortoise; he regales Alice with accounts of his
peculiar education. He recites the "Lobster-Quadrille." He and the Gryphon are not overly hostile or rude
to Alice.


Gryphon A mythical creature who is in the scene with the the Mock Turtle. He is introduced to Alice
by the queen. He is polite to Alice and is never overtly hostile.


Soldiers Soldiers to the Queen.  They form the wickets during the royal croquet game.  


Executioner An executioner - the 10 of Clubs.


Gardeners The Two, the Five, and the Seven of Spades; animated playing cards. They are
"gardeners" for the Queen of Hearts. Alice finds them painting white roses red. Alice saves them from
execution when the Queen orders them beheaded.


Flower-Girls Talking flowers that are in the scene with Humpty Dumpty.


Prop Men Two actors who move props and furniture to various locations in Wonderland.


**All parts except Alice, Duchess, Queen, King, Knave, and Executioner may be
played by either male or female actors.


Auditions:  August 29
Performances: November 1, 2, and 3

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Sunday, April 22, 2018

This talented group of 8th graders took the HMS stage for the last time on Saturday night.  They are such a fabulous group!  We will miss them next year!!


LMS Thespians presenting opening night Break a Leg gift to us.  We love our LMS theatre friends!  So nice!


Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Come check out the extremely talented cast of If the Clue Fits this weekend!!  Performances are April 19, 20 and 21 at 7:00 pm in the HMS auditorium!  Ticket Link: www.lps53.org/tickets