Alice in Wonderland 2010

The Oil Region Ballet company made its debut April 1 and 3, 2010, when it staged its own interpretation of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland at the Barrow-Civic Theatre in Franklin.

Alice in Wonderland is a classic tale of a young girl's visit to a fantasy world that was inspired by three girls' real life boating trip on the river Thames. It is filled with peculiar and illogical characters that have become a classic example of the "literary nonsense" genre in literature today.

The ORB interpretation of Alice in Wonderland portrays these mystical, magical and often frustrating characters through the music of celebrated composers from two very different eras: the classical composer Pyotr (Peter) Tchaikovsky and the more contemporary Herbert Baumann. ORB's use of both musical styles adds to the peculiar flavor of the production, and allows different dances to entertain the audience.

The ORB production follows Alice, in a dance of swirling figures and confusion, as she falls down a rabbit hole and is confronted with a quandary of choices, doors to enter, and notes directing her to eat and drink. With each choice, Alice becomes more frustrated and confused, as dark lighting, mysterious choreography and music accentuate her plight. She soon encounters other peculiar characters, talking caterpillars, a garden of dancing flowers, an ugly duchess, a continuously-smiling Cheshire cat, an unusual tea party, and a temperamental queen who decapitates everyone who irritate her.

Alice even becomes infatuated with a knave of hearts who is accused of stealing the queen's tarts, and is portrayed in a beautiful dance of two. Each new personality dances in, around and over poor Alice until she can no longer take it and lashes out by shredding the illusion, bringing the audience to the realization that this all was a dream. . . or was it?

The Cast

Alice-Smantha Caiarelli

White Rabbit-Danielle Eberle

Door-Abbey Shull, Rachel Leech, Cole Femovich

Sea Creatures-Emily Mattocks, Abby Mullen, Zoey Keeley, Cole Femovich, Abbey Shull, Lindsay Pingor, Shannon Wolff, Dreama Nelson, Brittany Tague, Rachel Leech

Caterpillar-Mahala Femovich, Shannon Wolff, Emily Mattocks, Hannah Young, Rachel Leech

Flowers-Ellen Mook, Dreama Nelson, Margo McCullough, Morgan Jacoby, Kristen Hatch, Brittany Tague, Mary Bajek, Shelby Seyler, Abby Mullen, Anne Clement

Cat-Zoey Keeley

Mad Hatter-Benjamin Rowan

March Hare-Erika Maleski

Door Mouse-Lauren Sarazen

Gardeners-Lauren Sarazen, Lindsay Pingor

Duchess-Mary Bajek

Queen of Hearts-Morgan Jacoby

Knave of Spades-Ryan Jackson

King of Hearts-Ted Smith

Knave of Hearts-Victor Aponte

Sea Creatures II-Emily Mattocks, Cole Femovich, Abbey Shull, Shannon Wolff, Shelby Seyler, Rachel Leech, Hannah Young

Soldier-Ellen Mook