A Noise Within Presents Alice in Wonderland

 

UPDATE 3/12/2020: Alice in Wonderland and The Winter’s Tale cancelled. See full statement below.

Dear A Noise Within Passholders, Patrons, and Supporters:

In light of the recommendation by Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Health regarding public gatherings, we are canceling the remaining performances of The Winter’s Tale and Alice in Wonderland. We are also cancelling our Noise Now performances and all other public events through the end of April.

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At this time, our production of Sweeney Todd is still scheduled to continue as planned in May. We are in the midst of strategizing for the spring and summer, and we will continue to give you updates in the future. We are working to reschedule our March and April Noise Now events for a later date.

We are so proud of the work that the actors, artists, crew, and staff put into our spring productions. However, the health and well-being of our audience and community must come first. We feel incredible gratitude to everyone who has already seen our spring productions, and we value your support.

The following options are available for those who have already purchased tickets to cancelled performances. Transferring your ticket to a donation supports A Noise Within during these uncertain times, and we appreciate your consideration.

• Donate your ticket and receive a tax deduction for the total ticket value
• Credit your ticket value towards a future A Noise Within performance

As we anticipate a large number of requests, we ask for your patience as we address the needs of all of our patrons. You can fill out this form to put in your request now.

As a nonprofit organization, A Noise Within has been a proud member of this community for nearly 30 years. Without the revenue from ticket sales or educational partners, we are depending on the support of our loyal friends and patrons to keep the company moving forward in these trying times. We need you now more than ever. You can make a donation by clicking here. As always, your donation will be fully tax-deductible. 

We appreciate your support as we continue to monitor the situation. In the meantime, please continue to take care of yourself and your loved ones.

Warmly,

Geoff Elliott & Julia Rodriguez-Elliott
Producing Artistic Directors

A Noise Within (ANW), California’s acclaimed classic repertory theatre company, is proud to present Alice in Wonderland, directed by Stephanie Shroyer. A two-time Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award winner, Shroyer previously directed ANW’s LA Times Critic’s Choice production of The Madwoman of Chaillot for the theatre’s 2017-2018 season. Alice in Wonderland will run Mar. 1 through Apr. 18, 2020.

Crash through the looking-glass with Alice on her zany adventure to an upside-down magical dreamland where imagination defies reality and madness makes logic. Weaving a whimsical poem of hilarious and colorful eccentrics, Lewis Carroll’s fractured fairy tale creates a prism through which we can again experience the mystery and effervescent wonder of growing up.

“We never grow out of childhood, we just forget it,” said Director Stephanie Shroyer. “I often feel the need to apologize for being a child, but Alice gives us all permission to remember how wonderful it is to be a child even if our years on the planet deem we’re beyond it.”

Although the story begins with Alice in Victorian England, the setting will quickly tumble into the topsy-turvy world that makes Wonderland. The creative team, particularly in scenic design, is experimenting with theatrical tricks such as how to make Alice shrink and grow and how to make the Cheshire Cat disappear. Everything becomes backwards through the looking-glass, a visual effect that flies in the face of both logic and convention.

The costume design for Alice, like many production elements, takes visual cues from John Tenniel’s illustrations for the original Alice books, but also pushes them a step forward to be more theatrical. “If the set is minimalist and abstract, the costumes are nothing like that,” said Costume Designer Angela Balogh Calin. “Everything is alive and colorful, and we invite the audience to embark on a whimsical, playful journey where actors start out as everyday Victorian citizens and then slowly transform into queens and birds and many other fantastical characters in front of our eyes.”

Like many fairy tales, Alice allows us to remember our childhood and enjoy the little things that delighted us when we were young, while still exploring mature ideas and philosophies. “Alice was the first children’s book to be written without a moral,” continued Shroyer. “Carroll wasn’t trying to preach or teach, but he still explores many relevant themes: growing up, the nature of identity, natural curiosity, and achieving social position.”

Only eight actors are playing quadruple the number of parts—a challenge for both the director and the cast. “We’ve agreed to reinvent the rabbit hole,” said Shroyer. “We have our work cut out for us, just like Alice, but we are presenting a spellbinding tale that is both evocative and provocative for all audiences.”

“Lewis Carroll’s story is a sparkling, humorous ode to whimsy,” concluded Artistic Directors Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott. “You will find—as we did when we chose Alice as part of the season—that there is so much more to Wonderland than you remember from the Disney movie. Going through the looking-glass with Alice is a journey that will enchant both children and adults.”

Single ticket prices for Alice in Wonderland start at $25 and are available at anoisewithin.org, by phone at 626-356-3121, and at the box office located at 3352 East Foothill Blvd in Pasadena, Calif.