BWW Reviews: DreamWrights' Accessible Family ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Those unfamiliar with DreamWrights in York may be surprised to hear that its shows have adults in their casts - after all, it's a "children's theater". But its full name is DreamWrights Youth and Family Theatre, and all ages are cast based on the sorts of parts needed for the show. In its current ALICE IN WONDERLAND, for example, the Queen and King of Hearts, the Queen's ladies in waiting, and the Duchess are adult cast members; Alice certainly isn't.

It may not be the ALICE you're used to. There's no mistaking Anne Coulter Martens' script for the original Lewis Carroll story, or for Disney's musical. It's not going to be up for any major dramatic awards, but it's a nice children's version of the story, leading inexorably from a rabbit hole up to Alice's trial, and it's narrated by an energetic Cheshire cat (perhaps more visible around its grin than one may be used to seeing - this "Chessie" is no "grin without a cat", as Carroll described it, but a bouncy cat who loves to grin at the insanity around it) who serves as Alice's sidekick in the topsy-turvy world of Wonderland, with an amusing second-act opening diversion of Tweedledee and Tweedledum's battle royale. Director Paige Hoke has done a fine job of keeping two huge casts (DreamWrights does double casts) together and as on-mark as great gaggles of kid cast members get.

The best moments of the show include the infamous tea party, the Tweedledee/Tweedledum battle, and the "courtroom" scene, with a cocky King of Hearts explaining to the jury just what is and isn't important in the witnesses' testimony. Watch out for the cook and her giant pepper mill, and for a Knave of Hearts with a giant appetite, as well as a Mock Turtle monologue. All are nicely handled.

There are many theatres in the area that put on children's shows entirely or primarily made up of children in the cast. Susquehanna Stage has its program, Ephrata Performing Arts Center its annual shows, and York Little Theatre does a "junior" or "kids" version of various shows, mostly Disney, regularly. Gettysburg Community Theatre, with the Adams County School of Music, does primarily child cast shows, and has mastered the art. But DreamWrights is just a little different in one very important area - it's far more accessible for disabled audiences than most in the region. (GCT's Penguin Project is about helping disabled and autistic children participate in theatre on stage.)

DreamWrights has a large, open area with individual chairs that features a large section where ambulatorily challenged audience members, with and without wheelchairs can be seated. Its large space is amenable to huge, brightly colored sets that can be seen by those with slight visual impairments - and for those with greater visual deficit, one performance of each production is specifically geared to the visually-impaired. An hour before the show, a descriptive and touch based tour of the props and the set is given to those who can attend, organized by Shannon Hallisey, DreamWrights' director of education. At the ALICE tour, about a dozen visually impaired audience members and their families were handed props, heard them described, and were able to familiarize themselves with them. The Mad Hatter's tea party set was along the tour route and was examined by the visitors, who were then brought across the stage as well. At the end, cast members came out, in costume. Costumes were described, and visitors were able to touch them and to feel the designs.

Visually impaired audience members are seated in the same section and furnished with headphones during the performance scheduled for visually impaired audiences, so that a running audio description can be given of the set and the events. The description is written to avoid overlapping with cast dialogue, which is audible even with the headphones on. Currently, DreamWrights borrows the equipment for the audio description, but it hopes to be able to buy its own headsets and furnish them for more performances.

Audio headsets for hearing-impaired audience members are available at all times, though advance notice is welcomed when making reservations.

Visually-impaired audience members who have participated in the visual assistance program previously as well as with the current production at DreamWrights indicated that the effort is welcome and that it makes DreamWrights performances more enticing to them than those of many other theatres in the area - they feel welcomed there and they are pleased to be able to participate in live theatre knowing what is happening in front of them.

ALICE is closing this weekend, but all productions at DreamWrights feature disability seating, audio enhancement, and specific productions for the visually impaired. Plans are being made to engage in workshops for children with sensory issues to become oriented to theatre so that they can attend successfully. The Fulton Theatre in Lancaster has been a pioneer in this practice in the area, and it is heartening to see the trend spread. For more information on DreamWrights' schedule and its accessibility programs, visit www.dreamwrights.org.

Photo Credit: The Susquehanna Photographic

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