REVIEW: Stages St. Louis Continues Season With Delightful Children's Show ALICE IN WONDERLAND

In the past year my little boy Zachary has seen eight shows, and he hasn't even turned four yet. His first introduction to the world of theatre was Stage St. Louis's production of The Jungle Book last summer, and it was a rousing success. I still smile when I think about the look of wonder on his face as he watched the actors cavort on stage. And, here we are a year later returning to Stages to take in their version of the 1951 Disney film Alice in Wonderland, which we'd borrowed from the library to bone up on in anticipation. Though it veers greatly from its source material, it's a delightful show filled with colorful characters and catchy songs.

The story is a loose adaptation of both Lewis Carroll's work, and the original animated film. But, several characters have been jettisoned to keep the action moving at a brisk pace, and a number of songs have either been replaced, or changed ever so slightly. In this version, Alice falls asleep and meets up with the likes of the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit, the March Hare, The caterpillar, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, and the Queen of Hearts. Each encounter brings forth its own peculiar set of circumstances as Alice journeys deeper into Wonderland.

Alexis Kinney is perfectly cast as Alice with her diminutive stature and big, clear voice. She brings a lot of energy to the role, and amidst the chaos that ensues, keeps the show focused on her plight. Brian Ogilvie is properly frantic as the time-obsessed White Rabbit, and his dance skills serve him well as he anxiously hops around the stage during the musical number "I'm Late". Edward Juvier is a riot as the Mad Hatter, channeling the spirit of the late Ed Wynn to great effect. Juvier nearly steals the show with his antics, especially during the manic tea party.

Shaun Sheley pulls double duty as the March Hare and the King of Hearts, drawing laughs from the audience with his clever asides as the tiny monarch. Katy Tibbets brings just the right note of villainous menace to the Queen of Hearts, and her "Simon Says" showdown with Alice works well, replacing the difficult to stage croquet match. Monte Howell is smooth as The caterpillar, belting out a version of "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah", which is actually from The Song of the South, but which fits into this score quite nicely.

Michael Baxter and Andre Kruep make acrobatic work of their roles as Tweedledee and Tweedledum, respectively. Taylor Louderman, Taylor Pietz, Kim McClay and Jacqueline Probst take on the roles of the flowers from the original film, but make them over as a girl gang, not unlike the Pink Ladies from Grease. Laura Ernst neatly rounds out the cast as Alice's older sister Mathilda.

Ben Nordstrom does a wonderful job directing and staging this production. It's thoughtfully conceived, and the cast appears to be having a great deal of fun. He's aided in his efforts by Ellen Isom's playful choreography, and Lisa Campbell Albert's strong musical direction. James Wolk's splendid set for The Drowsy Chaperone has been redressed to double as Alice's bedroom, while John Inchiostro's clever costumes bring the characters to life, and Matthew McCarthy's lighting scheme evokes the necessary atmosphere.

Stages St. Louis has constructed another terrific piece of musical theatre that both children and adults can enjoy with their presentation of Alice in Wonderland.

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