The Dolores Schools theater group will perform Alice in Wonderland at 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday.
“It’s a lively performance. We have one of our largest casts at 25 students,” said director Pete Swingle.
Junior Maddalyn Ludington plays Alice.
“It has a funny edge to it, and the theme is to try and live and experience the world in different ways,” she said.
Senior Julieanna Goad plays the Mad Hatter, a role she likes because of its improvisation.
“I get to act sassy and say silly things as part of my character. I love the creative part of making it up on the fly,” she said.
Theater offers young actors a chance to try different characters, said Destinee Goddard, playing the Queen of Hearts.
“My character yells a lot, and as an actor, that has helped push me out of my comfort zone,” she said. “The play says to me: ‘Explore life, don’t be ordinary.’”
Artist Nadya Erlandson created a giant, flamboyant Cheshire Cat for the show. Its yellow eyes have a “follow effect,” she said, that make it appear the cat is returning the gaze of audience members.
The performance takes place within a custom set that has lots of color and changing light patterns.
“The whole play is crazy in a funny way. The audience will be in for a lot of laughs,” Goad said.
A dress rehearsal will be Thursday. Several elementary classes will come to watch.
