Austin Wolford noticed Quaker Valley High School students had become curiouser and curiouser about his musical selections.
With recent shows like “The Addams Family: A New Musical Comedy” and “My Fair Lady,” veteran performers began to feel that very few things, indeed, were really impossible.
This helped fuel his team’s choice of a more emotional, educational and dark story this time around.
Wolford considered the potential cast, took a peek through the looking glass and went with “Alice by Heart.”
Written by Steve Sater and Jessie Nelson, with music by Duncan Sheik, it is inspired by Lewis Carroll’s timeless “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” but told in a wartime setting.
“We always try and give them good educational experience,” Wolford said. “We want them to experience both classic shows when they’re in high school, but we also want them to have some contemporary experience as well. The students had been asking me for a number of years now to do something a little more adult, a little more PG-13. (This musical) fit the bill for us.”
The show in a nutshell
Set in 1941 during the London Blitz of World War II, “Alice by Heart” tells the story of two young friends in an emergency bunker in a tube station.
Alice is in denial about the impending death of her friend, Alfred, who is in quarantine suffering from tuberculosis and under the care of a Red Cross nurse. The nurse warns the girl that she could get sick from his cough.
Alice begs Alfred to escape into the world of the book they used to read, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.”
The nurse catches them trying to read it, snatches the book and flings it across the tracks.
Alice remains defiant as pages scatter everywhere, declaring she can take her friend to Wonderland; she knows the story by heart.
People within the tube station become characters from the story. Alfred rises from his cot and turns into the White Rabbit, the nurse into the Queen of Hearts and a shell-shocked soldier into the Mad Hatter.
Alice and Alfred
Alice and Alfred are played by juniors Rowan Wallace and Milo Taylor-Martin.
Both have shared the stage in school district productions and outside performances since eighth grade.
Milo said having a talented and familiar partner makes performing easier.
“It’s very nice to be able to act with someone you know very well,” he said. “It’s kind of uncomfortable and weird when you don’t really know them that well. Alfred and Alice are pretty close together as characters for a lot of the show.
“It is a little comforting knowing that the person you’re interacting with is a very kind person and a great actor and someone you’re used to being around.”
Milo described his character as a little dorky, quiet and not long for this world due to illness.
“He’s almost come to terms with his imminent demise. He is just trying his very best to comfort Alice through this traumatic experience and be there with his best friend for however long he has left,” Milo said.
Milo believes everyone will be able to connect with characters dealing with loss and grief and trying to support one another.
The show is a big opportunity for Rowan, who worked her way up from supporting roles and ensemble cast to the main character.
It runs about 90 minutes, and she’ll be on stage for all of it.
“I enjoy the whole experience,” Rowan said. “The past years, honestly, just working with the same kind of group. New people come and go, but I’ve known most of these musical people for a while throughout middle school, too.
“It’s been fun and exciting. I’m really excited to have this pretty lead role and also work with a lot of the people I’ve been surrounded by.”
Rowan described her character as one struggling with reality and looking to a fantasy world to survive and cope with grief. She also sees the show as a coming-of-age without the happy ending like other musicals.
“I think everyone has lost something,” Rowan said. “I think that’s really important for me. All the songs, thinking about them in a more analytical way.
“What does this song truly mean? What is she feeling in this moment? What is she trying to work through? Throughout each song, she is channeling different emotions.”
Rowan said the audience will be able to feel the chemistry between her and Milo and should prepare for some heartbreaking moments.
The set is one of the largest in recent Quaker Valley musical history. It’s built like a large TV sitcom and pulls everyone into the center.
“Alice by Heart” opened Off-Broadway at the MCC Theater in February 2019 and ran through April 7 of that year.
Milo thanked Wolford for having the confidence in the cast and crew to put on such a contemporary piece.
“It is really refreshing to tell a very new and modern story,” Milo said. “It’s a very lovely show for me. Although it’s not as known as other shows, I think it adds a freshness and adds a bit of intrigue to people.
”Mr. Wolford is a very lovely director. He’s very friendly to us and he feels like someone we can always talk to and have fun with and interact with. He does push us very well.”
The musical was selected in early June and announced in September. Auditions took place in November and rehearsals began the last week of December.
There are 85 students in the production, including 40 in the cast, 25 in set design and building, five in the orchestra and others helping as ushers, lighting and other roles behind the scenes.
This is Wolford’s eighth year as director. He said the theater provides something for everyone and thanked the parent volunteers and professionals who also contributed to the production.
“We’re in really good shape,” Wolford said a little more than two weeks from opening night. “The cast has been absolutely crushing it with rehearsals. The music is really difficult. … Couldn’t ask to be in a better place all around.”
