LUVERNE — Dive down the rabbit hole and into the world of Cheshire cats and mad hatters in the Green Earth Player’s adaptation of “Alice in Wonderland," performing this week at the Historic Palace Theatre in Luverne.
The show, written by veteran director Carol Ceynowo and her husband, Tim — both of whom appear on stage as part of the cast — opened last Friday. It will continue through this weekend. Exploring Lewis Carol’s Wonderland, this adaptation has all of the nonsense of the original and follows the same story with a few changes to the cast of characters, like a mediating octopus and tea lady who helps guide Alice on her journey.
“We put some different characters in there, and there’s some more humor and whimsy to this adaptation,” Ceynowa said. “It’s definitely a children’s play, but I feel our adult audience will still really enjoy it.”
With set and costumes designed by Ceynowa, audiences are in for a colorful, whimsical treat, with bubble-blowing caterpillars, a jazzy Cheshire Cat, and of course, the ever “curiouser and curiouser” Alice. The show also includes a number of poems, set to music written by the White Rabbit and Cheshire Cat.
Ceynowa began working on the adaptation with her husband in January 2022, inspired by her daughter’s childhood love of both the “Alice in Wonderland” book and movie.
ADVERTISEMENT
“It was her favorite,” Ceynowa said. “She’d play make-believe Wonderland and we watched Alice in Wonderland so many times.”
The cast of 20 began rehearsals in January, and despite the challenges with the weather, Ceynowa said the show was well prepared for its March 24 opening. About half of the cast has worked with Ceynowa before, including Nicole Henrichs who plays the titular Alice and did shows with Ceynowa during her high school directing days.
“It’s been wonderful to see it all come to life. The cast is just exceptional,” Ceynowa said. “They make it a joy to come in, and watching the actors become their characters and fully embrace them — it’s beyond what I thought it could be, beyond anything I could have imagined.”
The show will run approximately two hours, with an intermission partway through. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee. Tickets are available for purchase at the historic Palace Theatre in Luverne.
“It’s really been a group effort, and it's just a lot of fun,” said Ceynowa. “I don’t think there’s a boring moment throughout.”
The Trust Project
