Shady Side Academy students to livestream a production of 'Alice in Wonderland'

Take a ride down the rabbit hole with Shady Side Academy students as they present “Alice In Wonderland – A Radio Play,” streamed live to accommodate covid-19 restrictions.

“I have loved this story since I was a child and am grateful for an opportunity to perform,” said junior Ava Kronman, 16.

The Fox Chapel resident will bring to life the show’s main character.

“I think that presenting this particular piece as a radio play really emphasizes the whimsy of Wonderland and its quirky characters.”

The production will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 6 and 7, and 2 p.m. on Nov. 8.

The live stream is free but donations will be accepted online to help offset production costs. The links will be available soon at shadysideacademy.org/theater.

Based on a 1937 radio broadcast of the 1865 novel by Lewis Carroll, the tale follows a young girl named Alice who journeys into a subterranean fantasy world filled with anthropomorphic creatures like the clothed white rabbit and the smoking blue caterpillar. Each of them tells the youngster fanciful lessons about growing up.

Senior Jake Rohr, 17, of Fox Chapel plays the mock turtle. Having been involved in theater since elementary school, Rohr has participated in Shady Side Academy productions since sixth grade.

“I initially got into theater because I love to sing, however over the past few years I have become passionate for theater as a whole,” he said.

That the cast still gets the chance to perform during a year with a pandemic has filled them with gratitude, Rohr said.

“Theater provides solace. This has been a tough year for everyone so I am so thankful to have the opportunity to actually be on stage together and perform,” he said. “It’s been an absolute joy.”

There are nearly 30 students in the cast and crew. Some of the leading roles went to senior Charlotte McDaniel of Highland Park as the caterpillar/the Gryphon, senior Mark Fire of Aspinwall as The King of Hearts and senior Annabel Everett of Fox Chapel as Alice’s sister.

Faculty member Dana Hardy-Bingham is the director and staff member Austin Davidheiser is the technical director. Senior Hannah Romoff of Hampton is the stage manager/assistant director, senior Katie Sparvero of Penn Hills is the dramaturge and Peter Brucker is the music/sound designer.

The play will be performed on stage in the Richard E. Rauh Theater of the school’s Hillman Center for Performing Arts but with social distancing between masked actors and without an in-person audience.

Hardy-Bingham said that in a time when live performance is mostly at a standstill, it’s been invigorating to be able to gather like-minded artists to put on this wacky family-friendly, classic story.

“As we navigate the uncertainty of these difficult and unprecedented times, it gives me a real sense of purpose to be leading this group of amazing young people on this adventure into Lewis Carroll’s famous novel and down the rabbit hole into the unknown,” she said.