Local cast brings "Alice in Wonderland" to Ritz stage

This weekend only, the Act 2! community theater group will present Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland," adapted by Charlotte Chorpenning.

The annual children's production is under the direction Candie Groves and JD Harris, directors of 2010's "The Velveteen Rabbit" and 2009's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

This classic tale follows Alice (played by Andrea FitzPatrick) as she chases the White Rabbit (played by Sam Fleming) down his rabbit hole into Wonderland. There she meets a multitude of peculiar characters including the Caterpillar (Katie Weld), the Mad Hatter (Shelby Crosskno), the March Hare (Madison Groves, also Alice's understudy), the Dormouse (Megan Jenkins), Tweedledum and Tweedledee (Tia Sellers and Ally Young), and, of course, the Red Queen (Hannah Thompson) and the King of Hearts (Aaron FitzPatrick).

Along the way, Alice also encounters the Cook (Crystal Wilbur), the Frog-Footman (Courtney Cable), the Mock Turtle (Peyton Sullins), the Knave of Hearts (Slade Robertson), the Dutchess (Kaylee McKenney), the White Queen (Victoria Travis), the Gryphon (Carmen Besharse), and the Executioner (Tucker Thompson).

Other residents of Wonderland include Fredaysia Estell, Samantha FitzPatrick, Charlie Groves, Karli McKenney, Alexandra Regenold and Katelyn Seabaugh.

The directors are excited to add that not only will audiences be seeing some familiar faces, more than a third of this year's cast is brand new to the Act 2! stage. Cast members, ranging in age from 7 to adult, come from all over the surrounding area, including Blytheville, Gosnell, Armorel, Osceola, Monette and the Bootheel of Missouri.

Lighting for the show will be done by Julia Huffman. Costume and prop assistance was provided by Marsha FitzPatrick, Tonya Harris, Carol Walls, Sherry Travis, Diane Jenkins, Julie Crosskno, Kimberly Rhodes, Richard Schlosser and many of the cast members and their families.

"Alice in Wonderland" is being produced by special arrangement with the Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Ill. The production will take the stage of the Ritz Theater on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 each. Children under 5 years old will be admitted free.

cpinkard@blythevillecourier.com