Alice in Wonderland is an 1865 English children’s tale by Lewis Carroll (a pseudonym of Charles Dodgson). Dodgson is a distant relative of mine, as are many natives of England. Alice is one the best-known works of Victorian English fiction, its narrative, structure, characters and imagery have had huge influence on popular culture and literature, especially in the fantasy genre. Now on stage at the Village Theatre at Cherry Hill, in Canton Michigan is Evalino Productions’ musical ALICE IN WONDERLAND JR., performed by an all-child cast.
This zany 60-minute musical is based on the 1951 Disney film and the novels by Lewis Carroll. The musical follows Alice as she navigates the curious world of Wonderland on her journey of self-discovery, encountering iconic characters such as the ever-tardy White Rabbit, the grinning Chershire Cat, a cool Caterpillar, and many more.
The energy of the cast was top notch, as with all Evalino Productions. Laura Figliuolo played the Queen of Hearts fierce and commanding; she ruled the stage and her singing voice was powerful. Sammy Gharbia was a perfect Caterpillar; his charisma, confidence and good looks are captivating. The costuming was vibrant and appealing. All the staff aside from mentors were children, ages 13 to 16.
Evalino Productions has sold out every show in the Village Theatre since its inception, and opening night was sold out. There are only a few seats left for the rest of the run.
The launch of “Evalino Showrunners” has proven to be a huge success. Artistic Director John Sartor is the magic which sets Evalino Productions aside from other local community theatre; it shows in the work produced on stage and the company’s reputation, which continues to grow.

The show runs August 20, 2021 | August 21, 2021 | August 22, 2021

CAST:
Lydia Cuthbert
Mathilda/ Petunia
Maddy Gorczyca
Alice
Kaylee Brackney
Alice
Rhea Sharma
Cheshire Cat 1
Anagah Vatul
Cheshire Cat 2
Layla Furnas
Cheshire Cat 3
Logan Larocque
White Rabbit
Choreographer
Michael Dineen
Mad Hatter
Laura Figliuolo
Queen of Hearts
Props Master
Toni Yalo
Dodo Bird
Nymisha Kondur
Rose
E’Leena Bullock
Doorknob/ King of Hearts
Kristen Koty
Tall Alice
Raelynn Barker
Small Alice
Autumn Paul
Tweedle Dum
Makeup and Hair
Natalie Koty
Tweedle Dee
Samanjas Atre
Lily
Paige Jurecko
Daisy
Sammy Gharbia
Caterpillar
Aashi Shekhawat
March Hare/ Card
Kaeya Shekhawat
Wonderland Character/ Card
Maylee Bochenek
Wonderland Character/ Card
Anna Brackney
Wonderland Character/ Card
Eleana Olds
Wonderland Character/ Card
Lucy Dineen
Director
Madeline Dineen
Producer Nora Smith
Costume Design
Mary Smith
Costume Design
Evan Sartor
Lighting Design
Zach Farnsworth
Sound Design
Melissa Figliuolo
Production Assistants
Eva Mangan
Production Assistants