Overview:
In 2026, PYA Drama tumbled down the rabbit hole when they presented Alice by Heart.
It is 1941, and the bombs of WWII’s London Blitz are raining down. Alice Spencer (senior Ella Kinsey) has escaped to an abandoned tube station that has become a makeshift air raid shelter for her neighborhood, her oldest friend Alfred (sophomore Porter Reynolds) in tow. Hidden underground, they wait out the bombings, surrounded by an eclectic group of characters including Tabatha (junior Juliet Chaffee), a jaded young woman dealing with a loss, Dodgy (senior Eve Harvey), a streetwise youth, Clarisse (junior Lila Hansen), who is used to more comfort in her life, Harold (freshman Natalia Dunning), a former soldier who hasn’t been the same since coming back from the front, Nigel (freshman Kat Green), a young child separated from his parents, and Angus (junior Zoee Comstock), who has found other, less healthy methods of escaping the impact of the bombs. The whole group survives under the watchful eyes of a Red Cross Nurse (senior Campbell McCroskey) and Dr. Butridge (senior Owen Droney), who are also tasked with caring for the ill and infirm - including Alfred.
As Alfred’s health declines and Alice is faced with the reality of their situation and the possibility of losing her closest friend, she escapes into her favorite childhood story - Alice in Wonderland. In the familiar comfort of the tale, after all, they can set aside the worries of the real world. Unfortunately, the real world has a way of creeping in, no matter how hard we try to escape it. The lines between story and reality begin to blur, and the people in the shelter become the characters in Wonderland as the familiar tale unfolds. As the journey into Wonderland progresses, Alice is forced to face the struggles of growing up and the growing grief she is feeling.
Alice and her adventures were brought to life on stage by a stellar cast including Cady Brady, Austin Christie, Ivana Giron, Ben Green, Alli Hansen, Charlotte Kinsey, Fiona Marino, Shoay Miller, Meggie Pratt, Nina Reid, Claire Mackenzie Ross, Abbie Sabins, and Raynne Shingler.
Alice by Heart reminded us all that imagination can provide the best escape - from our grief, from our fear, and from our circumstances. Stories can help us face and process our world and like Alice, hopefully come to terms with the parts that we cannot change.
It is 1941, and the bombs of WWII’s London Blitz are raining down. Alice Spencer (senior Ella Kinsey) has escaped to an abandoned tube station that has become a makeshift air raid shelter for her neighborhood, her oldest friend Alfred (sophomore Porter Reynolds) in tow. Hidden underground, they wait out the bombings, surrounded by an eclectic group of characters including Tabatha (junior Juliet Chaffee), a jaded young woman dealing with a loss, Dodgy (senior Eve Harvey), a streetwise youth, Clarisse (junior Lila Hansen), who is used to more comfort in her life, Harold (freshman Natalia Dunning), a former soldier who hasn’t been the same since coming back from the front, Nigel (freshman Kat Green), a young child separated from his parents, and Angus (junior Zoee Comstock), who has found other, less healthy methods of escaping the impact of the bombs. The whole group survives under the watchful eyes of a Red Cross Nurse (senior Campbell McCroskey) and Dr. Butridge (senior Owen Droney), who are also tasked with caring for the ill and infirm - including Alfred.
As Alfred’s health declines and Alice is faced with the reality of their situation and the possibility of losing her closest friend, she escapes into her favorite childhood story - Alice in Wonderland. In the familiar comfort of the tale, after all, they can set aside the worries of the real world. Unfortunately, the real world has a way of creeping in, no matter how hard we try to escape it. The lines between story and reality begin to blur, and the people in the shelter become the characters in Wonderland as the familiar tale unfolds. As the journey into Wonderland progresses, Alice is forced to face the struggles of growing up and the growing grief she is feeling.
Alice and her adventures were brought to life on stage by a stellar cast including Cady Brady, Austin Christie, Ivana Giron, Ben Green, Alli Hansen, Charlotte Kinsey, Fiona Marino, Shoay Miller, Meggie Pratt, Nina Reid, Claire Mackenzie Ross, Abbie Sabins, and Raynne Shingler.
Alice by Heart reminded us all that imagination can provide the best escape - from our grief, from our fear, and from our circumstances. Stories can help us face and process our world and like Alice, hopefully come to terms with the parts that we cannot change.
Cast
Alice Spencer - Ella Kinsey
Alfred Hallam/White Rabbit/March Hare - Porter Reynolds
Dodgy/Duchess - Eve Harvey
Clarissa/Queen of Diamonds/Mock Mock Mock Turtle - Lila Hansen
Red Cross Nurse/Queen of Hearts - Campbell McCroskey
Nigel/Dormouse - Kat Green
Tabatha/Cheshire Cat - Juliet Chaffee
Dr. Butridge/The Jabberwock/King of Hearts - Owen Droney
Harold Pudding/The Mad Hatter - Natalia Dunning
Angus/Caterpillar 1/Canary/Knave of Hearts - Zoee Comstock
Young Alfred - Ben Green
Young Alice - Charlotte Kinsey
Caterpillar 2/Magpie/Knave of Clubs - Shoay Miller
Dodo - Nina Reid
Eaglet/Knave of Spades - Fiona Marino
Duck - Meggie Pratt
Pigeon/Mock Turtle - Cady Brady
Mock Mock Turtle - Austin Christie
Mock Mock Mock Mock Turtle - Alli Hansen
Ensemble:
Cady Brady, Austin Christie, Ivana España-Giron, Alli Hansen, Fiona Marino, Shoay Miller, Meggie Pratt, Nina Reid, Claire Mackenzie Ross, Abbie Sabins, Raynne Sebring
Featured Dancers:
Cady Brady, Zoee Comstock, Alli Hansen, Lila Hansen, Nina Reid
Alfred Hallam/White Rabbit/March Hare - Porter Reynolds
Dodgy/Duchess - Eve Harvey
Clarissa/Queen of Diamonds/Mock Mock Mock Turtle - Lila Hansen
Red Cross Nurse/Queen of Hearts - Campbell McCroskey
Nigel/Dormouse - Kat Green
Tabatha/Cheshire Cat - Juliet Chaffee
Dr. Butridge/The Jabberwock/King of Hearts - Owen Droney
Harold Pudding/The Mad Hatter - Natalia Dunning
Angus/Caterpillar 1/Canary/Knave of Hearts - Zoee Comstock
Young Alfred - Ben Green
Young Alice - Charlotte Kinsey
Caterpillar 2/Magpie/Knave of Clubs - Shoay Miller
Dodo - Nina Reid
Eaglet/Knave of Spades - Fiona Marino
Duck - Meggie Pratt
Pigeon/Mock Turtle - Cady Brady
Mock Mock Turtle - Austin Christie
Mock Mock Mock Mock Turtle - Alli Hansen
Ensemble:
Cady Brady, Austin Christie, Ivana España-Giron, Alli Hansen, Fiona Marino, Shoay Miller, Meggie Pratt, Nina Reid, Claire Mackenzie Ross, Abbie Sabins, Raynne Sebring
Featured Dancers:
Cady Brady, Zoee Comstock, Alli Hansen, Lila Hansen, Nina Reid
Student Crew
Stage Manager - Maddie Race
Light Board Operator - Elijah Hansen
Sound Engineers - Connor Goselin, AJ Dereza
Mic Script Hand - Matthew Sorensen
Sound Effects - Sydney Reed
Backstage Head - Kathryn Brown
Tech Assistants/Stagehands - Shaun Drennen, Jordan Hansen, Bri Teeter
Prop/Costume Stagehands - Ari Anderson, Addison Easling
Creative/Design Team - Sydney Reed, Carson Pinneo, Mia Storey, Sean Wilmott
Design/Painting Assistants - Kaelyn Anderson, Alyssa Davis, Natalia Dunning, Kat Green, Ella Kinsey, Fiona Marino, Shoay Miller, Maddie Race, Porter Reynolds, Finn Tette, Abbie Sabins, Sean Wilmott
Set Construction - Declan Darcy, Shaun Drennen, Elijah Hansen, Sean Wilmott
Lighting Design Assistant - Rhiannon Lyonsmith
Camera Operators - Ruby Hanley, Carson Pinneo, Mia Storey
Livestream Techs - Brady McLoud, Julienn Francisco
Poster Artwork/Graphic Design - Ella Kinsey
Light Board Operator - Elijah Hansen
Sound Engineers - Connor Goselin, AJ Dereza
Mic Script Hand - Matthew Sorensen
Sound Effects - Sydney Reed
Backstage Head - Kathryn Brown
Tech Assistants/Stagehands - Shaun Drennen, Jordan Hansen, Bri Teeter
Prop/Costume Stagehands - Ari Anderson, Addison Easling
Creative/Design Team - Sydney Reed, Carson Pinneo, Mia Storey, Sean Wilmott
Design/Painting Assistants - Kaelyn Anderson, Alyssa Davis, Natalia Dunning, Kat Green, Ella Kinsey, Fiona Marino, Shoay Miller, Maddie Race, Porter Reynolds, Finn Tette, Abbie Sabins, Sean Wilmott
Set Construction - Declan Darcy, Shaun Drennen, Elijah Hansen, Sean Wilmott
Lighting Design Assistant - Rhiannon Lyonsmith
Camera Operators - Ruby Hanley, Carson Pinneo, Mia Storey
Livestream Techs - Brady McLoud, Julienn Francisco
Poster Artwork/Graphic Design - Ella Kinsey
Production Team |
Pit Orchestra |
|
Director/Music Director - Jessica Kinsey
Asst. Director/Acting Coach - Brian Cobb Pit Orchestra Director/Conductor - Jennifer Chaffee Choreographer - Addyson Webber Assistant Choreographer - Camryn Webber Creative Designer/Parent Coordinator - Missy Emery Technical Director/Master Electrician - Simon Gaston Lighting Design - Sara Lyon Tech Supervisor - Herb Gaston Master Carpenters - Brian Cobb, Patrick Newby Costume Design/Seamstress - Yvonne MacMillan Costume Assistant - Hannah Hotaling Design Assistant - Dana Burton Vocal Coach Assistant - Patrick Newby Front of House Supervisor - Tina Webber Graphic Design - Jason Kinsey Livestream - Herb Gaston, Simon Gaston, Sara Lyon Cast Headshots by - Preston Reynolds Production Photographers - Herb Gaston, Angela Proietti-Nelson, Preston Reynolds |
Keyboard/Conductor: Jen Chaffee
Guitar 1: Patrick Newby Guitar 2/Bass: Doug Holcomb Flute: Nick Spofford-Xavier Clarinet: Marlina Dick-Doster Trumpet: Colt Walters Cello: Kelly Ingerick Drums: Colin Alexander |
Extras!
- Click here to see more pictures from the show (Google Drive link)
- Click here to see the Alice by Heart program!
