This year’s senior directed performance was Alice in Wonderland and it was performed on May 3. This was my second time attending a Vandegrift Theater production, the other production I saw being Sherlock Holmes earlier this year. While Sherlock Holmes was a fantastic production with a stunning set, mysteries have never really interested me, so it wasn’t quite my cup of tea. However, with my love for Hamilton, I had higher hopes for this performance since it was a musical, and it exceeded my expectations.

One reason I was especially excited for this show was because it was senior directed. My fellow staff reporter and lifelong friend, Lourdes Hernandez, was one of the three seniors who worked on the musical, alongside Max Hunter and Izzy Riley. Lourdes has been updating all of us on staff about the progress of the show. From costume designs, to painting set pieces and working on tech, to media marketing strategies, the theater and especially the senior directors have put in so much work to make the show run smoothly.

Upon arriving inside the theater, I was immediately drawn to the side of the stages where set pieces were coming off the stage. There was a beautiful tunnel that I was sure would be the tunnel Alice follows the rabbit into. The rainbow-painted stairs, whimsical clocks and oversized playing cards decorating the stage made it feel like I had stepped through the looking glass and straight into Wonderland.

My favorite part of the production was definitely the music. All the songs were very catchy and each actor had a beautiful voice that added so much to their characters and helped the whole musical seem really captivating. I also loved how for some scenes the cast members would make their way off the stage and interact with the crowd, like blowing bubbles and throwing little bracelets. It helped me feel immersed into the play and like I was contributing to the production by just showing up.
Another thing I really enjoyed throughout the production was the costume designs. I loved the use of corsets for all the female characters, it made the outfits all seem connected and it was very cohesive. My favorite costume was the Red Queens, I loved the cards all over her corset. It was an expat melty detailed set piece and it was so on-theme for the character. I could totally see that being a real part of her wardrobe.

Overall, I was extremely impressed and proud of this production. It exceeded my expectations in every way, especially with all the attention to detail that the team and directors paid to everything. Every element came together to create a wonderful musical.