Steve On Broadway (SOB)

Wondering About Wonderland

Wondering About Wonderland

UPDATE (9.8.10) Wonderland has been confirmed for Broadway's Marquis Theatre with performances beginning on March 21 and opening April 17, 2011.

Yesterday, yet another new musical was added to Broadway's 2010-11 Theatre Season, and it's starting to look mighty crowded with tuners.

Producers announced that Wonderland, a contemporary reimagining of Lewis Carroll's classic tale about the Alice who falls through the rabbit hole, will arrive at a to-be-determined Nederlander Theatre for previews on March 21 and open April 27, just days before the Tony deadline.

As the second Broadway musical to bear the Wonderland name (the first came and went in 1905, but had nothing to do with Alice), and the fourth Main Stem show derived from Carroll's book, this work will mark the Rialto return of composer Frank Wildhorn, who hasn't had a show on the boards since the ill-fated Dracula, The Musical in 2004. Wildhorn has written Wonderland's score with Jack Murphy, who has co-written the libretto with the musical's director Gregory Boyd. The trio last teamed to give the world The Civil War, a 1999 flop.

Wonderland world premiered in Tampa last December before transferring to Houston's Alley Theatre earlier this year. While casting has yet to be announced for the upcoming Broadway production (which will return to Tampa first), Wonderland initially starred Janet Dacal (In The Heights) as Alice with Tommar Wilson (Caterpillar), Jose Llana (El Gato), Karen Mason (Queen of Hearts), Darren Ritchie (Jack and White Knight), Nikki Snelson (Mad Hatter) and Edward Staudenmayer (Rabbit).

The production describes Wonderland as follows:

Wonderland: A New Alice. A New Musical Adventure.

In this new musical featuring a new score, Wonderland is a story about a new Alice who has lost her joy in life. Estranged from her husband, alienated from her daughter and in danger of losing her career, Alice finds herself in Wonderland where she encounters strange though familiar characters that help her rediscover the wonder in her life while searching for her daughter.

Will Wildhorn and company be able to pull a wonderful rabbit out of their hat? We'll hold the looking glass up to them next spring with the verdict.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).


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Labels: Broadway, First Word On New Show, Frank Wildhorn, Gregory Boyd, Jack Murphy, Janet Dacal, Karen Mason, Musical, Wonderland

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Wednesday, August 04, 2010