Wonderland Who's Who

WITH:
Four new songs
A vastly revised book (script)
Two new major cast members
And a set on steroids

See an even more wonderful Wonderland.

If you liked it before, you’ll love it now. If you didn’t see it before, catch it in Tampa before this exact show, including this cast and set, opens on Broadway in a few months.

Wonderland is a new musical about Alice, who’s lost her joy in life. She’s estranged from her husband, alienated from her daughter and in danger of losing her job. It takes a trip to Wonderland for her to discover what she’s lost and reclaim what’s most important to her.

Wonderland opens on Broadway on April 17, with previews starting March 21.

WHO'S WHO:
JANET DACAL (Alice)
DARREN RITCHIE (White Knight, Jack/Lewis Carroll)
E. CLAYTON CORNELIOUS (Caterpillar)
JOSE LLANA (El Gato)
KAREN MASON (Mrs. Everheart, Queen of Hearts)
KATE SHINDLE (Ms. Quizzle, Mad Hatter)
CARLY ROSE SONENCLAR (Chloe)
EDWARD STAUDENMAYER (Richard, Rabbit)
DANNY STILES (Morris)

WITH: APRIL BERRY, SAE LA CHIN, DAN DOMENECH, MALLAURI ESQUIBEL, DEREK FERGUSON, WILKIE FERGUSON, LAURA HALL, NATALIE HILL, LAUREN LIM JACKSON, MORGAN JAMES, RYAN LINK, KATE LOPREST, HEATHER PARCELLS, STEFAN RAULSTON, JULIUS ANTHONY RUBIO, TANAIRI SADE VAZQUEZ.

FRANK WILDHORN (Music)
JACK MURPHY (Book, Lyrics)
GREGORY BOYD (Director/Book)
MARGUERITE DERRICKS (Choreographer)

WONDERLAND Broadway Opening April 17

WONDERLAND: A New Alice. A New Musical Adventure will open on Broadway Sunday, April 17, 2011 and performances will begin Monday, March 21, at a Nederlander theatre to be announced. The musical will be directed by Gregory Boyd, the artistic director of the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas, with a book by Gregory Boyd and Jack Murphy (The Civil War –Tony nomination) and lyrics by Jack Murphy, music by Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde – Grammy nomination, The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Civil War – Tony nomination, Dracula, Victor/Victoria) and choreography by Marguerite Derricks (Fame, Emmy Awards for “3rd Rock From The Sun” and “Fame LA”).

WONDERLAND: A New Alice. A New Musical Adventure will play a pre-Broadway engagement at the Ferguson Hall at the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts (Judy Lisi, President and CEO) in Tampa, Florida January 4 through January 16, 2011.

WONDERLAND is the first production of the Broadway Genesis Project, an initiative by the Straz Center for the Performing Arts to develop and prepare new musical theater for Broadway. From a show’s inception to final staging, the Project provides a safe and nourishing environment in a state-of-the-art complex with artistic, technical and administrative resources.

After Frank Wildhorn conceived WONDERLAND, it was optioned by the Judy Lisi, CEO of the Straz Center, and was subsequently produced as its world premiere at the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, FL this past December. In association with the Alley Theatre in Houston, TX, in January of 2010, the show was transferred for further development, becoming one of the highest grossing shows in that theater’s history.

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.

WONDERLAND will be produced on Broadway by the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts (Judy Lisi, President and CEO), William Franzblau and Nederlander Presentations, Inc.

“I am at a point in my life where I want to stay in love with the things I fell in love with. The process of creating WONDERLAND with my extraordinary producers and collaborators has shown me the magic of fun is not just for the young. Being part of the Straz Center’s invaluable Broadway Genesis Project was an exciting and rewarding experience,” said composer Frank Wildhorn.

Producers Judy Lisi, President and CEO of the David A. Straz, Jr. Center and William Franzblau said “Alice’s story is one that has always resonated with us - whether reading it when we were children or now as adults. With WONDERLAND, our creative team has developed a Broadway musical that tells the story of a contemporary woman attempting to maintain her career as well as keeping her family together and not doing well with either. At her breaking point she escapes into the world of Wonderland where she finds out who she really is and what's important in life."

The cast, design team and Broadway ticket information will be announced soon.

Tampa Ticket Information:
Tickets for WONDERLAND: A New Alice. A New Musical Adventure may be purchased by calling 813.229.STAR (7827) or 800.955.1045 outside Tampa Bay, in person at the Straz Center Ticket Office or online at www.strazcenter.org

For more information about the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts and its upcoming events, please visit www.strazcenter.org

The WONDERLAND Concept CD is available through ITUNES from SONY Masterworks.

For more information, log on to www.WonderlandOnBroadway.com

Meet Jack Murhpy

Walt Belcher of the Tampa Tribune has done a wonderful write up on Jack Murphy, the lyricist for Wonderland. Murphy is collaborating with Broadway composer Frank Wildhorn and director Gregory Boyd on an updated fantasy sequel to Carroll's novels.

Read all about the article here.

-Kari G.

You Remember Wonderland!

Enjoy this fabulous trailer/teaser for the upcoming World Premiere of Wonderland. Tickets go on sale in 15 days!!!!

(Special thanks to Lorenzo C. and Tina B. our incredibly talented-very-helpful-holds-down-the-fort-with-a-smile-audio-video-staff for creating this fun appetizer).

"Alice" anniversary today

On this date in 1862, Lewis Carroll first told the "Wonderland" story to his neighbor's daughter Alice and her friends. Three years later, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" was published in book form.

For a modern-day take on the tale, check out "Wonderland: Alice's New Musical Adventures" in its world premiere in Tampa at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.

Part of the Bank of America Best of Broadway Tampa Bay series, the new musical opens on Nov. 24 and runs through Jan. 3.

Season tickets to the Broadway series are on sale now. "Wonderland" tickets in conjunction with either "Wicked" or "Mary Poppins" also are on sale. Tickets to "Wonderland" alone go on sale to the public in mid-August.

The music is by Frank Wildhorn, with book and lyrics by Jack Murphy. It will be directed by Gregory Boyd.

For more information on this production, check out www.wonderlandthemusical.org. -- MichaelK