In the spotlight, the actors spent weeks preparing for Alice in Wonderland. 

“The biggest challenge I have about my role is my conflicts with the schedule. I am involved in multiple activities at school so it is difficult to divide up my time, leading to 12 hour school days,” senior Eva Dean, who plays Queen of Hearts, said.

Acting as a younger character can be difficult but also fun at the same time. 

“The biggest challenge in playing Alice is portraying her as a 12-year-old. This is my first time acting as a young child, and so I need to show her innocence and curiosity while also expressing her frustrations and growth. It takes a lot of practice to make it feel authentic,” senior Nicky Sergi, who plays Alice, said. 

No matter the circumstances, giving everything the best of effort will always pay off.

“Putting 110 percent of my energy into all of my actions, my character is very energetic, which, sometimes at rehearsal, I am not. Memorizing the constant movement and dances is almost equally as challenging as memorizing my lines as well,” sophomore Adam Soboleski, who plays Marchair, said. 

Making sacrifices for doing the things that are enjoyable can be difficult

“The time it takes away from my personal life can be pretty challenging trying to find time for school work and my other activities like hanging out with friends. It also makes me very tired. There is not a lot of time for resting or naps when I am tired,” sophomore Johnathan Chelf, who plays Mad Hatter, said.

Having similarities with a character can be a good and bad thing.

“I am similar to my character because we are both really dramatic, but that is about it. It isn’t really a good thing to be compared to the Queen of Hearts,” Dean said. 

It’s easier to play a character when an actor does not have to change their personality much. 

“Alice and I are similar in our curiosity and our drive to doing good. We’re both bubbly and eager to explore, but we can also get easily frustrated when things don’t make sense. Like Alice, I try to make a positive impact, even in confusing situations,” Sergi said.

Having things not always in common with a character can be challenging to navigate.

“My character likes tea so much he gets drunk off of it multiple times throughout the show. I personally am not a huge fan of tea, though,” Soboleski said. 

Playing a character with only a few character traits as its actor is fun to watch. 

“Well I’m not a crazy tea addict, but I would consider myself a jokester like the Hatter,” Chelf said. 

Being oneself on stage can be the best part of a play.

“My favorite scene in the play is Scene 11, the battle scene. It is my favorite because it is the only scene where I get to dance,” Dean said.

Knowing a character inside and out can be helpful to the actor. 

“I would describe Alice’s relationship with the characters connected with her curiosity, confusion and her evolving sense of assertiveness. Each character challenges her understanding of logic and social rules, helping her develop confidence and independence,” Sergi said. 

Truly knowing what an actor needs to know about their character helps the play a lot. 

“When my character is first introduced I’m not too fond of Alice but as the show goes on we grow closer as Hatter and I try to rescue her and overthrow the Queen. Hatter and I have an argument halfway through the show but soon go back to being friends and focusing on the more important situation. Simply put, my character is empathetic towards others but tries to keep himself safe first,” Soboleski said. 

It is entertaining to play a protagonist in a play.

“Everyone thinks of The Hatter as this party-loving, tea-addicted lunatic that everyone loves,” Chelf said. 

Not everything is how it seems.

“My favorite scene would be the battle of the queens. It’s funny and chaotic, showing just how unpredictable wonderland can be. This marks a turning point for Alice as she gains confidence to fight for herself and for the people of Wonderland making it really fun and entertaining,” Sergi said. 

Having everyone involved can show how much effort everyone puts into the play. 

“My favorite scene is the fight scene between Alice and the queen’s army. It involves almost everyone in the cast, and the lights represent the movement of the scene quite nicely,” Soboleski said. 

A play being enjoyable for actors and the watchers is the best type of play.

“I love the madam scene with me, Adam, and Nicky. It’s fun to act in this part of the play, but it also is entertaining to watch. If we are tired from rehearsal or just not in a good mood, that’s always something that will wake us up or cheer us up,” Chelf said. 

The most fun types of characters to play can be the ones that are nothing like their actor. 

“My character’s relationships are abusive, with my character being the abuser. For the others, there is the constant threat of beheading leading people to not like the Queen of Hearts much,” Dean said.

Alice in Wonderland ran Nov. 15-16.