Review by Jane Smith, Front Row Reviewers
Take a step back to 1941, during the London Blitz of World War II. You find yourself inside a bunker surrounded by children trying to forget the horror around them and a soldier with PTSD. Amongst them you find yourself enchanted by a young Alice (Ivy Dunbar Jones) who is consumed by her book and the way it can take her somewhere magical, and west of the world she is currently in. Nearby we meet her dear friend Alfred (Charlie Bytieh), who is dying. Living in quarantine with a nurse who is trying to keep Alice away, but Alice, who is in denial, wishes to escape with her friend, back to a world full of wonder and tea parties. A place he will be able to breathe and run and above all things, live. Just before she is able to, the nurse (Rachel Mardis) snatches away her book and rips the beloved pages out. However, nothing can stop our young determined Alice, as she knows the story by heart. Filling the bunker with her magic and determination, we see her passion ignite and we find ourselves once again, chasing the White Rabbit, played by Bytieh, having Tea parties with the Mad Hatter (Isaac Carrillo) , grinning ear to ear with the Cheshire Cat (Makayla Palos Rodriguez) , playing with Flamingos and watching out for our heads with the Queen of Hearts (Mardis). Can Alice save her friend or must she accept this inevitable fate? Does she ever catch up to the White Rabbit or must she learn to accept that his time is running out, after all, we are all mad in Wonderland?
Jones as Alice takes us on a journey with noteworthy ease. Her child-like presence during the beginning is enduring and hopeful, but we see throughout the show that she was stuck, almost afraid to grow up and accept the changes that everyone must face as we leave our childhood behind. Her starting song “West of Words” is enchanting and helps us see the ways she wishes to escape. As we continue to see this young girl grow, we also see how she learns to stick up for herself, come into her own and above all, accept that some things she can not change, only how she deals with them.
Bytieh’s ill and vulnerable Alfred does an incredible job at having the audience rooting for him. His sensitivity to his friend accepting his impending death is not lost on us and you can see just how much he truly cares for her. Their duet in “Afternoon” is truly beautiful and it reminds us it’s never too late to tell someone how you feel.
West Valley has clearly hired a powerhouse of actors and vocalists for this show and my goodness! They put them to good use. The incredible vocals of the Cheshire Cat (Rodriguez) , Caterpillar (April Kerr) and the Queen of Hearts (Mardis) are just a few to mention and they are truly out of this world for everyone to witness and made it very hard to pick a favorite. I truly enjoyed the outstanding performances of all of them during the musical number of “Isn’t it a Trial”, a song where Alice will finally learn her fate with all the citizens of Wonderland. I especially loved the little riff off during that number- but no spoilers here, you’ll have to witness the wicked talent yourself.
A few other stand out moments for me was that of the Mock Turtles and their performance of “Shell of Grief”. Led by Trevor Williams, this number reminds us all that everyone suffers, we all have grief, but do you stay in it, fixed forever, becoming trapped in mourning? Something I feel everyone will experience and have to come to terms with at some stage in their lives.
One character that I couldn’t get over was that of The Mad Hatter played by Isaac Carrillo. From the moment he was onstage, he was in the moment every single time. From the use of his eyes, his fingers and down to his toes, we saw him go from a soldier suffering with PTSD to a Mad Hatter flawlessly. Our eyes were constantly fixated on him and he truly gives us the Mad Hatter we all imagined during our childhoods. I also must give a shout out to the incredible performance of Sam Teuscher who gave us a Duchess worthy of the standing ovation. Their scene was utterly hilarious and the comedic GOLD this heavier production needed. Teuscher had the audience laughing away and brought such a lightness to the dark reality Alice is experiencing.
Director Brooklynn Pulver Kohler does a truly fantastic job with this production. She helped create an environment of friendship, wonder, and love in such pure form. Her ability to evoke such a fantasy-filled world in the midst of literal war is beautifully intertwined and reminds us all to find our own little Wonderland in life. Along with her production team, they should all feel proud knowing the journey was not lost on its audience. Music Director Ginger Bess did a beautiful job at leading a huge cast and blending them seamlessly all while still showcasing the incredible talent of each of them. She manages to highlight everyone’s strengths but still create unity in the music and message. The outstanding work of Choreographer Emily Henwood is utterly masterful. I especially loved her work during the Caterpillar’s song “Chillin’ the Regrets”. Her use of every single actor making up a part of the Caterpillar’s body, the movement completely in sync and rippling as we watch them create her body was jaw dropping. The execution of this number is masterful.
West Valley Arts does an incredible job making this feel immersive right from entering the building. From the decor of the lobby making you feel like you’re slowly falling down the rabbit hole yourself we start our journey before the show even begins. The set design by Morgan Golightly and their team intertwined with that of the lighting designer Renee Fowler and sound design Bryce Robinette complimented each other beautifully. While the set itself is simple, its use of the moving platforms, boxes, and ladders help create the world of wonder. We are still able to be transported back to a war zone and snapping us back into the reality for Alice.
We must take a moment to mention the wigs and costumes done by Tabitha Sublette and Savanna Finley because they are truly enchanting. This production is predominantly a steam punk and the costuming is completely dazzling. The attention to detail is a visual masterpiece. Each piece has intention. I especially loved that the Cheshire Cat’s hair got more colorful as the show went on. As Alice immerses herself more and more into the world, we see each character come to life even more. From the subtle collar of the Queen of Hearts to a full ball gown near the end, we are enchanted.
West Valley Arts has truly created a wonderful production that not only gives you an escape from reality for the evening but brings you back to the wonder of a classic. So grab your ticket now and jump down the rabbit hole, and don’t be late for a very important date with Alice by Heart.
Review by Jane Smith, Front Row Reviewers
Take a step back to 1941, during the London Blitz of World War II. You find yourself inside a bunker surrounded by children trying to forget the horror around them and a soldier with PTSD. Amongst them you find yourself enchanted by a young Alice (Ivy Dunbar Jones) who is consumed by her book and the way it can take her somewhere magical, and west of the world she is currently in. Nearby we meet her dear friend Alfred (Charlie Bytieh), who is dying. Living in quarantine with a nurse who is trying to keep Alice away, but Alice, who is in denial, wishes to escape with her friend, back to a world full of wonder and tea parties. A place he will be able to breathe and run and above all things, live. Just before she is able to, the nurse (Rachel Mardis) snatches away her book and rips the beloved pages out. However, nothing can stop our young determined Alice, as she knows the story by heart. Filling the bunker with her magic and determination, we see her passion ignite and we find ourselves once again, chasing the White Rabbit, played by Bytieh, having Tea parties with the Mad Hatter (Isaac Carrillo) , grinning ear to ear with the Cheshire Cat (Makayla Palos Rodriguez) , playing with Flamingos and watching out for our heads with the Queen of Hearts (Mardis). Can Alice save her friend or must she accept this inevitable fate? Does she ever catch up to the White Rabbit or must she learn to accept that his time is running out, after all, we are all mad in Wonderland?
Jones as Alice takes us on a journey with noteworthy ease. Her child-like presence during the beginning is enduring and hopeful, but we see throughout the show that she was stuck, almost afraid to grow up and accept the changes that everyone must face as we leave our childhood behind. Her starting song “West of Words” is enchanting and helps us see the ways she wishes to escape. As we continue to see this young girl grow, we also see how she learns to stick up for herself, come into her own and above all, accept that some things she can not change, only how she deals with them.
Bytieh’s ill and vulnerable Alfred does an incredible job at having the audience rooting for him. His sensitivity to his friend accepting his impending death is not lost on us and you can see just how much he truly cares for her. Their duet in “Afternoon” is truly beautiful and it reminds us it’s never too late to tell someone how you feel.
West Valley has clearly hired a powerhouse of actors and vocalists for this show and my goodness! They put them to good use. The incredible vocals of the Cheshire Cat (Rodriguez) , Caterpillar (April Kerr) and the Queen of Hearts (Mardis) are just a few to mention and they are truly out of this world for everyone to witness and made it very hard to pick a favorite. I truly enjoyed the outstanding performances of all of them during the musical number of “Isn’t it a Trial”, a song where Alice will finally learn her fate with all the citizens of Wonderland. I especially loved the little riff off during that number- but no spoilers here, you’ll have to witness the wicked talent yourself.
A few other stand out moments for me was that of the Mock Turtles and their performance of “Shell of Grief”. Led by Trevor Williams, this number reminds us all that everyone suffers, we all have grief, but do you stay in it, fixed forever, becoming trapped in mourning? Something I feel everyone will experience and have to come to terms with at some stage in their lives.
One character that I couldn’t get over was that of The Mad Hatter played by Isaac Carrillo.From the moment he was onstage, he was in the moment every single time. From the use of his eyes, his fingers and down to his toes, we saw him go from a soldier suffering with PTSD to a Mad Hatter flawlessly. Our eyes were constantly fixated on him and he truly gives us the Mad Hatter we all imagined during our childhoods. I also must give a shout out to the incredible performance of Sam Teuscher who gave us a Duchess worthy of the standing ovation. Their scene was utterly hilarious and the comedic GOLD this heavier production needed. Teuscher had the audience laughing away and brought such a lightness to the dark reality Alice is experiencing.
Director Brooklynn Pulver Kohler does a truly fantastic job with this production. She helped create an environment of friendship, wonder, and love in such pure form. Her ability to evoke such a fantasy-filled world in the midst of literal war is beautifully intertwined and reminds us all to find our own little Wonderland in life. Along with her production team, they should all feel proud knowing the journey was not lost on its audience. Music Director Ginger Bess did a beautiful job at leading a huge cast and blending them seamlessly all while still showcasing the incredible talent of each of them. She manages to highlight everyone’s strengths but still create unity in the music and message. The outstanding work of Choreographer Emily Henwood is utterly masterful. I especially loved her work during the Caterpillar’s song “Chillin’ the Regrets”. Her use of every single actor making up a part of the Caterpillar’s body, the movement completely in sync and rippling as we watch them create her body was jaw dropping. The execution of this number is masterful.
West Valley Arts does an incredible job making this feel immersive right from entering the building. From the decor of the lobby making you feel like you’re slowly falling down the rabbit hole yourself we start our journey before the show even begins. The set design by Morgan Golightly and their team intertwined with that of the lighting designer Bryce Robinette complimented each other beautifully. While the set itself is simple, its use of the moving platforms, boxes, and ladders help create the world of wonder. We are still able to be transported back to a war zone and snapping us back into the reality for Alice.
We must take a moment to mention the wigs and costumes done by Tabitha Sublette and Savanna Finley because they are truly enchanting. This production is predominantly a steam punk and the costuming is completely dazzling. The attention to detail is a visual masterpiece. Each piece has intention. I especially loved that the Cheshire Cat’s hair got more colorful as the show went on. As Alice immerses herself more and more into the world, we see each character come to life even more. From the subtle collar of the Queen of Hearts to a full ball gown near the end, we are enchanted.
West Valley Arts has truly created a wonderful production that not only gives you an escape from reality for the evening but brings you back to the wonder of a classic. So grab your ticket now and jump down the rabbit hole, and don’t be late from a very important date with Alice by Heart.
West Valley Arts presents Alice by Heart. Book by Steven Sater and Jessie Nelson. Music by Duncan Sheik. Lyrics by Steven Sater.
West Valley Performing Arts Center, 3333 S, Decker Lake Dr. West Valley City, UT 84119
June 6 – 28 , 2025 7:30 PM. Thursdays–Saturdays (with Saturday matinee)
Tickets: $20–35
Facebook page
Contact: 801-965-5140, artsboxoffice@wvc-ut.gov
Box Office Hours: Wednesday through Saturday 10:00 AM-8:00 PM
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