Theater News

Janet Dacal, Jose Llana, Karen Mason, et al. Set for Frank Wildhorn’s Wonderland

Janet Dacal
Janet Dacal

Janet Dacal will star as Alice in Frank Wildhorn’s new musical, Wonderland: Alice’s New Musical Adventure, which will debut at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, November 24-January 3, with an opening set for December 5.

The principal cast will also feature Julie Brooks as Chloe, Eugene Fleming as the Caterpillar, Jose Llana as El Gato, Karen Mason as the Queen of Hearts, Darren Ritchie as Jack/White Knight, Nikki Snelson as the Mad Hatter and Ed Staudenmayer as the Rabbit. The ensemble will include Tad Wilson, who will also take on the featured role of the Jabberwock, along with Grady Bowman, Sae La Chin, Dan Domenech, Mallauri Esquibel, Lori Eure, Derek Ferguson, Wilkie Ferguson, Ashley Galvan, Laura Karklina, Autumn Hurlburt, Rachel Markarian, Mary Mossberg, Julius Anthony Rubio, Melinda Sullivan, Chelsea Traille, and Danny Stiles.

The show, which is set in present-day Manhattan and Wonderland, tells the story of author Alice Cornwinkle who is struggling with her career and her daughter. The musical features music by Wildhorn, lyrics by Jack Murphy, and a book by Phoebe Hwang, and will launch the Broadway Genesis Project, which is designed to help create new works to play in Tampa and then possibly tour other performing arts centers or move to Broadway.

The creative team will include Ron Melrose (music direction), Marguerite Derricks (choreographer), Neil Patel (set designer), Susan Hilferty (costume designer), Paul Gallo (lighting designer), Jon Weston (sound designer), and Sven Ortel (video and projection designer).

Wildhorn, Murphy, and Hwang previously collaborated on Rudolf: The Last Kiss; Wildhorn is best known for Jekyll & Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and The Civil War. Boyd is the artistic director of the Alley Theatre in Houston, and his other directing credits include regional productions of Our Town, Design for Living, and Travesties.

For more information, visit www.wonderlandthemusical.org.