Photo: Ryan Kurtz
I’m not sure what Lewis Carroll would
think of a retelling of his classic childhood fantasy portrayed as a
“toe-tapping tale of a lost girl, a cool cat, a wild hare and the
original ‘dancing queen.’ ” But I do know that audiences have loved
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati’s charming musical take on the story. This
is the fourth time ETC has presented it, but don’t think they just drag
out some old costumes and do it again.
That’s not ETC’s way: In fact,
the Over-the-Rhine theater typically reinvents each holiday show with
new costumes, new performers and even a new song or two by composer
David Kisor. These fairytales are rewritten with families in mind,
offering humor — including contemporary cultural references — that
appeals to all ages. In Alice, children can pick up a meaningful
lesson or two about behavior and life that feel more like entertainment
than morality. Through Dec. 30. Kids 12 and under get in for $16; the
rest of us pay $38-$42. Ensemble Theatre, 1127 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine.
513-421-3555, ensemblecincinnati.org.
