Curiouser and Curiouser: St. Norbert College’s Theatre Studies Puts on Original Adaptation of a Literary Classic

by Eva Westein ‘25, photography by Jamie Vondra ‘26

From Disney’s animated film released in 1951 to Tim Burton’s live-action film in 2010, creatives across the board have been retelling, reimagining and expanding Lewis Carroll’s fantastical classic “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” Now, St. Norbert College’s theatre studies program is staging its own never-before-seen adaptation of the novel: “Wonderland!”

Alice, a 20-year-old college dropout, wants nothing more than to purchase a ticket to the Wonderland Festival. However, she can’t get in until she receives a backstage pass from the famous Queen of Hearts, in this contemporary adaptation by SNC professor, April Beiswenger (Theatre Studies). This madcap retelling of a classic story promises to be fresh, relatable and plenty of fun.

After completing the audition process, the cast of SNC students quickly realized that the task of preparing a faculty-adapted show would make rehearsals a little different than what they were used to. The structure of the rehearsal process has remained relatively the same, with warm-ups, workshopping one scene at a time, and working toward putting it all together for a full run-through. 

However, the cast has also been able to interact with the script in a way that they haven't experienced before. Christopher Gureski ’26, cast as the Caterpillar, explained that with an original script, “There’s a more hands-on feel from past performances that we’ve done, it feels very open creatively. In the past, you’d be directed like, ‘We need specific X, Y, Z emotions.’ This one has a little more freedom to it, you have the ability to improvise.” First-time stage manager Violet Hagen ’26 offers a different perspective on the same idea: “You don’t have to be as worried about copyright and things like that and it can always change. If a bit doesn’t work, then we can just get rid of it, which is completely different. Instead of having to work around the script, you can work with it. We can make the script work for us.” 

By far, the most exciting aspect of participating in the production of an original adaptation is the opportunity for students to become highly involved in the development of the show. For some students, this was an opportunity that couldn’t be passed up. “One of the first thoughts I had upon reading the script was, ‘I’d love to be a part of this,’” explained William Mlenar ’25, who landed the role of the Mad Hatter. He wasn’t the only one who felt this way, as many of the other cast members also expressed excitement and an eagerness to get started after seeing the script for the first time. 

Others got involved because of their relationships with Beiswenger. Kiley Williams-Chvosta ’27 was drawn to the production thanks to a feeling of inspiration. “As an English major, and as April [Beiswenger] is a past English major, it’s really encouraging to see somebody do something they’re passionate about and succeed,” she explained. Students of all areas of study have been able to find a place for themselves in the SNC theatre studies department. While some students in the cast are studying theatre on some level, others are pursuing degrees in graphic design, history, accounting, sociology and more. 

Hagen, who has consistently been a member of the theatre community at SNC explained, “With something like this, near and dear to April [Beiswenger] and Stephen [Rupsch]’s (Theatre Studies) hearts, I wanted to be a part of it and I wanted to make that a reality for them.”

Whatever their reasoning for getting involved with “Wonderland!,” this cast of SNC students is certainly putting in the work to bring this original adaptation to life. Natalie Waurio ’27, cast as the show’s titular character, Alice, explained, “I really love the feeling in a production when you can get rid of your script, you have it memorized, and you’re like, ‘Oh, we have a show!’ It’s such a cool feeling.” By supporting Beiswenger’s work, students have continued to expand the community that they call home. As rehearsals progressed and the preparations began for opening night, cast members looked back and remembered how they watched fellow students come out of their shells and their relationships with each other had blossomed. For Eric King ’27, cast as the March Hare, the best part of being involved with this production is “working with a bunch of different, talented people, people that are willing to put all their effort into making it a great performance, and the community that we build within the theatre.” 

“Wonderland!” will be an amazing opportunity to revisit beloved characters from a classic novel, reimagined in a modern-day setting full of witty comedy. As Mlenar puts it, “You’re going to see a world premiere.” 

Shows began Nov. 6 and run through Nov. 9 in the Webb Theatre, Abbot Pennings Hall of Fine Arts on the St. Norbert College campus. Performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday evening as well as one matinee at 2 p.m. on Nov. 9. Tickets are free. This production contains silly adult situations intended for ages 12 years and older.

Nov. 7, 2024