Elementary Students Find Wonder in High School’s “Alice in Wonderland” Preview Performances
BY ANNIE ZHOU ’26
On November 13, students from Jericho’s George A. Jackson and Jeffrey Ratner Robert Seaman elementary schools went down the rabbit hole when the High School Theatre Club visited to perform a special preview of the school play, “Alice in Wonderland.” The show introduced young audiences to the whimsical world of Wonderland through humor, colorful characters, and lively interaction.
After spending months rehearsing lines, choreography, and scenes, the cast was eager to show off their talents in a setting that brought new meaning to the word wonder. The stage crew, who prepared props, costumes, and lighting, also attended the preview, which was created to provide elementary students with an exciting introduction to live theater, while also allowing the cast to perform in front of a large audience.
Play Director Ms. Shayna Anderson described how the preview was a momentous experience for the elementary students. Ms. Anderson said, “The elementary students really enjoyed the performance, especially because the actors interacted with them afterward by asking them riddles and walking around to meet some of the students.”
The Theatre Club’s decision to perform “Alice in Wonderland” was deliberate and thoughtful. Ms. Anderson explained that the team chose this play because the humor, characters, and costumes would strongly appeal to younger students. She added that the story is iconic: students familiar with “Alice in Wonderland” would enjoy seeing it brought to life, while those new to it would be introduced in a fun and interactive way.
The elementary audiences from both schools responded enthusiastically throughout the preview performances. Ms. Anderson said, “I loved hearing the students laugh and seeing how much joy that [laughter] brought the actors.” She noticed the cast was a bit nervous before the first preview performance, but once they began, they committed and did an amazing job.
The cast emphasized that loving their roles played a huge part in the play’s success, especially at the elementary level. Ahana D. ’26, who played the White Rabbit, said, “It’s a really fun portrayal of a bunny being jittery and nervous, which is such a fun role to play.” They added that performing for younger students was exciting because “younger audiences usually have really high energy, which the actors definitely feel on stage.”
Joana C. ’26, who played the Caterpillar, explained that although nobody auditioned for specific roles, each actor’s personality naturally fit their character. Joana said, “All I had to do was be my normal self without a filter, and people think I’m acting.”
One of the cast’s favorite moments involved a series of silly math jokes, including nonsensical addition and subtraction equations, which had the children laughing and chiming in as Alice tried to solve them. Seeing the cast interact warmly with elementary students after each show was another highlight for Ms. Anderson.
The “Alice in Wonderland” preview brought excitement, laughter, and inspiration to Jericho’s elementary school students, while also providing the cast an important opportunity to grow, collaborate, and perform in front of a large, enthusiastic audience. Wonderland’s magic truly knew no bounds, filling the elementary school previews with joy while setting the stage for even more wonder during the official productions.