WONDERLAND- Houston (changes and reviews: spoilers within)

[Anakela]

Posted: 1/19/10 at 11:15pm

WONDERLAND opens in Houston tomorrow night. Anyone seen it yet? I'm interested in hearing about the new songs.

There's an article in the St. Petersburg Times with Judy Lisi and Gregory Boyd talking about some of the changes between Tampa and Houston, including there's four new songs, and they cut "Don't Wanna Fall in Love."

"The book we have now is quite different from the book that opened in Tampa," Boyd, also the director of Wonderland and artistic director of the Alley, told the Houston Chronicle. "And we're putting in more changes, including four new songs."

For example, Lisi said, Don't Wanna Fall in Love, a catchy pop song in Act II, is no longer in the show. "It's a cute little song, but it didn't fit the story." She added that cutting the song was "like chopping off a finger. But the discipline is being able to pick and choose so you keep the story line."

The cast is the same in Houston as in Tampa, with Janet Dacal playing Alice. The production will be somewhat different in the Alley, which has a thrust stage.

Article also says after-Houston plans are not set yet.

'Wonderland' gets rewrite ahead of opening in Houston Updated On: 1/22/10 at 11:15 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/19/10 at 11:27pm

Aww. I like "Don't Wannna Fall in Love". It does sound like a generic pop song that you'd hear on the radio, but I thought that was the point?

[Anakela]

Posted: 1/19/10 at 11:47pm

Yeah, I enjoyed "Don't Wanna Fall in Love" too, but I also remember that what with it being followed right after by "Love Begins" that it was just a lot of Alice/Jack history in one spot.

One of the new songs is an Alice song, according to this article from a Wonderland cocktail reception from last week:
Guests enjoyed not just the three songs Wonderland cast members had planned on previewing but a surprise fourth number that ravishing lead Janet Dacal had only learned the day before, though you'd have thought she'd been rehearsing it for months.
Déjà vu strikes as Wyatts host 'Wonderland' sampler

[philly03]

Posted: 1/20/10 at 12:01am

WHAT! "Don't Wanna Fall in Love" was one of my favourite songs. Excellent staging and choreography. It's a shame - I think a song that's "cutting off a finger" is "I Am My Own Invention."

[Anakela]

Posted: 1/20/10 at 12:17am

Awww, no, I love "I Am My Own Invention!"

Dear Frank:
Please don't cut that number.
Thank you.

Seriously, though, I'll acknowledge that it fits in a little awkwardly, but I really do love that number. I wonder if The Rabbit's getting a number? I know he sings with other characters and such, but I found it curious that the Rabbit didn't get an introductory-type number like the rest of the Wonderland characters...

[gypsymal56]

Posted: 1/20/10 at 12:41am

Surprised "I Am My Own Invention" lasted as well! Talk about not fitting with the story-line.

Frank,
Get rid of it.

[philly03]

Posted: 1/20/10 at 12:57am

Oh come'on "I Am My Own Invention"'s melody is used for underscore and the opening!

I think it should be cut, or moved to before "Once More I Can See." The lyrics don't necessarily make sense for "I am My Own Invention." I hope they put a new song in after "The Mad Hatter Attacks" and "Once More I Can See"!

Also, I think it would add for some ironic funny-ness to put Don't Wanna Fall in Love AFTER "Love Begins"! I guess it would add more "meaning" i guess you'd say to the song as well? Or the love interest? Thoughts? haha Updated On: 1/20/10 at 12:57 AM

[Anakela]

Posted: 1/20/10 at 1:08pm

Also, I think it would add for some ironic funny-ness to put Don't Wanna Fall in Love AFTER "Love Begins"! I guess it would add more "meaning" i guess you'd say to the song as well? Or the love interest? Thoughts? haha

I wondered what it would look like with "Don't Wanna Fall in Love" in Act I myself. Or at least a little something more than just "One Knight" (which I love- hope that's not one of the other changes) showing more of the Alice/Jack and why we should be rooting for them dynamic.

[philly03]

Posted: 1/20/10 at 3:10pm

Yeah either move it to Act 1 or DIRECTLY AFTER Love Begins.

"Love Begins" is a little slow, and I thought the direction was poor for this number.

I'm curious as to how much the story changed! Hopefully they post a new song list on the WONDERLAND website!

[sweetTb'way]

Posted: 1/20/10 at 6:36pm

Happy Opening to the cast & crew Of Wonderland tonight!!!

Changes that I know of.....

- New scene opening the show before the 1st number.
- New song for Alice during the elevator ride.
- "Love Begins" now sits in Act 1 where "Once More I Can See" used to be.
- New boyband number, "Together", in Act 2.
- "Once More I Can See" is now in Act 2.
- The ending has been altered a lot since Tampa. Won't say too much more about
that as to not create any spoilers.

In general, I feel like the they're heading in the right direction with it. The story was more clear than it was in Tampa and characters such as the Rabbit, Caterpillar, & El Gato have more material and are more involved in the story now. As in Tampa, all the design elements are top notch.
The show still needs fine tuning but I thought big steps were made btwn. Tampa & Houston.

[Anakela]

Posted: 1/20/10 at 6:48pm

- New scene opening the show before the 1st number.

Oooh, a new scene before Alice enters the party? Or a new scene at the party, just before the start "Worst Day of My Life?"

And, is "Worst Day of My Life" still as looong as it was in Tampa?


- "Love Begins" now sits in Act 1 where "Once More I Can See" used to be.
- "Once More I Can See" is now in Act 2.

I can totally see this.


- New boyband number, "Together", in Act 2.

I completely just read that as "2ge+her." Hello 1999.

Thanks for the info!!

[sweetTb'way]

Posted: 1/20/10 at 7:07pm

Yes, a new scene before Alice enters the party. It gives a little more insight into the problems Alice & Jack are having and includes Chloe.

"Worst Day of My Life" is a bit shorter now. The scene/song that sat in the middle of it btwn. Jack & Chloe is now gone.

[philly03]

Posted: 1/20/10 at 8:30pm

Is the song called "Where is the GIrl I Knew?" Also, do you mean more dialogue or more songs for the Rabbit/Caterpillar/etc.?

I'm glad they added a song that would make sense to have "Once More I Can See" (which from first hearing it I thought'd be the finale!).

[sweetTb'way]

Posted: 1/20/10 at 11:55pm

Not sure what the song is called actually.....sorry about that.

As far as the other characters I mentioned......they have more dialogue and are more involved in the plot with Alice & Jack. None of the characters have new songs but they sing in more places. For example, "Through the Looking Glass" is now Alice, Jack, Rabbit, Caterpillar, & El Gato.

[MunchkininOZ629]

Posted: 1/21/10 at 3:44pm

Saw this on Tuesday and it seems to be shaping up! Not sure exactly what changes were made from Tampa, but there was an insert of a different song list than the playbill. Enjoy scans!

Alley Theater Playbill
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/photo.php?pid=30408553&id=1449843046

Playbill Song List
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/photo.php?pid=30408556&id=1449843046&fbid=1187591137163

Insert Song List
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/photo.php?pid=30408557&id=1449843046&fbid=1187591377169

[philly03]

Posted: 1/21/10 at 3:53pm

Thanks for posting...but not everyone has access to them!

Would you be able to post the direct URL/source links for them?

Thanks so much!!!

[philly03]

Posted: 1/21/10 at 4:13pm

And off-topic of the songlist, is Chloe supposed to be a teenager now?!

[Anakela]

Posted: 1/21/10 at 6:49pm

Houston Chronicle review- meh on the book, enjoyed the cast, *raved* about Dacal ("star-in-the-making," "Dacal is a find as Alice," etc.)... Wow- didn't even like the choreography! Huh. I'm sorry, but the choreo that the boy band is doing behind Ritchie *makes* One Knight, it just does.
Review: Lots of flash, little real wonder in Wonderland

[Anakela]

Posted: 1/21/10 at 6:52pm

And off-topic of the songlist, is Chloe supposed to be a teenager now?!

Wait, what, Chloe's a teenager now?

[sweetTb'way]

Posted: 1/21/10 at 7:06pm

No, Chloe is not a teenager now. Where did you get that from?

[philly03]

Posted: 1/21/10 at 7:26pm

I was listening to a radio interview Frank, Greg & Jack did in Houston. I'm sure the host just said Chloe was a teenager based off Julie Brooks' age!

[bwayboi4life42]

Posted: 1/21/10 at 8:22pm

If the book has improved from Tampa, I'm so glad I didn't see it in Tampa. Some of the melodies are nice, but the script needs a new writer with a clearer vision of the characters and plot.

[MunchkininOZ629]

Posted: 1/22/10 at 2:16am

Sure, i'm just not sure how to to that. Could you explan it to m e?

[philly03]

Posted: 1/22/10 at 2:59am

Right click on the picture and then click Copy Image Address (if you're on a Mac) or click Properties and then copy the URL in there! Thanks again!!

[Anakela]

Posted: 1/22/10 at 9:51am

Alice is now struck by lightning??

tampabay.com arts blog, talking a little bit about some of the changes between Tampa and Houston:
The rewrite also seeks to make Alice's journey more of a dream -- she's struck by lightning -- and she has a new song, Down the Rabbit Hole, as she takes the elevator down to Wonderland.
'Wonderland' diary: First impressions from opening night in Houston