SMHS Drama Dept. Presents ‘Alice’ This Weekend

“Alice falls through a rabbit hole into a subterranean fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures,” states a synopsis of the 1865 novel “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” Lewis Carroll’s endearing work of fiction.
“It is considered to be one of the best examples of the literary nonsense genre. The tale plays with logic, giving the story lasting popularity with adults as well as with children.”
There could be no more fitting material to begin San Marino High School’s annual lineup of theatrical productions than nonsense and a fantasy world, given the reality that 2020 has provided to date. For a concept such as Zoom that was so foreign to many people just seven months ago, the school’s foray into virtual performance theater begins this weekend with what was once believed to be unthinkable.
But if anyone can pull off the task, it’s surely the intrepid thespians under the direction of Blake Williams. And it will take every ounce of moxie accumulated during her five years of experience to make it work.
“There couldn’t be a better show to prove how hard they are working than this,” said Williams.
She was speaking of “Alice,” a fun adaptation of the familiar Alice in Wonderland theme. Williams even directed it during her first year on campus, back in the good old days when cast and crew members were able to do innovative things like rehearse, be in the same room together and speak to one another. Enter the pandemic stage right while convention exits stage left.
“This is very different,” Williams said, immediately recognizing the obvious nature of her remark. “Not only do they have to learn their lines and their character, but the blocking and the technology are so different.”
Blocking is the theatrical term for the actors’ movements on the stage during the performance of the play or musical. Granted, it’s a completely different challenge on a virtual stage, but it is a challenge nonetheless.
And with inevitable imperfections.
“The cast of the Broadway musical ‘Hamilton’ did a performance via Zoom and they had several glitches,” Williams said with a chuckle. “If they can have them, we can surely have them. But I am pretty sure our audience is forgiving. [Nevertheless,] this way of doing things provides a great reminder that life is full of mistakes.”
“Alice” will be performed live, viewable by way of Zoom, this Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. The performance will be archived on a link for later viewing.
The drama department held its annual awards ceremony on May via Zoom, so Williams had a primer on what to expect. She has halved the performance time to about an hour “for the new Zoom audience,” she said. Rehearsals are also much more difficult in the virtual world. Donations to the SMHS drama department will be accepted, and registration to see the performances is available on the SMHS website at sanmarinohs.org.
“The students easily do five hours of rehearsal under normal circumstances, but I cannot do that on Zoom,” she said. “When they are together there is a lot of energy. In Zoom, we are hem­orrhaging energy.”
There are other unexpected challenges.
“I have had to drive to students’ houses to drop off costumes,” Williams said. “Since they have to try them on, I am making many trips back and forth. That is a big difference.”

Melika Morshed, a senior, will be wearing one of those costumes after earning the treasured role of the Cheshire Cat.
“I think one of the biggest challenges to performing via Zoom is having to see people who are like a part of our family through a screen,” she said. “Besides the obvious struggles, such as Wi-Fi problems, is that everyone in drama is currently dealing with a lack of seeing each other in person and being able to truly connect with one another. Though we are definitely still a close class, as we almost always are in the [visual and performing arts] department, it breaks my heart that we aren’t able to play most of the bonding games that we normally play throughout the year to get to know each other better.”
Morshed said that the cast is working extremely hard to compensate for the challenges and that Williams “has been an amazing director in terms of adjusting to Zoom.” She promises a “magnificent production, that is not only entertaining and captivates the audience.”
“It’s obviously very different than the usual on-stage performances we’re all used to,” said the four-year drama veteran. “The stage is like a second home for all of us, and as nerve-wracking as it can be to perform, there is also nothing that compares to the thrill you get when you’re up on that stage and you feel the heat of the spotlight on your face. It’s definitely been difficult to adjust to taking one of your favorite classes online, especially when it’s a hands-on course, but having such an amazing teacher and a great class makes all the trouble worth it in the end.”
Williams is hoping that the high school drama department will be able to stage a live performance of “Grease,” which it has tentatively slated for April in the outdoor quad at SMHS with social distancing, if such is still required for in-person assemblies.
“This would be a great opportunity and that would be a great venue,” said Williams. “It would be so fun to be outside, singing along to ‘Grease.’”
But first, that rabbit hole.