Alice (Experiments) In Wonderland

Lewis Ca​rroll’s ageless fantasia got an electronic overhaul that drew audiences into an Internet2 wonderland.

Performed as a collaborative partnership between the UCF Conservatory Theatre, Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, and the University of Waterloo.

“Alice Experiments In Wonderland” was a partnership between the UCF Conservatory Theatre, Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, and the University of Waterloo, which simultaneously staged the show live using high-speed broadband connections, 2-D and 3-D sets and ceiling-high screens.

Each university had its own cast of characters who performed on their respective stages with virtual actors “beamed” in via Internet2, a much faster version of the Internet available to higher-ed institutions.

The goal of “Alice” was to produce the first affordable and easily replicable show that merges three universities’ stages, casts and crews into one interactive experience. And, lay the groundwork for theatre companies around the world to work together for the benefit of their audiences.

About 300 students, faculty and staff from the three universities have worked on “Alice” for months — brainstorming costumes, scenes and settings in online forums. While the technology is state-of-the art, the play’s storyline remains family friendly — with a few modern tweaks, of course. Alice sports an iPod and Ugg boots. She befriends a computer-hacking Mad Hatter. And the Cheshire Cat rides a razor scooter.