Wonderland - Musical Review

The new musical, Wonderland, inspired by Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland is a must see for everyone - no matter what your age. Having not read (or not remembered) Carroll's book, I was not sure what to expect but the Wonderland musical turned out to be a pleasant surprise. It is not a re-make or an adaptation of the Alice in Wonderland book, but rather it is the story of a dream inspired by the book. The dream of the main character, Alice Cornwinkle, is that of a contemporary woman who loses her inner child and forgets her priorities in life.

Cornwinkle, is an author (like Carroll) and is on the verge of divorce. Thanks to the fighting between Alice Cornwinkle and her husband, Jack, their daughter, Chloe, runs away. It is Chloe's disappearance that prompts the adventure and keeps Alice's priorities straight. The moral of the story is that we all face difficult choices in life; how we deal with the consequences of those choices is what makes us who we are and fortunately for Alice Cornwinkle, her dream makes her realize what is important in life and allows her to change her future before it is too late.

The cast is amazing but the star, Janet Dacal, who plays Alice Cornwinkle, really makes Wonderland what it is. Dacal is not only amazingly talented, but she is stunningly beautiful as well. Dacal engages the audience and carries the entire show. Dacal has appeared on Broadway, and has done many recordings and tour for various Grammy-winning artists. Remember her name because she will be a huge star very soon.

The Wonderland musical debuted in Tampa, Florida, in 2009, and now Houstonians have the opportunity to catch this musical before the entire nation catches wind of what a huge hit it is going to be. If you live in the greater Houston area and want to see a brilliant, touching and funny musical, buy your tickets immediately before they all sell out. The show runs through February 14, 2010 at the Alley Theatre in downtown Houston. Click here to purchase your tickets.The run time is two hours and 30 minutes, including one short intermission.

Alley Theater is at 615 Texas Avenue in Houston.