Over the weekend, Kenyon students fell down a rabbit hole into a mysterious new world. Alice by Heart, written by Steven Sater, premiered at the Harlene Marley Theater on Thursday and ran until Saturday, stealing the hearts of the audience each night. The musical lasted an hour and a half without intermission and was directed and choreographed by Rachel Zarkowsky ’28 with the support of the Kenyon College Players. The story follows a young girl during World War II who finds comfort in her favorite book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Its use of stories as an escape from the grief and terror of war reminds us of all the importance of storytelling.

The stage featured a few black boxes and a ladder on which the Cheshire Cat, played by Luiza Elling ’28, often perched. The wall facing the entrance had been adorned with larger-than-life playing cards, a magical nod to Alice in Wonderland. The sound effects of bombs were crucial to developing the wartime setting, and the lighting helped portray some very intimate moments between Alice and Alfred, the White Rabbit.

One of the many ways Alice by Heart is a unique project is its use of parallel worlds within the storyline. The play both starts and ends in war-torn London, while the bulk of the narrative takes place in the novel Alice is reciting. So, while Alice stays the same throughout the play, many of the other actors are forced to take on the challenge of learning two different characters’ parts. For example, Bridget Lomax ’28 played both a hard-of-hearing, deeply traumatized doctor and a lively King of Hearts. The cast’s ability to learn two different characters and portray them both with full effort was astonishing to see.

The musical’s lead, Audrey Howard ’25, who played Alice, balanced the determination and youthful spirit needed to properly portray such a beloved character. Benjamin Dollar ’28 gave an incredible performance as both Alfred and Alfred pretending to be the March Hare, and he was responsible for many of the audience’s teary eyes. Together, Howard and Dollar’s voices beautifully blended to create perfectly heartbreaking ballads. Though both were able to showcase their capabilities by themselves, they came together for songs like “Still” (as well as the reprise), blowing the white gloves off the audience.

While Alice by Heart is primarily a story of love and war, the production also featured truly hilarious comedy. Poppy Magee ’28 and Cici Hijaz ’28 played two caterpillars who seek to cause mischief and trouble for Alice. One of the funniest moments of the show was the caterpillars attempting to get Alice high with the use of a hookah.

Just as Alice faced adversity within the play, the director also accomplished difficult feats. Zarkoswky both directed and choreographed the work despite being only a first year. “For me, directing the show as a freshman just felt like an incredible honor… It was really difficult balancing schoolwork and coming up with everything for the show. As soon as I taught the cast one thing, I would have to create the next thing the very next day,” Zarkoswky said. “Even though it’s difficult, it’s what I love to do, so it’s worth it. I would absolutely love to do another show, this is definitely not the last of my creations that will be showcased.”Alice by Heart was a stunning piece of art that depicted several sensitive topics with the perfect balance of seriousness and absurdity. Alice is forced to reconcile with her reality and understand that she cannot live in the novel she so loves. The show was a clear reminder of why transcending worlds through books is sometimes very necessary.