Scenography for Alice By Heart: The Art of Growing Up

Abstract

Alice By Heart is a new musical by Duncan Sheik, Steven Sater, and Jessie Nelson. The story follows Alice, a young girl sheltering in an underground train station during the London Blitz of World War Two. There, she takes real refuge in retelling her favorite childhood book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, to her dying best friend, Alfred. While venturing through her imagined world of Wonderland in an effort to save Alfred, Alice must confront what she has been avoiding: growing up. Her journey represents the trials of transitioning from adolescence to young adulthood, experiencing love, loss, grief, and, ultimately, self-discovery and actualization.My interpretation is that we are not meant to fully abandon childhood in favor of struggling through adulthood: rather, our childhood helps us to survive adulthood, and should be carried with us throughout life. The hope, imagination, enthusiasm, and energy of adolescence bring fulfillment to a life that is constantly bogged down by the realities and responsibilities of adulthood.This paper details my conceptualization, process, and final creation of scenography for Alice By Heart. My design both blends and contrasts the conditions of childhood and adulthood, calling us to embrace our inner child and embark on a life worth living.