1941, WWII London Underground
Alice's bunker during the Blitz. It is slightly distressed and war-torn. Posters plaster the walls, a quarantine curtain blocks off the back corner, some pipes are rusted, the stained-glass skylight is slightly fogged and clogged. Lights occasionally flicker and dim. Rations, cots, trunks, and other government aid fill the boarding platform.

Alice By Heart

By Duncan Sheik, Steven Sater, and Jessie Nelson

Scenic, Costume, Props, & Lighting Design

MFA Thesis - theoretical project

Design Concept: Described as "an exploration of love, loss, and the transformative power of the imagination," this design explores the art, mystery, excitement, and beauty of growing up. The secret to surviving adulthood is not to leave the spirit of the child behind, but to carry it with us. Alice takes cover in the WWII London Underground during the Blitz. Her imagining of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" invading her world reflects her own journey of growth, self-discovery, grief, and love.

Wonderland
Alice's imagining of Wonderland invades the London underground. It is a romanticized fantasy world, of bubbles, bioluminescent flowers, pearls, fairies, mermaids, magic - the exact opposite of her rough and distressed reality. Train tracks extend over the apron like a conveyor belt. Gigantic flowers raise through traps, oversized butterflies fly in, flowers pop out of light fixtures, signs jumble up words, the clock ticks backwards. A manhole in the platform slides open for Alice to climb out of.
Alice's First Entrance into Wonderland
The Spiral Staircase Arises From The Manhole
Appearing as if the train tracks have looped under the platform and swirled upward.
Alice in 1941
Alice in Wonderland
Finale - The Sun Rises Again
Romantic Moonlight Beams Through
The Queen of Heart's Entrance
LEDs running the beams of the inner tube backlight her arrival.
A Fire and Siren in the Distance
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