Colonial Forge Presents "Alice in Wonderland"

Colonial Forge debuted its musical production of “Alice in Wonderland” on April 12th.

Starring as Alice, sophomore Ashley Barnum took to the stage with her jaw-dropping performance. Barnum has been acting and doing theater since she was twelve and acting with Colonial Forge since her freshman year last year. Ashley put on an excellent performance and was able to embody the beloved childhood character. Barnum’s role as the lead as an underclassman was surprising, though it proved to be a great choice.

“I really wasn’t expecting it. But I’m super grateful that I got to have this experience with everyone. It’s been a really fun role to play,” Barnum said.

The atmosphere was booming as the actors took their bows and greeted their many family and friends awaiting them off stage. Hannah Yosef, a junior who played the role of the Duchess, put on one of my favorite performances of the night. Her comedic timing was spot-on, and her vocals were out of this world.

Yosef shared her experiences with playing her character: “It was definitely a very different role. I’ve never played such a mean character before. So it was a lot of exploring.”

Thanks to the support of her fellow cast members and faculty, she was able to make the best of this. “Thankfully, I had a nice director that let me experiment with it and play around with it, so I was very comfortable by the time I had to perform.”

Although there were some nerves amongst the cast, as there usually are during events like these, it wasn’t evident, and it seemed like it came as second nature for most.

“I’m always nervous at first, but towards the end and middle, things just start happening. You kind of go on autopilot mode,” Barnum shared.

Ayami Lilie Donald, a senior who took on the role of the Cheshire Cat, also experienced something similar. “I usually get nervous right before I go on stage. But once I get that first line in, all the nerves go away.”

Donald seemed very natural and fluid on the stage, and her lines were delivered with ease. Her attitude towards the role explained this clearly.

“I was honestly comfortable with the role. I was surprised when I got it, but then once the director explained that he thought I was kind of, naturally, like the Cheshire Cat in a way, I could embrace the role and fully become a part of it.”

From the costumes to the acting to the set, “Alice in Wonderland” was a showstopping experience.