Alice Spencer (Elise Parks) and Dr. Butridge (Trent Rowland) rehearse for “Alice by Heart,” which opens in Studio One at the Riffe Center September 4. Credit: Courtesy of Meredith Liepelt
The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio will kick off its 2025-26 season with “Alice by Heart,” which opens in Studio One at the Riffe Center September 4 and runs on select dates through September 21.
“Alice by Heart” is a musical inspired by Lewis Carroll’s classic tale “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” It takes place in a London Tube station during the Blitz bombings in World War II, where lead characters Alice Spencer and her best friend Alfred Hallam — who is sick with tuberculosis — seek refuge and escape reality, drifting into Wonderland.
“I was just so enthralled by this idea of retelling ‘Alice in Wonderland’ in the context of a group of people trying to deal with a really chaotic world around them,” Leda Hoffman, artistic director at the Contemporary and director of “Alice by Heart,” said. “I just think it’s a really beautiful framing device to look at the importance of storytelling and the fun it can bring us, the hope it can bring us when times are really hard.”
Behind-the-scenes, the performance is stacked with Buckeyes — eight out of 13 members of the creative team are Ohio State alumni, as well as two current undergraduate students who work on the show as lighting interns.
Leah Pfefferle, a first-year in computer science and information systems and theatre, is one of the show’s undergraduate lighting interns. She said she’s been involved with the Contemporary in the past, mostly acting or doing photoshoots, but this time she’ll be working with one of the followspots.
“When I heard that the Contemporary was doing Alice by Heart, I knew that I wanted to help with the lights,” Pfefferle said in an email. “The Alice in Wonderland theming lends itself to psychedelic LED use, and I’m an enormous fan of the musical, so I contacted [Hoffman] about helping out.”
To Pfefferle’s surprise, Hoffman had been coordinating with Maranda DeBusk, an assistant professor in the department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts, to offer a course credit internship for Ohio State students.
“I am beyond ecstatic to be working with a professional theatre so early in my lighting technology education,” Pfefferle said. “I’ve heard many designers say that the best way to learn is to get hands-on experience and work with professionals on actual productions, so I can’t wait to have my first professional technical experience!”
Trent Rowland, who plays Dr. Butridge and the King of Hearts, graduated from Ohio State’s theater department in 2015. After briefly pursuing acting in Los Angeles, Rowland has since moved back to Columbus and will make his return to performing with “Alice by Heart.”
“I hadn’t done a show in a long time, and I knew that the Contemporary was one of the stronger theaters in the area. I wanted to give it a shot, auditioning for them,” Rowland said. “I actually auditioned for their season last season, but was not cast in the show. However, this time around, I tried again, and they graciously gave me the opportunity to be in ‘Alice by Heart’ and I’m excited about it — very, very excited.”
Aside from Alice, every actor plays more than just one character. Rowland said he’ll open the show as Dr. Butridge, a doctor assisting victims of the bombings, before transforming into several different Wonderland characters — the King of Hearts, a Mock Turtle and the Jabberwock.
“The show is quite cool, because everyone in the ensemble does really have a spot to shine, at least at some point in the show,” Rowland said. “Everyone plays many parts to kind of glue the thing together, and there’s a good sense of camaraderie.”
The show contains some heavy subject matter and follows themes of grief and loss. However, the musical is also light-hearted and magical, according to the Contemporary’s website.
The cast of “Alice by Heart,” the Contemporary Theatre of Ohio’s first show of their 2025-26 season. Credit: Courtesy of Meredith Liepelt
Hoffman said the production elements of the musical will immerse viewers into the world of Alice in Wonderland, regardless of their familiarity with the original story.
“The singing and the music is incredible … the scenery, the costumes, the lighting and the choreography are really going to show you Alice in Wonderland in a way you haven’t seen before,” Hoffman said. “So if you’re a big Alice in Wonderland fan, you’re obviously going to have a great time at this show. And I think for people who maybe haven’t revisited that story in a while, the gorgeous visuals and the music in this show are gonna draw them right in.”
Pfefferle said it’s important for other students to know that there are opportunities for them to get involved and secure internships.
“These kinds of opportunities exist all over Columbus,” Pfefferle said. “I took the COTA bus down High St to get to my internship and it was barely a 20 minute bus ride … you don’t have to travel far to get an internship like this when we’re so central in this amazing city.”
More information on “Alice by Heart” can be found on the Contemporary’s website. Tickets are $68.55, inclusive of fees, and can be purchased on CAPA’s website. Hoffman said students with a valid ID can purchase tickets for $20 at the box office up to two hours ahead of the show.
