From the adventures of Alice to stories of the pandemic to a new adaption of “A Christmas Carol,” Adams State University Theatre is back creating theatre. While they will not have audiences in their building this fall semester, ASU Theatre students and faculty are still producing three new and original productions – each done in creative and innovative ways while meeting necessary COVID-19 safety protocols.

The Adams State Theatre program opens its 2020-2021 production season with the world premiere of “WONDERLAND: A Socially-Distanced Adventure with Alice.” This innovative show is an opportunity for audiences of all ages to experience live theatre again in a non-traditional way. Tickets are now on sale through the ASU Theatre Box Office.

Working with Jenna Neilsen, director of theatre, and George McConnell, assistant professor of theatre, Adams State Theatre students have created an exciting new take on Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. If you are familiar with the novel, you will get to see some of your favorite characters in brand new interpretations. If you’re not familiar, then you’ll get to meet these characters, along with Alice, for the first time.

Accepting the challenges of creating and performing live theatre during the COVID-19 pandemic, Adams State Theatre is implementing all recommended safety protocols for this event. Performed in six outdoor locations around the Theatre, Visual Art, and Richardson Hall Buildings, audiences will experience the play in groups of eight and will be led from stage-to-stage by an actor playing Alice. The audience and the performers will be masked and adhering to all social distancing requirements.

“We hope we have made a fun, exciting and safe event for everyone to share,” says Neilsen, and McConnell adds, “We’ve tried to see the pandemic not as a roadblock to creativity, but as another collaborator in the process.”

The family-friendly show will be performed multiple times over the course of two days with audience members assigned specific times to attend. Due to the socially-distanced approach the production is using, there are only 272 total tickets available. The total show experience from check in until the end should last just about an hour.

Public performances of “WONDERLAND” are Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27 from 12 p.m. until 5 p.m. Tickets are $10 for general public, $9 for seniors and students, and free to Associated Students and Faculty with current Adams State identification. Tickets are only available by calling the ASU Theatre Box Office. Audience members will receive an email that confirms their tickets as well as gives instructions about how the event will work. The Adams State Theatre Box Office number is 719-587-8499.