LOOKINGGLASS ALICE Musical to Broadcast on PBS This December

Lookingglass Theatre Company, HMS Media, and PBS are pleased to announce that Lookingglass Alice, the Tony Award-winning Lookingglass Theatre Company's beloved signature production, will be broadcast nationwide for the first-time-ever this winter.

Described as “Alice in Wonderland meets Cirque du Soleil” and adapted from the works of Lewis Carroll, Lookingglass Alice is a magical story of transition and transformation fit for the whole family. In time for the holiday season, the production will be broadcast to homes across the country on PBS on Friday, December 15 at 9pm ET/8pm CT.

Filmed in Chicago by 25-time Emmy Award-winning Chicago-based production company HMS Media, Lookingglass Alice is estimated to be seen by more than a half-million viewers in the US and Canada, MAKING IT the most-seen theater production in Chicago Theater history. 

“When we started Lookingglass Theatre in 1988 in a tiny basement, we never would have imagined we'd be able to share something like this with a national audience, from the comfort of their own homes,” Lookingglass Theatre Company ensemble member and Lookingglass Alice director David Catlin said. “At a time when so many regional theaters, including ours, are struggling, this is a much-needed reminder of the magic we can make, and the importance of making theater accessible to all people.” 

First staged in 2008, Lookingglass Alice is a 90-minute spectacular following Alice through a wonderland of music and movement via a heartfelt and thoroughly original take on Lewis Carroll's classic story, winning over children and adults alike.

The production was expertly captured on film in front of a live audience by 25-time Emmy Award-winning HMS Media, over two performances in July 2022 at Lookingglass' home, The Joan and Paul Theatre at the historic Water Tower Water Works on the Magnificent Mile in downtown Chicago. Filmed with eight cameras per performance to accommodate the alley configuration of the theater, the two set-ups mirrored each other in order to capture the full experience of being in the theater.

“Bringing Chicago stage productions to screen has always been a priority for us throughout our 35 years,” explained HMS Media co-founder and Lookingglass Alice producer Scott Silberstein.

“Chicago is the only city in the country with six Tony Award-winning theaters, Lookingglass being one of them. This city is one of the most vital and creative places for the arts in the world, and Lookingglass Alice is a great example of the kind work that is created here. The Pandemic made stage-to-screen capture necessary for anyone to see theater. Even now, it is the only way for many people to see live shows. There's nothing like live theater, but this kind of access is both a vital part of theater's survival and recovery and a great way to invite people back to the joy and community of live performance.”

Lookingglass Alice is adapted and directed by founding member of Lookingglass Theatre Company, David Catlin. Lindsey Noel Whiting, a Lookingglass Alice cast member herself, hosts the PBS program, and the cast includes Molly Hernandez as Alice, along with Kareem Bandealy, Samuel Taylor, Michel Rodriguez Cintra and Daniel Johnson.

The production's creative team includes Daniel Ostling (Scenic Design), Christine A. Binder (Lighting Design), Ray Nardelli (Sound Design), Mara Blumenfeld (Costume Design), Amanda Herrmann (Properties Design), Sylvia Hernandez-Distasi (Circus and Movement Choreographer) and Lee Brasuell (Rigging Design). Andre Pluess and Ben Sussman serve as Composers. The production is presented in association with The Actors Gymnasium.

Lookingglass Alice is produced by HMS Media, including Scott Silberstein (Producer), Matt Hoffman (Director), and Christie Fall (Editor).

Photo credit: Liz Lauren

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