ALICE BY HEART Will Be Presented by Beck Center for the Arts
This production runs in the Senney Theater from May 1 to May 10, 2026.
Beck Center for the Arts, home to one of the oldest continuously operating youth theater programs in the country has teens tackling a story of love, loss, and coming of age in Alice By Heart.
This musical, with a cast of twenty-two Beck Center students ranging from ages 12 to 18, may sound familiar to those who love Spring Awakening, another Duncan Sheik musical. This youth theater production includes a book by Steven Sater and Jessie Nelson. This musical was inspired by the 1865 novel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and was originally presented in 2012 at the Royal National Theatre in London. This production is directed and choreographed by Sarah Clare, with music direction by Heidi Herczeg.
Sarah Clare, Associate Director of Theater Education, director and choreographer of this production shared, "Working on Alice by Heart with this incredible group of young artists is a dream come true. I’ve had the honor of being a part of some of these students’ journey from early childhood classes and their first productions to their final show before graduating high school. It’s fitting that the show explores themes of how to leave childhood behind, how to overcome difficult times, and how to use the power of imagination and art to endure and move on. Alice’s retelling of her favorite childhood story to ease the pain of her dear friend is akin to what we do on a daily basis in the arts by telling stories to escape, explain, explore, and endure the world around us. And even though some of these young artists are moving on beyond these walls, their stories will remain and encourage the next generation."
Beck Center for the Arts’ Youth Theater alumni include Michael Chernus (Orange Is the New Black; Manhattan; Severance); Dee Hoty (three-time Tony Nominee); Isabela Merced (Superman, Dora and the Lost City of Gold; Transformers: The Last Night); Rory O’Malley (Hamilton; Tony Nominee, Book of Mormon); and Daniel Reichard (Drama Desk Nominee, Jersey Boys).
This production runs in the Senney Theater from May 1 to May 10, 2026. May 1 and May 8, Friday and May 2 and May 9, Saturday performances are at 7:30 pm. May 3 and May 10, Sundays at 3:00 pm. Tickets are on sale now. Prices are $15 Adult/Senior, and $13 Children/Student (ages 18 & under). Please purchase tickets at beckcenter.org, call 216.521.2540 or simply stop by Beck Center Customer Service in person. Entire season lineup is available at beckcenter.org/youth-theater. For tickets to the Student Matinee on Thursday, May 7, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. please contact Kelsey Heichel, Associate Director of Community Programs at KHeichel@beckcenter.org.
Set during the London Blitz, Alice by Heart follows two teens sheltering in an underground tube station. When Alice’s friend Alfred falls ill, she invites him into the world of Alice in Wonderland to escape. As they tumble down the rabbit hole, they explore first love, loss, the power of imagination and finding the courage to move forward. A story of imagination, young love, and resilience, this moving musical explores the healing power of stories—even when the real world feels broken.
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