Review: ALICE @ WONDERLAND at Belz Theater Within The Orgel Family Performing Arts Center

There’s always something exciting about discovering a new place and a fresh program, so when I had the opportunity to visit the Memphis Jewish Community Center (MJCC) and catch a glimpse of their production of ALICE @ WONDERLAND by Jonathan Yukich, I couldn’t wait to attend. Presented in the Belz Theater within the Orgel Family Performing Arts Center on May 15 and 18, this spirited and talented cast brought Lewis Carroll’s timeless tale to life with a modern twist. 

Directed by Cultural Arts Director and Conservatory Artistic Director Jonathan McCarter, the production was a lively, fast-paced adventure that blended classic storytelling with sharp contemporary sensibilities. ALICE @ WONDERLAND reimagines the familiar journey through a 21st-century lens, complete with smartphones, sass, and social media references, making it highly relatable to today’s audiences while still honoring the whimsy of the original. 

At the center of the story was Sophie Chaifetz as Alice, who expertly guided the audience through the topsy-turvy world of Wonderland with charm, intelligence, and just the right amount of attitude. She balanced the character’s confusion and curiosity with a modern confidence, making Alice feel refreshingly current while still retaining her classic essence. 

On the other end of the spectrum was Stella Frisch, who brought a fierce and unforgettable energy to the role of the Queen of Hearts. Frisch’s portrayal was delightfully ruthless, commanding the stage with every entrance and delivering each “Off with their head!” with wicked glee. She was a true scene-stealer, and her bold characterization made the Queen one of the production’s most memorable highlights. 

One especially delightful moment was the famous tea party scene featuring the March Hare (Lyla Cenker), the Mad Hatter (Bennett Levi Lubin), and the Dormouse (Grace Sorin). Their quirky chemistry and physical comedy made the scene a crowd favorite. The three performers captured the absurdity and charm of the moment with exuberance, making it one of the cutest and most entertaining scenes in the show. 

The choreography, guided by Rose Blakeman, added an extra layer of fun and flair to the show. From synchronized group numbers to quirky character movements, Blakeman’s choreography brought Wonderland to life with playful physicality and dynamic stage pictures.  

Adding to the magic was the impressive technical design, made possible by the upgraded facility. As a recently improved performance space, the Orgel Family Performing Arts Center is equipped with updated lighting and sound systems that were used to great effect throughout the show. From colorful lighting shifts to crisp sound cues and dynamic audio effects, the technology elevated the storytelling and gave the production a professional polish. The facility itself is a jewel, modern, versatile, and clearly built with performers and audiences in mind. Altogether, the show was a testament to the creativity and passion fostered at the MJCC. 

Before the show I was able to chat with Jonathan McCarter about their new program and plans for the future. 

BWW: Thank you for inviting me here. This is a wonderful place. Tell me about the Conservatory. 

Jonathan McCarter: The MJCC recently did a really beautiful upgrade in their theatre and was looking for ways to see more performing arts in the space, and so we started this Conservatory last summer. We started formally in the fall with performance-based and technique-based training. We have a musical theater program called “The Show” that's performance based. For that, we pick a different genre each semester and explore Broadway musicals inside that genre and do a showcase at the end of each semester. This first year we did the “Golden Age of Broadway” with an exciting “Kids On Broadway” showcase last semester.  

BWW: Fun! 

JM: We also offer technique based acting. I’ve decided that we're starting a Conservatory Singer program in the fall. It will be a group singing/musical theater-based program that will also showcase at the end of each semester. We have a program called BFA Audition Prep, which is, I think, really special and unique to the area. It's something that's important to me, because I think it's a way that we can directly assist the growth of the arts and culture in the Memphis area. 

BWW: In what way? 

JM: What we're doing is preparing these high school juniors and seniors for their BFA auditions, and the more prepared you are, the better school you're going to get into. There will be a certain percentage of those students who are going to go off and live their lives like I did, and then, well, I came back 10 to 12 years later, and I brought my life experience and my education back to Memphis with me. So, as we throw these great artists out into the world, they'll gather experience, and some of them will return home. And over time, that is a direct pipeline to elevating the culture in the community, elevating the ability of artistry in the community. But, more directly in the short term, our goal is getting students from this area into better schools than they would have been eligible for had they been less prepared for these auditions. So, Alice @ Wonderland, which we're doing today, is our first performance at the Conservatory. We'll do another one in the fall.   

BWW: What else do you offer? 

JM: We have a great dramatic play program, which is our preschool programming and is open to three- and four-year-olds.  

BWW: Aaaawwww 

JM: yeah. So, our Musical Theater Showcase program goes from five to 18, Dramatic Play is three and four year olds, Technique Based Acting with five through 18 year olds, and the Conservatory Singers is going to be eligible for eight to 18 year olds. Our Mainstage Shows are for eight to 18, and we have a growing homeschool program which started this year and had a really good turnout. That program meets for about 45 minutes once a week, providing some cultural arts opportunities as an elective for students that are participating in home school education. We served 150 students this year between the classes and our ongoing partnership with Creative Aging, which is a nonprofit in the area that provides programming with senior citizens.  

BWW: That’s fantastic! 

JM: Thanks. It’s a lot of fun. We've been doing six week scene studies with senior citizens. We did OUR TOWN in the fall and then tomorrow, I'll do our last session on THE MAN WHO CAME FOR DINNER. So that's our programming.  

BWW: Great! So tell me more about yourself.  

JM: Sure. So, I started theatre in high school, and I am a University of Memphis alum with a degree in Performance theater. I started my professional career working at Opera Memphis as the Director of Education and Outreach. I got a job on the other side of the state as the Artistic Director for a Community Theater in Jonesboro, Tennessee -- the Jonesboro Repertory Theatre. I was their Artistic Director for several years, and I met my wife there. We got married, and she got accepted to a school in Raleigh, NC, so we moved there. I spent nine years with the North Carolina theater, which was a regional theatre. It just recently had to close its doors after running for 30 something years. 

BWW: That’s sad. 

JM: Yeah, it didn't come back from the pandemic, which is heartbreaking, because it gave so much to the community there. They were an Equity theatre bringing in Broadway actors and Broadway instructors. It was a great theater. I spent nine years there, with five and a half of those years as the education and outreach and business manager for their Conservatory. During that time I learned a lot and brought it here to the Conservatory, because that program had been existing for a long time before I got there. It’s BFA audition prep program was consistently putting people in top ten acting programs, consistently putting people on first national tours.  

BWW: WOW! That’s amazing! 

JM: There are several people that went through the Conservatory that are working on Broadway now. It was a great program and a great learning opportunity. Then, I was promoted out of the Conservatory to Production Coordinator, and held that position until the pandemic began.  

BWW: The Pandemic closed so many doors.  

JM: Everything started shuttering, and they never recovered. So, I went into the classroom, and I was hired here in Memphis. I taught for about four years, and then I started this Conservatory.  

BWW: Wow! That's a big journey.  

JM: Yeah. I love it. I love what I do. I feel very fortunate to have been able to work in arts education and work professionally in the industry for my entire working career. 

BWW: OK, that is awesome. Yeah. So, what are your goals for this Conservatory?  

JM: I want to elevate the educational opportunities here in the city. I want to elevate the arts opportunity and create great performers that can go out and elevate the theatre arts as a whole. When I was in school in the late 90s, in the Shelby County school system, there was a theater program in every school almost. When I came back to teach, there were about 12 theater teachers in the Memphis Shelby County school system. Student access to the performing arts is diminishing in this community, and there is a need for quality pre-professional training. Hopefully, we can fill that void.  

BWW: So, after this inaugural run, do you think the interest is growing? 

JM: That's the dream....but, yeah. We have been getting phone calls and emails already from people trying to register for the fall that wasn’t part of this year’s program. The people that are contacting me now have heard about this through the community and are trying to learn about opportunities for the fall. So, I know the word is getting out there. 

For more information on the theatre program at the MJCC, visit their website at https://www.jccmemphis.org/theatre/theatre-conservatory. 

Arkansas Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. THE WIZARD OF OZ (Arts One Presents)

12.6% of votes

2. CINDERELLA: THE BROADWAY VERSION (Arkansas State University Theatre)

12.3% of votes

3. TUCK EVERLASTING (Harding University Theatre)

10.9% of votes

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