WONDERLAND Begins At The Siren Theater This May

WONDERLAND is back! The fifth all-new installment of original sketch comedy from writer/actor/director Jason Rouse (Weekend at Bernie's, Live Wire, The 3rd Floor, Sweat) takes the stage at the Siren Theater for a limited 4-night run May 2-3 and 9-10, 2025. 

Historically, Rouse has been the sole writer for WONDERLAND, sometimes performing and sometimes staying behind the scenes as producer/director. This time around, the show is co-written and performed by Rouse and eight up-and-coming teen and tween sketch comedians, including Sam Burnett, Luke English, Roscoe Finkel, Trixie Finkel, Alex Ireland, Aziza Laks, William Patrick O'Neill, and Ari Penner. All are current or former students at Pacific Crest Community School, where Rouse teaches theatre.

“This show may be written primarily by kids, but nothing they write is for children,” Rouse says. “They've never once written anything with a child protagonist. The entire show could be played by adults without missing a step, and that's impressive. I love working with them because they're smart, funny, very open, and spontaneous. They say what they mean, and they don't have any ego. It's the best kind of collaboration.”

In Portland, it's rare for teens to have the opportunity to pursue education and experience in sketch comedy. Rouse seeks to fill this gap by offering summer intensives in writing, performing, and producing original sketch shows. Through these workshops, Rouse develops collaborative relationships with talented teens and their families and often incorporates the kids into his own shows. Roscoe Finkel and Sam Burnett have both appeared in previous iterations of WONDERLAND.

Rouse hopes that the teens he works with can be part of the larger future of sketch comedy. 

“All of these kids are plugged into a generation that I'm several removed from, and it's great,” he says. “I see them just carving things out of their brains and their hearts, and it's really exciting to know that maybe sketch comedy that isn't tied to a TikTok or a meme can live on.” 

Rouse received a RACC grant in support of producing WONDERLAND with the teenage cast this spring and offering another summer intensive for aspiring comedy writers and performers. Participants in last year's intensive formed a sketch group called Jacuzzi Massage that was invited to open the 2024 Portland Sketch Comedy Festival.

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