Things are getting “curiouser and curiouser” at Knoxville Children’s Theatre. With Alice in Wonderland Jr., KCT puts its own stamp on the Disney musical by handing the reins, er, flamingo mallets to a young cast that takes Wonderland and runs with it.
“These kids,” says Artistic Director Dennis Perkins, “I’ve just been amazed at how many of them have revealed an uninhibited, kooky side that a lot of times is hard to get out of young performers. But they really embraced it.”
The energy is chaotic in the best way: zany, committed and charged with that fearless, tween-theater-kid energy that says, “I memorized 47 lines, learned a dance break, and yes I do have a teacup glued to my head.” Every role feels perfectly cast, from the Mad Hatter and grinning Cheshire Cat trio to the playing cards terrorized by an unhinged Queen of Hearts.
The costumes are eye candy. The pacing is breakneck and the silliness is nonstop.
“This is Lewis Carroll by way of Disney,” Dennis explains. “It’s a musical retrofit of the 1952 animated film—the one that first introduced so many of us to Wonderland. And it’s just so much fun.”
At the center of the mayhem is 12-year-old Olivia Birkbeck as Alice, who rarely leaves the stage and never misses a beat. “When I first got the role, I was like, oh my gosh,” she says. “It was crazy to me.”
Alice is Olivia’s ninth production with the company since she joined in 2021. She’s a triple threat—singing, dancing, acting—and says she didn’t mind the hard work that learning the role required, both in rehearsal and at home. Her secret weapons: a memorization app called LineLearner, professional-grade coaching from KCT, and help from her mom.
Sometimes nerves hit, she admits, but mostly she’s just excited: “It’s so fun to be on that stage. I love it.”
Meanwhile, Jesse Watson delivers a delightfully twitchy White Rabbit, anchoring the show’s pacing with sharp comedic timing and just the right amount of frantic energy. It’s a standout performance that keeps the entire plot marching forward.
“When I first found out I was going to play the White Rabbit, I was really excited,” Jesse says. “I hadn’t seen the movie in a while, so I didn’t remember everything about the character—I just knew he was anxious, always in a rush, and kind of caught up in his own thoughts. Once we started rehearsals, I started to feel like the character. I kind of became the rabbit.”
For Jesse, the value of theater goes far beyond the stage: “Acting lets me express myself in different artistic ways. Each role lets me try something new. I feel like KCT has really boosted my confidence, especially with acting. I’ve made lots of friends there and lots of amazing memories.”
KCT’s move to the Foundry building off World’s Fair Park earlier this year has taken everything up a notch. Even with many improvements still in progress, the new space is roomier, more comfortable, and better equipped for the kind of high-quality productions KCT is known for. Check out renderings of what’s in store here.
I caught a performance of Alice in Wonderland Jr. last weekend with my 6-year-old son and a couple of his friends. One of them, a sparkly-souled little girl named Ollie, was so inspired that her mom signed her up for acting classes at KCT the very next day. The kiddos were wide-eyed the entire time—giggling at the tea party antics, deeply concerned about various characters being beheaded, and generally in awe of the actors on stage who weren’t much older than they are.
“It’s so fun to meet the little kids after the show,” Olivia says. “It’s cool to see what an impact we can have.”
Alice in Wonderland Jr. runs through July 28 at Knoxville Children’s Theatre’s new home inside the Foundry (747 World’s Fair Park Drive).
#Protips for parents: There’s plenty of parking in KCT’s dedicated lot (a blessing when you’ve got a little in tow), and it’s easy to make a day of it. Pair the show with a visit to the World’s Fair Park splash pad, the Knoxville Museum of Art’s Aubrey Jaye’s Art Play space, the renovated Fort Kid playground, or a ride up the Sunsphere for panoramic views.
For more information on KCT programming and to purchase tickets, visit the website here.
Read more on Inside of Knoxville: Who is Knoxville Children’s Theatre? and Knoxville Children’s Theatre Purchases The Foundry; Moving to Downtown (February 2025)
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