New production runs alongside Murder on the Orient Express in Historic District
Two of literature’s most beloved storybook worlds will collide this weekend in Historic Folsom as Sutter Street Theatre raises the curtain on the family-friendly production “Dorothy Meets Alice or The Wizard of Wonderland.”
Opening Saturday, March 7, the imaginative stage production brings together the unforgettable characters from L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz and Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland in a playful theatrical adventure that blends fantasy, humor and classic storytelling. The show will run through March 29 with performances each Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.
Written by playwright Joseph Robinette and directed by Mike Jimena, the production begins with a familiar scenario many students know all too well: a young man who has procrastinated on writing his book report until the very last minute. But instead of simply scrambling to finish his assignment, he suddenly finds himself transported into a strange and confusing world somewhere between Oz and Wonderland.
From that moment forward, the young protagonist is thrust into an imaginative journey where the lines between the two legendary tales blur. As characters from both stories begin to intermingle, it becomes his mission to untangle the narrative chaos and guide each character back to their proper story.
Along the way, audiences will encounter a lively cast of iconic figures, including the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow, the Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit. But the path to restoring order isn’t easy, as the mischievous forces of the Wicked Witch and the Red Queen threaten to derail the journey at every turn.
The result is a fast-paced theatrical romp filled with comedy, surprises and whimsical encounters that blend the charm of two classic tales into a single stage adventure. Designed for audiences of all ages, the production is rated G and promises laughs, colorful characters and a few meaningful lessons woven into the story’s playful confusion.
Located in the heart of Historic Folsom at 717 Sutter Street, Sutter Street Theatre has long been a cornerstone of the region’s live theater scene, presenting a steady lineup of family productions, musicals and classic plays in its intimate downtown venue. Its youth and family programming has become a favorite among local audiences seeking engaging live entertainment in the heart of the historic district.
“Dorothy Meets Alice or The Wizard of Wonderland” continues that tradition with a show specifically designed to delight younger audiences while entertaining parents and grandparents alike.
New show joins Murder on the Orient Express in Historic Folsom
While the whimsical new production opens this weekend, Sutter Street Theatre audiences also have the chance to experience one of the most celebrated mysteries ever written as Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express” continues its run on the Historic Folsom stage.
Adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig and directed by Connie Mockenhaupt, the suspenseful production opened Feb. 27 and runs through March 29 at the theater, located at 717 Sutter St.
Mockenhaupt leads the ensemble through Christie’s tightly woven mystery, using the theater’s intimate stage setting to heighten the suspense aboard the famed luxury train.
First published in 1934, “Murder on the Orient Express” remains one of Christie’s most enduring works and a defining installment in her Hercule Poirot series. Christie, widely known as the “Queen of Mystery,” authored more than 60 detective novels and became one of the best-selling writers in literary history. Her meticulous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, has become one of fiction’s most recognizable sleuths.
The story unfolds aboard the luxurious Orient Express during the golden age of rail travel. Just after midnight, the train becomes stranded in a snowdrift. Though it is an unusual time of year for heavy travel, the train is surprisingly full. By morning, however, it carries one fewer passenger.
An American tycoon is discovered dead in his compartment, stabbed eight times with the door locked from the inside. With the train unable to move and the killer believed to be among the passengers, Poirot must unravel a web of secrets before the murderer has a chance to strike again. The confined setting and layered characters have helped make the mystery one of Christie’s most celebrated works, inspiring numerous film, television and stage adaptations over the decades.
The stage production is rated PG and includes references to kidnapping and murder, along with gunshot sound effects.
Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 4:30 p.m. Sundays through March 29.
Reservations for both productions are available online atwww.SutterStreetTheatre.comor by calling the theater box office at (916) 353-1001.
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