Coal City Theatre Department prepares for fall play

For three evenings in October a cast of 23 high schoolers will present “Alice in Wonderland.”
The Coal City Theatre Department will present the play based on the children’s tale penned in 1865 by Lewis Carroll.
The story follows Alice, young girl who catches a vision of clothed white rabbit with its eye on pocket watch, and in following the creature she falls down the rabbit hole to a world with a mysterious cat, a smoking caterpillar, a not so friendly queen and a hatter, to name a few.
The role of Alice will be played by Coal City High School senior McKenna Patten. Eli Fritz, a fellow senior, will appear as White Rabbit.
Also taking the stage are Landen Selio - Mad Hatter; Stephen Byers - Hare; Emma Kenney - Queen of Hearts; Shana Kelly - Duchess; Derek Carlson - Cheshire Cat; Ava Houston - Dormouse; Caleb Kuhel - Mock Turtle; Izzy Kostbade - Gryphon; Dylan Ludes - Knave of Hearts; Collin Dames - King of Hearts; Skyler Milinkovic - Margaret; Jacob Zickefoose - Caterpillar, and Brecken Johnson and Elaina Patten as Tweedledee and Tweedledum.
Rounding out the cast are ensemble members Chloe Peacock, Collin Leroy, Ethan Scrogham, Melody Kinder, Kylee Kennell, Mason Natyshok and Logan Hausman.
In order to accommodate a live audience, the school’s fall play will take place outdoors. This year it will be under the catalpa trees at Carbon Hill Park. The shows will be presented Thursday, Oct. 14, Saturday, Oct. 16 and Sunday, Oct. 17.
General admission tickets are $5 per person. Those attending need to bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating. Since this is an outdoor event face masks are not required during the show. However, in accordance with state mandates, they must be worn inside village buildings.