Share the Love: Alice in Wonderland {Marriott Theater for Young Audiences}

I've mentioned before that I am blessed to have married a Renaissance man, and as a future mother-in-law {very, very, very future} to two young women, I thought it would earn me bonus points if we succeeded in raising Renaissance young men who could not only go hunt their food but also sautee it lightly in garlic-lemon olive oil while reciting their favorite lines from Shakespeare as well as Star Wars.

I kid about the last part, but in all seriousness John and I have been theatre lovers since our high school days, and we love sharing our passions with our boys, so we're extremely fortunate to have the Marriott Theatre for Young Audiences nearby our home in here in northern Chicagoland.

A few weekends ago we ventured down to the theatre to view Alice in Wonderland -- this time dressed to the nines at my oldest son's insistence after he heard a friend who attended the last performance ask me why weren't dressed for theatre. {What can I say? Kid's got mad style sense.}

And Alice in Wonderland was wonderful!

Photo courtesy of Peter Coombs and The Marriott Theatre

The boys very much enjoyed the lively singing and dancing and the heavy audience participation, all of which was executed brilliantly by the actors and actresses in the show.

Unlike Cinderella, which was the last show we saw at the Marriott Theatre for Young Audiences, this performance really appealed to my boys, ages 3.5 and 5.5 because of the plot's deep roots in silliness rather than whimsical romance.

The Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit were two stand-out characters that our boys exclaimed about long after the proverbial curtain was drawn; I think we've stolen imaginary sugar tarts in play more times than I can count, and we've had a few silly tea parties since the show that have sent them into fits of laughter all over again at the ridiculousness of that silly Hatter.

Photo courtesy of Peter Coombs and The Marriott Theatre

John and I very much enjoyed the show, too. It was very quick-moving and entertaining for the youngsters as well as the parents! We laughed along at the silliness and "nonsense" of the nonsensical Wonderland so wonderfully brought to life by the cast members and decorated well with fitting, vibrant music, costume and scenery.

Only one thing disappointed my oldest thespian in the making and that was that the story line for the musical differed quite a bit from the movie, which is completely and totally normal for movies turned stage productions; however, if you have an Alice and Wonderland aficionado perhaps prepare him or her for such so he or she can sit back and enjoy the show without wondering what happened to certain scenes.

Overall, Alice in Wonderland is a spectacular performance, and we'd excitedly see it again. The show runs now through May 18, 2013. Tickets are available for purchase by visiting The Marriott Theatre's site.

Disclosure: My family was invited to preview Alice in Wonderland at The Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire and I agreed that I would like to share a review of the show here on my blog with you, my friends. Hope you enjoy the show as much as we did!