On Wednesday, December 19, the lawns of the Phillip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts at the University of the West Indies Mona campus set the stage for the launch of the Jamaica Junior Theatre’s (JJT’s) upcoming 2013 production Alice – The Musical.
    
In keeping with the “Mad Hatter Tea Party” theme from Alice, the popular children’s classic by Lewis Carrol on which the musical is based, guests at the launch milled around huge mushrooms, umbrellas, playing cards and other props from the show as they waited for the programme to begin. At 7:00pm ‘Welcome to Wonderland’, led by David Reid who plays the Mad Hatter, kicked the programme into gear, as the cast of Alice – The Musical treated media representatives, special guests, friends and family of the cast and production team to an exclusive preview. “Alice is a new twist on an old classic,” Danielle Stiebel, who leads Alice’s production team, told the audience, “it’s a fun and entertaining show for the entire family, and is sure to have our audience fall in love all over again with the characters they may already know so well.” Alice – The Musical will open on January 4, 2013 at the Phillip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts (PSCCA) at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus.

It is hoped that Alice – The Musical, like previous JJT productions, will garner the support of the Jamaican public as a means of contributing to charitable causes. In the tradition of JJT, profits from the 2013 productions will go to a Jamaican children’s charity. This year, Children First has been selected as the charity. Children First works with street, working and vulnerable children to improve their life opportunities through active engagement with them, their families, and communities and institutions which impact on their lives. Claudette Pious, Executive Director of Children First, was on hand at the launch of Alice – The Musical to accept a special presentation from the cast. Peter Haley, Director of Alice - The Musical, helped to make the presentation of Christmas gifts for children who participate in Children First’s outreach programmes to Ms Pious. “(JJT is)…proud to be associated with Children’s First, and…I am happy to be associated with this cast” said Mr Haley.
    
Founded in 1983 by Douglas Bennett, JJT is the youth arm of the Jamaica Musical Theatre Company (JMTC). JJT is a non-profit organization dedicated to charity and the development of youth in the Performing Arts in Jamaica. It is the only youth organization of its kind in Jamaica, having had 50 productions; between full musical productions (29) and smaller concert series. The JJT has produced musical Broadway notables such as "Beauty & the Beast," "The Lion King," "Cats," as well as originally scripted musicals such as "FAME: The Next Generation," and "Hercules."  Described as life changing by past cast members, the junior theatre programmes have motivated many young people along the path of self-discovery. Alice – The Musical is JJT’s 51st production

Alice – The Musical is directed by Peter Haley with musical direction by Danielle Stiebel and choreography by Tony Wilson. The cast of 64 nine to twenty-one year olds will be performing a 6 week run of the show at PSCCA, with four scheduled performances each weekend.