Cambridge musical spotlights autism and the man behind Alice and Wonderland

Encore performances for made-in-Cambridge musical Curiouser, based on the life of a literary icon, returns to the stage this week. Will Aiello reports.

The musical works of a Cambridge mother and daughter return to the stage this week.

Curiouser is based on the early life of literary icon, Lewis Carroll. The play, which was penned by Laura Distel and her daughter Piper, also helps shine a light on neurodivergence.

"The show deals a lot with themes of autism and accepting one's uniqueness,” said performer Arthur G Brook, who takes on the role of Carroll. “I myself have autism spectrum disorder, and it was a dream come true to join in and say, ‘I'd love to help out, I'd love to be in the cast.’”

The show is produced by Penny and Pound Theatre Productions in conjunction with the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra. This week’s shows are encore performances after the musical’s successful run in December.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND ORIGINS

Musical co-author and actor Piper Distel explained Carroll’s most famous work started out as an on-the-spot story to entertain some children – including one named Alice.

“Alice asked him to write it down, and that's where Alice in Wonderland came from,” said Distel. “He just made it up on the fly – it was a fun way to entertain the kids, and it became one of the most iconic stories ever told."

RETURN TO THE STAGE

Distel said it’s great to be able to perform it again in front of an in-person audience.

“Virtual theater served its purpose during the pandemic, it was nice to be able to act still, but you just don't get that rush that you get from being in front of an audience,” Distel said. “So we are so grateful that we are able to do this again, to do what we love."

Curiouser hits the stage Thursday July 7 with a “preview” performance. Official opening night is Friday July 8 and it runs until Sunday July 10.

A sensory friendly matinee performance, specifically designed for audience members with autism spectrum disorder, sensory processing disorders or anxiety, will be staged on Saturday, July 9th at 1:00 p.m.

Tickets are available here.