The SMU Division of Theatre will perform Alice Underground, a play developed and directed by Meadows Prize winner Will Power, in the Margo Jones Theatre from Wednesday, October 19 to Sunday, October 23.

Alice Underground is derived from the classic tale Alice in Wonderland and looks at the collusion of cultures and the idea that some subcultures are slowly but surely becoming more mainstream.

“What happens when you’re from one culture, like Alice, and you bump up against something entirely different?” Powers asks. “In today’s world, the issues might be about politics, or race or gender roles. What makes sense and what doesn’t? It’s about challenging your assumptions, learning to deal with the world and becoming richer for it – all ideas that are relevant not only for college students but, really, for all of us.”

Power is a well-known name in the world of theatre, film and television. An award-winning playwright and performer, he is the recipient of a United States Artist Prudential Fellowship, a Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical, the TCG Peter Zeisler Memorial Award, a Drama Desk Award and the Trailblazer Award from The National Black Theater Network.

His works include Fetch Clay, Make Man which had a world premiere at the MCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, N.J., and The Seven, an adaptation of the Greek tragedy Seven Against Thebes that had successful runs at the New York Theatre Workshop and The La Jolla Playhouse. His solo show, FLOW, was featured in New York’s Hip Hop Theater Festival before touring nationally and internationally to critical acclaim.

The Meadows Award, which Power was awarded in 2010, was inaugurated in October 2009 and is given out annually each fall to up to two pioneering artists. The award includes support for a four-to-eight residency in Dallas and a $25,000 stipend. The recipients, in exchange, work with Meadows students and are expected to leave a lasting legacy in SMU and Dallas.

Photo courtesy of SMU Meadows School of the Art