Penticton’s burlesque troupe is set to turn the Barking Parrot into Wonderland.
Army of Sass is putting their spin on Alice, the Cheshire Cat and all the familiar characters as they tumble down the rabbit hole on Dec. 10.
“Everyone will be entering Wonderland, that’s how we want people to feel,” said Annalee Cawson, a Lieutenant with the Army of Sass.
The production hosts 30 dancers and will be likening the style of their Wonderland to that of the 2010 Tim Burton motion picture.
After seven weeks of preparation, the excitement at rehearsals is palpable for Cawson and the rest of the Army.
“Everyone gets to put on their costumes … it sinks in more you realize the show is happening,” Cawson said.
The beginning of Wonderland has Alice asking the audience whether or not she should take the “naughty drink” and the audience engagement doesn’t end there.
“We’re going to try and interact with the audience as much as we can,” Cawson said.
The costumes are a combination of some pieces getting ordered online, while others are homemade and many of the props and stage setting were created by friends of the Army of Sass.
“Our rabbit, She’s going to be in pleather and on stilts. Our Cheshire Cat is going to be on an aerial hoop,” Cawson said.
While chapters of the Army of Sass across Canada are doing the Wonderland show, the Penticton performance will be the only one taking on the Tim Burton aesthetic, a reflection of the city leader for the Army in Penticton, Nadine Berrett.
“Carla Catherwood, she’s the founder of Army of Sass, she asked if we would do something like that because of Nadine. Nadine is so out there and different, so she wanted our show to be different,” Cawson said.
“It has been so much work and we have a lot of people who are doing props for us, it’s exciting to see it all come together. I’m excited to see it all coming together.”
Army of Sass is taking applications for their next sessions. Message the Army of Sass Facebook page for more information.
“Whether they have dance experience or not, everyone is welcome,” Cawson said.
Advanced tickets are $20 from your favourite Army of Sass member, or the Army’s Facebook page. Tickets will be $25 at the door.