Wonderland Program
Dear friends,
There is a stigma of shame attached to mental health that prevents many people from getting the help they need. Today, mental health issues are more prevalent than ever, and we need to be gentle with ourselves and our neighbors.
We hope you will identify and empathize with the characters in Wonderland, regardless of how outrageous they are, and join us in celebrating the fact that there is no such thing as normal.
With gratitude,
Regina Peluso, Artistic Director
Collide Theatrical Dance Company
Character List
Patrick Jeffrey – THE DOCTOR
Renee Guittar – THE CATERPILLAR
Javan Mngrezzo – THE MAD HATTER
Heather Brockman – THE RED QUEEN
Rush Benson – THE WHITE RABBIT
Michaela Borowski – ALICE
Ryan Colbert – THE DOCTOR VOICEOVER
Biographies
Rush Benson
Collide: Romeo & Juliet, Zoot Suit Riots, Dracula, The Cafe, Wonderland
Regional: The Ordway, Chanhassen Dinner Theater, The Guthrie, Flying Foot Forum, James Sewell Ballet, Cabarave, Park Square Theater…among others. B.A. in Dance from Gustavus Adolphus College.
Michaela Borowski
Collide: Wonderland (Artistry), Seven Deadly Sins Other Credits: Huntsville Ballet Company, Virginia Ballet Theater, Todd Rosenlieb Dance, Twin Cities Ballet. Michaela trained at Atlanta Ballet.
Heather Brockman
Collide: Le Petit Moulin, Dance ’Til You Drop (performer); The Great Gatsby (associate choreographer); The Picture of Dorian Gray, Romeo & Juliet, Seven Deadly Sins, The Cafe, Stand By Me (performer, associate choreographer)
Other Credits: Ballet of the Dolls (1995-2014); Visions of Sugarplums; Dance Co.; Out On A Limb Dance Theater Company and School; Zhauna Franks’ The Dream Channel – Episode 3
Ryan Colbert
Collide: Debut! Other Credits: Guthrie Theater, Penumbra Theatre, Mixed Blood Theatre, and the Playwrights’ Center to name a few. On top of his theatrical career, he also works in New York in voiceover and on camera. University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater B.F.A. Ivey Award for Outstanding Ensemble.
Renee Guittar
Collide: Lot of Livin’ to Do, The Belmont Hotel, Romeo & Juliet, Class of ’85, Zoot Suit Riots, C.L.U., Dracula, and The Café, Wonderland, Seven Deadly Sins* (Director) Regional Theater: The Guthrie, The Ordway, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Theatre Latte Da and The Old Log Theater. Choreographer of Footloose at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres. B.A. in Dance from Gustavus Adolphus College.
Patrick Jeffrey
Collide: The Great Gatsby (Gatsby), Wonderland (Mad Hatter), Class of ’85 (Blake Scott), Belmont Hotel, Romeo & Juliet 2014 (Romeo), Dracula (2016 & 2018), Dance ‘Til You Drop. Other Credits: Carnival Cruise Lines, Black Label Movement, The Ordway, and Zenon Dance Co.
Javan Mngrezzo
Collide: Romance Cabaret, Our Stories, & Class of ‘85, Wonderland, Seven Deadly Sins. Other credits include: Black Label Movement, Rhythmically Speaking, Threads Dance Project and BodyVox, Analog Dance Works, ARENA Dances, and Ballet Co.Laboratory.
Regina Peluso
Choreographer/Artistic Director
Collide: Lot of Livin’ to Do, Belmont Hotel, Romeo & Juliet (2014 & 2020), Zoot Suit Riots, Class of ‘85 (2014 & 2021), CLU, Dracula (2016 & 2017), Le Petit Moulin, Picture of Dorian Gray, The Cafe, The Great Gatsby, Dance ‘Til You Drop (Co-production w/History Theatre), Frankenstein, Wonderland, and numerous cabarets. Regional Theater Choreography: Guthrie (A Christmas Carol 2018-2022), History Theater, and Stages Theater, as well as theme park, corporate, music video, and commercial choreography. Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Union. Boston Conservatory of Music – BFA.
Haley Walsh
Stage Manager
Haley is a freelance AEA stage manager based in the Twin Cities. She has worked with History Theatre, Mixed Blood Theatre, Theater Mu, Pillsbury House Theatre, Park Square Theatre, and Minnesota Jewish Theatre (now Six Points), among others. This is her first show with Collide Theatrical Dance Company.
Regina Peluso – Choreographer/Director/Writer
Renee Guittar, Heather Brockman, Rush Benson, Jarod Boltjes – Associate Choreographers
Renee Guittar – Rehearsal Director
Alice Trent – Lighting Designer
Haley Walsh – Stage Manager
Andrew Hill – Music Engineer
Robin McIntyre – Set Designer
Hilary Falk – Costume Designer
Welcome to Wonderland, a premier psychiatric hospital. Dr. Knight has the difficult task of treating a man who refers to himself as a “White Rabbit” who suffers from a severe anxiety disorder, a young woman named Alice with body dysmorphia, and a Queen figure suffering from narcissistic rage. But as the doctor digs deeply into the causes and roots of their disorders he begins to ask: what does “normal” really mean?
This high-energy show, set to a popular music soundtrack, serves up vivid costumes and dazzling technical dance skills. Wonderland takes audiences on a compelling ride as familiar characters experience mental health challenges and discover friendship and acceptance along the way.
- Wonderland Mashup * ….. Full Cast
- We’re All Mad Mashup * ….. Full Cast
- Tea Party (Kerli) * ….. Full Cast
- Heads Will Roll (Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs) * ….. The Queen & Cast
- Overwhelmed (Royal & the Serpent) ++ ….. White Rabbit
- Los Angeles is Burning (Vitamin String Quartet) ++ ….. White Rabbit’s Backstory
- Free (Florence & The Machine) * ….. Full Cast
- We Get High (Ashe) + ….. Caterpillar
- DNA (Lia Marie Johnson) + ….. Caterpillar’s Backstory
- Freaks Mashup * ….. Full Cast
- Mad Hatter Mashup ^ ….. Mad Hatter
- Accident (Sad Piano Man) * ….. Mad Hatter’s Backstory
- Secret for the Mad (Dodie) – ….. The Doctor
- Applause (Lady Gaga) ~ ….. The Queen
- Try (Pink Instrumental) * ….. The Queen’s Backstory
- Where is My Mind (The Pixies) * ….. Full Cast
- Dig the Crazy (Faith Marie) * ….. Full Cast
- Social Media (Pet Shop Boys) * ….. Alice’s Backstory
- Can’t Wait to be Pretty (Cate) * ….. Alice
- Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself (Jess Glynne) ~ ….. Mad Hatter & Cast
- Fix You (Sam Smith) – ….. The Doctor
- Ain’t No Normal (Nashville Cast) * ….. Full Cast
- People Like Us Mashup * ….. Full Cast
Choreography Credits:
*Regina Peluso, ++Rush Benson, #Elly Stahlke, +Renee Guittar, ^Javan Mngrezzo, –Jarod Boltjes, ~Heather Brockman
Collide Theatrical Donor List
(August 1, 2021–July 31, 2022)
Producer ($1000+)
Lisa Anderson
Robert Anholt
Robert & Judith Cadigan
David Fettig
Becky Guittar
Vernon Hamberg
Jason Hynek
Nick & Kristen Jentsch
Katie & Matt Liegel
Susan & Tim Palmer
Mike Peluso
Mark Rabinovitch
Ken Rothchild
Gloria Schmid
Eva Young
Director ($500-$999)
Robert Bitzan
Jeanne & David Cornish
Joseph & Lois Duffy|
Raul Fernandez-Gonzalez
Emily McAuliffe
Mark Rutkiewicz
Emily Schoenbeck
William Spring
Stan & Cathy Waldhauser
Guest Star ($200-$499)
Charles Baxter
Allen Borcherding
Laura Fingerson
Jenny Gassman-Pines
Richard & Sheila Kiscaden
Andrew Kust
Mary P Lincoln
Raeone Magnuson
Tom Maguire
Linda Nielsen
Deb Peluso-Ayres
Tracey Rose
Jeffrey Scott & James Rocco
Leading Role ($100-$199)
Bruce & Brenda Carver
Carol Christensen
William Davis
Chuck & Vicki Densinger
Ann Downing
Kelli Foster
Barbara Gaasedelen
Kenneth Garin
Jim & Cheryl Gelbmann
Karen Gleeman
Christina Goldstein
Tinie Haagsma
Katherine Hass
Ryan Heinritz
Jean & Dave Huss
Andrew Jackson
John Kingrey
Barbara Knoll
Jeffrey Masco
Barbara Menk
Brendan O’Shea
Bonnie Ostlund
John Owens
Brigitte Reuther & Paul Jorstad
Art & Cheri Rolnick
Dori Siglin
Jerrold Siglin
Linda Spiess
David Stamps
Patty Strandquist
Cynthia Unowsky & Thomas Badow
Sharon VanDeNorth
Linda & Gary Wagenbach
Janet Weivoda
Edward Williams Jr
Penny & Mark Ziessman
Ensemble (up to $99)
Ian Adams
Manuel Barrera
Karlynn Benson
Angela Bulson
Jan Campbell
Patricia Canney
Jeremy Chapman
Susan Dragsten
Greg & Sara Feinberg
Ruthena Fink
Richard Fischer
Kathleen Fluegel
Leland & Beverly Gehrke
Thereasa Gluek
Cecilia Gran
Nicole Greibrok
Joseph Hale
Tracy Harris
Mary Harshbarger
Barbara Henry
Tamar Herman
Liz Heuser
Amanda Heyman
Jess Hopeman
Lavina Jadhwani
Randall Kalpeke
Vicki Joan Keck
Katherine Kudzy
Kelly Lamphear-Dash
Donna Larson
Steven Levy
Jacob Malwitz
Julene Maruska
Joyce Mellom
Sally Moore
Ellen Nyberg
Tom Ozzello
Kathy Rafferty
Elizabeth Reed
Tiffany Roemer
William Rowe
Julie Ruddy
Bill Scheer
Eve Schulte
Amy Seham
Sandra Sherman
Vicki Sivula
Cheryl Skutevik
Nanette Stearns
Stefa Strowder
Eric Tornoe
Lori Tryon
Jean Wayne
Stephen Youlan
Lisa Zeller