In one world, flamingos and lobsters dance, the White Rabbit is obsessed with the fleetingness of time and a Mad Hatter throws tea parties with the March Hare.

In another realm, bombs rain upon a besieged 1940s World War II London as survivors seek shelter in an underground tube station.

Alice Spencer is caught between. One foot is in a dark reality where her best friend is dying from tuberculosis. The other foot is in an imagined world filled with characters from her favorite book, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," distracting her from her pain.

“It's definitely a big difference from the traditional 'Alice and Wonderland,'" Scarlet Hunt, who plays the eponymous Alice, said Monday during rehearsal.

Scarlet, 16, of Coeur d'Alene, said the show is intensely emotional and audience members will want to bring tissues.

“It’s more about grief and denial than being in Wonderland," she said. "Wonderland is more of a metaphor than an actual place.

"Through a little girl’s eyes, it’s magical and not depressing for her."

An imaginative musical version of a classic tale, "Alice by Heart" opens at Lake City Playhouse at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30.

Luke Odenthal, 19, of Coeur d'Alene, plays Alfred, the afflicted friend whose days are numbered. He said "Alice by Heart" has a unique aesthetic audiences will enjoy.

“It has whimsical elements," he said. "It's not all dark. It has its own energy that people will gravitate to."

Also unique about this production is the mirrored worlds in which cast members play dual roles. Odenthal doubles as the White Rabbit in Wonderland.

"You know how the White Rabbit is always out of time or late?" he asked. "It’s that metaphor of Alfred dying."

He said he appreciates the way "Alice by Heart" tackles complex human emotions.

“I’m just drawn to anything about grief or the more difficult parts of life," Odenthal said.

Accompanying the young stars on the stage is an ensemble that includes seasoned actors Malachi Burrow as the Caterpillar/Angus and Imani Jacob as the Queen of Hearts/Red Cross Nurse. Burrow grew up in Coeur d'Alene, where he again resides, and Jacob is a professional actress from California who moved to Coeur d'Alene to be close to her grandparents.

This show will be Burrow's big return to the live stage after taking a 10-year hiatus to get married and start a family. The musician was active in professional theater for a decade in Hawaii.

“I was really grateful to get the part, but it’s been so nerve-racking to come back into it," Burrow said. “I was like, 'OK well, I will hoist myself back into it while being a father and a husband and living real life.' It’s a balance coming back into it."

He said while the story of "Alice" is sad, it has its lighter moments. 

"The content is heavy. You can’t get away from it, you know. The Blitzkrieg, London, World War II," he said. "You’re dealing with a girl who’s lost everything. She’s trying to process trauma with the last thing she has, which is her friend."

Jacob said her roles as a mean queen and strict nurse in "Alice" are new to her, as she is used to playing a love interest or a close friend type.

“I get to be a completely awful person," she said with a smile. “I just came to the audition and it was so cool they wanted me for this."

Lake City Playhouse Artistic Director Brooke Wood said Burrow and Jacob have been amazing mentors to their younger castmates.

"This is by far one of the most talented casts I have worked with, especially our Scarlet, who is a local kiddo who wants to do this for a living, and the professionals who came in," Wood said.

"Alice by Heart" will run through Feb. 16. Tickets are $30.75 online for adults or $25.75 for seniors, military and students.

Info: lakecityplayhouse.org

    Preston Dunn and castmates rehearse a scene from "Alice by Heart" at Lake City Playhouse on Monday.

    Caid Wood runs through lines Monday during rehearsal for "Alice by Heart," which opens Jan. 30 at Lake City Playhouse.
  

  

    Imani Jacob as the Queen of Hearts rides into scene upon the King, played by Corey Drake, during rehearsal Monday for Lake City Playhouse's upcoming production of "Alice by Heart."