We often treat ordered structure and imagination as opposites, yet it seemed that neither works very well without the other. Imagination needs some kind of structure to be able to describe it to others, and structure needs imagination just to exist.

That question has stayed with me for decades.

Eventually it found its way into Wonderland.  Lewis Carroll's famous riddle—"Why is a raven like a writing desk?"—became the perfect metaphor.  The riddle has no accepted answer, yet generations of Carroll fans continue trying to solve it. Carroll himself answered it in yet another riddle.

I began to wonder if the question itself might be more important than any answer.

Musical theatre provides a unique opportunity to place logic, imagination, comedy, and emotion on stage simultaneously.

Through Alice and Dodgson, and a pandemonium of dual-role characters acting out their absurdly unique personalities in both worlds, the story explores access to education, creativity, belonging, and the tension between certainty and possibility.

The Hatter, A Musical continues to evolve through conversations with directors, performers, musicians, educators, and theatre professionals.

 If the project sparks your imagination, I'd welcome the opportunity to begin a conversation.

—Doug Engh

Creator, “The Hatter, A Musical”