Porthouse Theatre, on the grounds of Blossom Music Center at 1145 W. Steels Corners Road in Cuyahoga Falls, will commemorate the country's birthday with the world-premiere opening of the adaptation of the classic tale of "Alice in Wonderland" with Matthew Earnest's interpretation in "Alice ..." which runs July 3 through 19.

The official opening night celebration is slated for July 4, and Porthouse has planned some added excitement for patrons to enjoy on the Fourth of July. Before the show there will be lawn games, such as crocket, volleyball, Frisbee and badminton. Following the show, there will be a free reception of food, wine and refreshments along with a free performance by the Brass Band of the Western Reserve, rated eighth in the nation based on the North American Brass Band Championships. BBWR is a brass band with more than 30 members that was established in the Fall of 1997.

"Alice ..." will take audiences into a fantastical, psychedelic journey into Wonderland, said Terri Kent, artistic director of Porthouse.

"This show is a highly-anticipated piece of pure theatre that is full of truth, fun and amazement," Kent said.

Earnest called his play "hilarious and giddy, full of silly word games and upside-down thinking."

"'Alice ...' is a story about traveling, and this is a theme I thoroughly understand in my life right now," Earnest said. "Living in a suitcase gives you tremendous perspective and insight into human nature, because you have no fixed points. You're unmoored from any routine or reality really, and so what's touching your fingertips at any given moment has a heightened meaning. But traveling is a double-sided activity -- there's the discovery aspect of it, the thrill and adventure and awakening. But traveling is also about what, or who, gets left behind. Alice goes on about her cat, Dinah, and about her family and her lessons. You never think when you're young that anything will have a price, do you? You think your happiness will be free and unending, if you even think about it at all.

"If we're able to step back, we see that being alive is a truly beautiful struggle. That's why the theater is so fascinating to us. And that's why children are such a great metaphor in art. They're at the starting gate of that struggle, untainted by time and innocent of any offenses. A clean slate."

Due to the possibility of inappropriate themes, there is a 10 and up recommendation for children.

Tickets for opening night are $27 adults and seniors; $19 students. Shows run Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Adult tickets range from $23 through $26; seniors range from $19 through $26; and students are $15 and $16.

Call 330-672-2497 to reserve tickets now. The box office accepts VISA, MC or Discover and checks and cash. Group discounts are also available.

Select tickets can be purchased online at www.porthousetheatre.com.

Box dinners from Totally Cooked Catering can be pre-ordered 48 hours and the Thornbury picnic pavilion can be reserved for $2 per person. A box dinner menu is available online at www.porthousetheatre.com.