ENTER THE fantasy world of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland this weekend as the Mount Airy Players present the group's first outdoor production.

The original adaptation of the classic story follows the imaginative Alice as she encounters the whimsical characters who inhabit Wonderland, among them the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and the Queen of Hearts.

"We really wanted to do an outdoor production like this for several years," said Charles Beck, Alice in Wonderland director. "We were looking for a show with broad appeal for families and kids."

The play will be presented in a meadow that looks as if it is straight from a storybook. The meadow is behind St. James Episcopal Church, 202 N. Main St. in Mount Airy.

The producers are trying to create a relaxed, kid-friendly atmosphere, and have invited families to take blankets and picnics to the four matinee performances.

The cast of more than 30 features many children, including one in the role of the title character, Alice. She will be portrayed by Mount Airy Middle School seventh-grader Hanna Noel.

"It's been really fun and I'm excited about the show," she said. "The kids and the adults work well together, and I've been able to learn a lot from them, like how to project my voice."

Beck says casting was a challenge as he looked for the right actors to bring the classic to life.

Vividly painted scenery and creative costumes complete the effort.

"We want people to be pulled into the story," said Beck, who with Donna Abel wrote the adaptation. Abel will portray the Queen of Hearts.

"We tried to look at the original story and come to it as fresh as possible," he said. "The book itself has no real theme or moral. It's just the crazy kind of adventures that we're trying to capture."

The outdoor setting has presented challenges, including the absence of stage lighting. The actors have been instructed to stay in sunlight as much as possible. Ambient noise from lawn mowers, ambulances and other sources could pose a problem. Actors will pause until such noise has subsided so the audience can hear their lines.

"I actually staged it as much like an indoor show as possible," said Beck.

Mount Airy Players will present Alice in Wonderland at 2 p.m. tomorrow, Sunday and June 15 and 16.

Parking is available at the church. Signs will be posted to direct theatergoers to overflow parking areas.

Tickets are $4 per person or $10 for a family, limited to six members. Audience members are asked to take blankets for seating. A small seating area for lawn chairs will be provided for people who cannot sit on the ground.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at Whistlestop Bookstore, 8 S. Main St., Mount Airy, or online at www.geocities.com/ mtairyplayers.

Information: 301-829-1527.

Playground fund-raiser

With more than $40,000 raised, Mount Airy Elementary School Playground Committee will be able to set aside money toward building the second phase of its playground.

Phase one, which will include equipment for older elementary school pupils, will be installed at the school in August.

The committee needs to raise funds for the completion of phase two, which will provide equipment for younger elementary schoolchildren.

"It will be more costly than first expected due to inflation," said Lucy Burnett, chairwoman of the Mount Airy Elementary School Playground Committee.

A Mount Airy business has stepped forward to sponsor a fund-raiser to benefit the playground effort.

Health Unlimited in Mount Airy contacted the group to offer its sponsorship of a "Golf Scramble" this fall.

Scheduled for Sept. 5 at The Links at Challedon, the event will include prizes for the closest to the pin, the longest drive and a putting contest, plus team awards.

Information: Health Unlimited, 301-829-9730.

Volunteers needed

Mount Airy Tourism Center is looking for volunteers to staff its kiosk on Route 27 during the summer.

The center is inside the Amoco station at the Peacock Center.

Volunteers will be trained and have the opportunity to meet people and introduce them to the many interesting areas in Mount Airy.

Information: 301-829-1424.

Lesa Jansen's Southwest neighborhood column appears each Friday in the Carroll County edition of The Sun.