Wonderland Cave has been a highly anticipated project since it's announcement after winning the Fayetteville Film Festival's Annual Pitch Contest in 2021...and we've been swinging ever since, earning accolades each step of the way! 

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As a child, my favorite thing to do was spend time with my grandpa. He was a historian, musician, explorer, and an avid learner and lover of life and all things adventure. He taught me to treasure my home and the unknown gems of Arkansas' past, like the subject of the film, Wonderland Cave. My grandfather also instilled in me a deep love for film. When I was young, he often took me to work with him at his little country convenient store where he rented movies. It was during that time I learned how powerful films are. They can connect, inspire, educate and heal people from all walks of life. THAT is, of course, what makes movies MAGIC.

 

Fast forward to my college years. I'm dating my now husband and he's at that stage where he'll do nearly anything to impress me - including sneak into the cave (still one of the best date's ever)! Walking along the "Hallway of Mystery" I imagined Big Band music keeping time with the drip drops falling from the cave's ceiling as we made our way. After hundreds of feet, we found ourselves in the most enchanting ballroom carved mainly of natural stone, with a bar, stage, dance floor and booths still in place. It was in that moment, almost two decades ago, that the story for Wonderland Cave was inspired. 

 

In 2019 I did a number of hired writing assignments when I chose to commit the summer drafting a script that I would enjoy producing, that I would enjoy SEEING in the cinema, and that I feel others would find joy and adventure in, too. The script started as a story about a jazz singer who was down on her luck, and all the trouble she found herself in at the club she worked at. I could vividly see the club in my mind, but I couldn't place it. A few months later, Covid-19 hit and my husband and I chose to move back home to Northwest Arkansas to help care for our grandparents. During an afternoon of needing to get out of the house, I found myself back at Wonderland (I didn't sneak in...the entrance above ground has always been a treasure in itself). That's when I realized I was literally "sitting at the setting" of my script.

 

The last four years have been dedicated to bringing this script to life. From working with a number of historians, family members of Linebarger and May families, development and multiple re-writes with decorated industry professionals boasting decades of experience creating mega blockbusters and Oscar winning films, and more. The film is a celebration of Arkansas' vibrant and rich past, as well as the people that make the state so wonderful. The project has already proven to be a catapult for regional tourism, kickstarting artists opportunities in the film industry,  and putting the actual Wonderland Cave back in the public spotlight.

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One of the final lessons my grandfather taught me is that films are also magical because they're a lifeline capable of connecting generations and freezing time. They bring hope, ground us, break us, and speak for us when we no longer can. When we're gone, they remain. There's nothing more powerful than a well-made film, and I hope Wonderland Cave not only makes my grandfather and our community proud, but becomes a source of pride and enjoyment for generations to come.

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This film is dedicated to my grandfather, Ronald Alderson. RIP 12/26/2023.