According to a press release from the City of Kennesaw, an immersive outdoor theater experience inspired by Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking-Glass” will take place at Smith-Gilbert Gardens this spring as part of the city’s Art Blooms 2026 initiative.

The production, titled “The Beauty Project: Through the Looking Glass,” invites audiences to travel through the gardens alongside performers in a site-specific theatrical journey exploring how perceptions of beauty are shaped by nature, community and personal experience. The event is presented through a partnership between the City of Kennesaw and Kennesaw State University.

Performances are scheduled for April 17 from 10:30 a.m. to noon; April 18 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 6 p.m.; April 24 from 10:30 a.m. to noon; and April 25 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 3:30 p.m. The April 25 performances will coincide with Art Hatch: Spring Arts Festival, which runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the gardens.

Admission to the theater performance is included with regular garden admission, and members receive free entry. On April 25, theater tickets also include access to Art Hatch activities without requiring a separate festival ticket.

The production is designed primarily for children ages 10 to 14 and their families, though organizers say audiences of all ages are welcome. As guests follow winding garden paths, they encounter familiar and reimagined characters such as queens, Alice, curious creatures and the Jabberwock in an interactive format that encourages participation.

The project represents a three-semester collaboration between Kennesaw State University’s Department of Theatre and Performance Studies and Smith-Gilbert Gardens. Theatre professors Nicole B. Adkins and Emily Kitchens co-lead the project alongside Vanita Keswani, education and exhibits manager at the gardens.

During the development process, KSU students worked with fifth-grade students from the Marietta Center for Advanced Academics through listening sessions and creative workshops before creating original material for the final performance. Students from KSU’s School of Art and Design contributed costumes and props, while dancers from the university perform the role of the Jabberwock.

Keswani said the production reflects the city’s broader commitment to connecting art and nature in a community setting.

“Smith-Gilbert Gardens continues to serve as a place where art and nature connect in ways that engage families and young audiences,” Keswani said.

Chuck Meacham, chair of the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies at KSU’s Geer College of the Arts, said the project also provides students with hands-on creative experience outside the classroom.

“Our students are gaining real-world experience creating work beyond the classroom while young people in our community participate in a theatrical experience shaped by their perspectives,” Meacham said.

Art Blooms will transform gardens, parks, trails and public spaces throughout Kennesaw in April and May with installations, workshops, performances and interactive art experiences highlighting the connection between creativity and the natural environment.

Parking is available at Smith-Gilbert Gardens, located at 2382 Pine Mountain Road. In the event of inclement weather, updates will be posted on the gardens’ website and social media channels. More information and tickets are available at https://smithgilbertgardens.com.