Theater Review: ‘Wonder’ Delivers a Powerful Message … But Misses Opportunities

The world premiere of the musical “Wonder” is a compelling, family-friendly production that tells the story of Auggie, a boy with a facial difference. Born with Treacher’s Collins Syndrome, Auggie has been home-schooled his entire life, but the musical documents his experience entering school in the seventh grade with both nervousness and bravery. “Wonder” is humorous and emotionally powerful, with strong scenic and costume design. The storytelling, however, misses opportunities to delve deeper into the protagonist’s emotional development, ultimately leaning more into its role as a public service announcement artistically wrapped in well-done theater and as a pedagogical tool for anti-bullying.

WONDER at the Loeb Drama Center. Courtesy photo.

“Wonder” is based on the beloved children’s novel “Wonder” by R.J. Palacio and the Lionsgate and Mandeville film Wonder. The pop-inspired musical score is wonderful, created by Grammy Award-winning duo, A Great Big World, and a playbook by Sarah Ruhl. The musical is both pleasant to watch and imparts a feel-good message that kindness and solidarity can conquer all, including a bully's own insecurities. The child and teen actors especially gave standout performances, but all the acting was well-done and compelling.

Since the original book’s publication in 2012 as well as its release as a film in 2017, Wonder has been an effective tool for spreading a message of anti-bullying and empathy, especially to middle and high school audiences. The musical continues this legacy, spreading awareness of people with facial differences through its excellent theatrical production. Importantly, it cast two standout actors with facial differences - Garrett McNally and Max Voehl - to share the role of “Auggie.”

The scenic design by Matt Saunders was outstanding, creating an authentic feel of Auggie’s world from his bedroom to the classroom. The rotating stage was especially nice, creating a sense of how Auggie’s home life increasingly blends with his experience in the outside world once he starts school.

If there is a critique to make about “Wonder,” it is not its rich theatrical elements or music, but instead is in its story-telling. The rich emotionality and build-up in the first half, which brought me to tears, is quickly dissolved in the second half. In the first half, the audience peeks into Auggie’s inner world, and heavier feelings of loneliness and exclusion are allowed to also inhabit the stage. Auggie’s imaginary friend and use of an astronaut helmet both reflect an imaginative, powerful world of his own, as well as the darker sides of being alienated from peers as a teenager. But after intermission, the troubling and compelling tones of darkness are almost magically flattened into a moralizing message to “choose kind,” in line with the anti-bullying “choose kind” campaign the book “Wonder” originally inspired. The upbeat second half shies away from complexity and the characters’ interiority, which was a bit disappointing given how the first half features a powerful musical score and compelling storytelling.

“Wonder’s” dual purpose of awareness-raising and artistic production largely work well together. Overall, it is an excellent production that also conveys an important message of being kind, learning to see differently, and being conscious of those with facial differences. However, the awareness-raising mandate seems to take a priority, thus favoring a clear-cut redemptive arc for all characters rather than delving into the nonlinearity and messiness of real-life experiences with bullying.

"Wonder" is a child- and family-friendly show (recommended ages 9+) and could be an especially good place to take an adolescent or child going through a challenging transition, adjusting to a new school, or any other identity questions.

"Wonder" runs through Feb. 15 at Loeb Drama Center at 64 Brattle St, Cambridge. Presented by American Repertory Theater (A.R.T). Standard tickets from $43. Discounts are available to students and ticket-buyers under the age of 25, Blue Star families, EBT card holders, seniors, Harvard faculty and staff, and others. There are also $5 tickets available for community members who feel attending theater is financially out of reach or want to take a chance on something new to experience the A.R.T. with a $5 ticket. To purchase one, please contact Ticket Services. AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/Wonder.