Counting Down:
BWW Stage Mag Into the Woods - Edmonds Heights Performing Arts - Edmonds Heights K12 Stage Mag

EDMONDS HEIGHTS PERFORMING ARTS

Advanced Musical Theatre

PRESENTS

 

Into the Woods

 

 

MUSIC
Stephen Sondheim
BOOK AND LYRICS
James Lapine
 

Originally Directed on Broadway by James Lapine

Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick

 

 

Director/Choreographer

Dorothy Rosenthal Pierce

Musical Director/Conductor
Christopher Puckett
 
Assistant Director
Madeleine Jenness
 
Assistant Musical Director
Kai Fischer
 
Stage Managers
Gryffon Matthews
Eden Sansburn
 
 

Original Broadway production by

Heidi Landesman    Rocco Landesman    Rick Steiner
M. Anthony Fisher    Frederic H. Mayerson    Jujamcyn Theaters

Originally produced by the Old Globe Theater, San Diego, CA

 
 
 
 

Follow Us:

Director's Note

We are so grateful to be back on stage! I don't think there are words to describe the thrill, the relief, and the sense of coming home. Add in the special privileges of performing with a full orchestra, wearing beautifully hand-made costumes, on a set that was custom built for this show while delving deeply into work of such startling brilliance, written by the illustrious Stephen Sondheim. We were able to announce to our students that this was our show the very week that Mr. Sondheim passed away. With a book and lyrics written by the brilliant James Lapine, we are steeped in poetry and intricate story-telling. 

To quote Christopher Puckett, our Musical Director and Conductor, "In working on Into the Woods, a show with extreme elegance and depth, you will learn so much. You cannot brush against this brilliance without being improved."

We hope that the audience will have a similar experience. This show has been challenging, intriguing, invigorating, inspirational, and an extreme gift to all involved. 

Thank you for spending time with us.

I would be remiss to leave this Director's note without a special thank you to the Creative Team that helped build this show. Christopher Puckett, Kai Fischer, and Madeleine Jenness have given this show their knowledge, experience, creativity, and passion and it shows. Thank you. Jessica Lemley-Carballo said, "I think I want to build Into the Woods." That meant building costumes from scratch and leading a bang-up team of parent volunteers to fulfill that vision. Thank you. And, though it may be silly, thank you to Jason Best for the trees. Thank you for taking my idea and working for so many dozens of hours to make it come true. Always, thank you to Yolanda Matheson for shepherding us all through almost everything. You have all elevated this show.

Thank you to the parents who always come through. You are the backbone of our theatre program.

~Dorothy Rosenthal Pierce
Director/Choreographer

Song List

Act I

  • "Act One Prologue" – Narrator, and Company
  • "Cinderella at the Grave" – Cinderella, Cinderella's Mother
  • "Hello, Little Girl" – Wolf and Little Red Ridinghood
  • "The Spell is On My House" (Reprise) – Baker and Baker's Wife
  • "I Guess This is Goodbye" – Jack
  • "Maybe They're Magic" – Baker and Baker's Wife
  • "Maybe They're Magic" (Reprise) – Baker
  • "I Know Things Now" – Little Red Ridinghood
  • "A Very Nice Prince" – Cinderella and Baker's Wife
  • "First Midnight" – Company
  • "Giants in the Sky" – Jack
  • "Agony" – Cinderella's Prince and Rapunzel's Prince
  • "A Very Nice Prince" (Reprise) – Cinderella and Baker's Wife
  • "It Takes Two" – Baker and Baker's Wife
  • "Second Midnight" – Witch, Cinderella's Prince, Rapunzel's Prince, Stepmother, Florinda, Lucinda
  • "Stay with Me" – Rapunzel and Witch
  • "On the Steps of the Palace" – Cinderella
  • "Act One Finale" – Narrator and Company

 

Act II

  • "Act Two Prologue" – Narrator and Company
  • "Agony" (Reprise) – Cinderella's Prince and Rapunzel's Prince
  • "Witch's Lament" – Witch
  • "Any Moment" – Cinderella's Prince and Baker's Wife
  • "Any Moment" (Reprise) – Cinderella's Prince and Baker's Wife
  • "Moments in the Woods" – Baker's Wife
  • "Your Fault" – Jack, Baker, Cinderella, Little Red Ridinghood and Witch
  • "Last Midnight" – Witch
  • "No More" – Baker and Mysterious Man
  • "No One is Alone (Part 1)" – Cinderella and Little Red Ridinghood
  • "No One is Alone (Part 2)" – Cinderella, Baker, Little Red Ridinghood and Jack
  • "Act Two Finale" – Company

Cast

Miette Blood-Dean (she/her)
Florinda (u/s Little Red)
Grace Carbonetti-Norton (she/her)
Little Red Riding Hood
Cordelia Carranza-McCullough (she/her)
Narrator/Mysterious Man
Aidan Cavanaugh (he/him)
Stepmother
Matthew Dennon (he/him)
Baker
Enya-Maria Healy (she/her)
Grandmother, Birds, Snow White (u/s Florinda & Rapunzel)
Sage Jennings (she/they)
Rapunzel (u/s Cinderella & Baker's Wife)
Jayla Judd (he/they)
Milky White, Cinderella’s Mother
Zeb Kovell (he/him)
Rapunzel's Prince
Silas LaRose (he/him)
Steward
Ari Lemley (he/him)
Cinderella's Prince/The Wolf
Tia Narayana (they/she)
Lucinda
Finn Paynich (they/them)
Jack
Ilze Riekstiņš (she/her)
Cinderella
Elanor Sansburn (she/they)
Giant/Cinderella's Father (u/s Witch & Lucinda)
Saige Soriano (they/them)
The Witch
Madi Steiner (she/her)
Jack's Mom
Avery Sund (she/her)
Baker's Wife

Orchestra

Christopher Puckett - Conductor

Nick Colletto - Piano

Wes Livingston - Percussion

Charles Dean - Bass

Elise Yi - Violin 

Carmella McCracken - Viola

Ezra McConnell - Cello

Emily Lauckhart - Flute/Piccolo

Mike Roach - Clarinet

William Forbes - Trumpet

Kellen Schuetee - French Horn

Alec Chinnery - French Horn

 

Crew and Tech

Evangeline Carballo (they/them)

Stage crew

Bella Conroy (she/her)

Dresser

Kera Croft (she/her)

Stage Crew

Isaiah Dean

Spotlight Operator

Ella Horner (she/her)

Sound Design/Sound Operator

Ace Luccio (he/him)

Stage Crew

Avery Matheson (he/him)

Lighting Design/Engineer

Thomas Matheson (he/him)

Sound intern

Gryffon Matthews (he/him)

Stage Manager

Eden Sansburn (she/they)

Stage Manager

Harper Sund (she/her)

Stage Crew

Ruby Williams (they/them)

Stage Crew

Special Thanks

It would be impossible for our program to run without the dedicated assistance of volunteers. EHPA depends on our families and community members to make it all happen. We would like to thank our Theatre Advisory Group for their time, talent, consistent support, troubleshooting and decision making. 

 

Thank you to:

  • Jessica Lemley-Carballo - Costumes
  • Jason Best - Trees
  • Kristina Cline - Painting Lead
  • Brian Warren - Poster and Banner Designs
  • Bryn Riekstiņš - Getting all of the things - all of them
  • Andrew Matheson - Sound Board Mentoring (and soundboard)
  • Bob Rice - Microphones
  • Farrah LaRose, Kelly Silvers, Lindsay Sansburn - Volunteer Coordinators. You saved me a million times. -drp

 

Set Building:

Jason Best, Christopher Puckett, Madeleine Jenness, Dorothy Rosenthal Pierce, Katie Demaray, Adia Best, TiaRee Nelson, Robin Ehrlich, Golda Ehrlich, Lev Ehrlich, Miriam Ehrlich, Elanor Sansburn, Eden Sansburn, Evangeline Carballo, Cordelia Carranza-McCullough, Zeb Kovell

 

Painting: 

Eden Sansburn, Itzel Wilson, Mariana Wilson, Adia Best, Eliot Best, Elanor Sansburn, Evangeline Carballo, Ilze Rietzskins, Bryn Rietzskins, Dorothy Rosenthal Pierce, Jason Best, Mia Rue, Veronica Unger, Zephyrus Carter

Props:
Bryn Riekstiņš, Miette Dean, Dorothy Rosenthal Pierce, Tech Crew & cast

The use of Blindness as Punishment

Throughout the story of Into the Woods characters are blinded as punishment. This stems from the original Brothers Grimm fairytales, where blindness is used in various ways and as metaphors. 

We have made the choice to minimize this in our production. Using blindness as punishment is ableist and continues to perpetuate and create stereotypes of Vision Impaired persons. 

Disability should not be seen as being a type of punishment, or even as abnormal, as it is most often portrayed in fairy tales.

If you would like to read further on this, we have provided several links.

Losing Sight, Gaining Insight: Blindness and the Romantic Vision in Grimm’s “Rapunzel”

A narrative blind eye: Visual disability representation within the Brothers Grimm folk tales

Exposing a Misinformed and Disabled Fairytale

Seniors

 

A special shout out to our seniors. I have worked with most of you for at least six years and am so grateful to have watched you grow into the most amazing adults! This is the class that was last on stage in their sophomore year. They persisted. They stayed with the program through online musicals. They combined their levels with younger students. They have been role models. They have brought their best selves to this process. We will miss you. We wish you the absolute best!

Isaiah Dean, Matthew Dennon, Jayla Judd,

Zeb Kovell, Gryffon Matthews, Finn Paynich,

Madi Steiner, Avery Sund

EHPA class of 2022

 

 

 

Meet the Company

Miette Blood-Dean (she/her)

Florinda (u/s Little Red)
Miette Blood-Dean (she/her) - Florinda (u/s Little Red) Miette has been super excited for this show since the moment it was announced and is super pleased with how well it has come together. Recent roles at Edmonds Heights include Charon (The Lightning Thief), Lucy (You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown) and a few solos in "All Together Now”. Outside of theater Miette is still performing as a part of the symphonic choir at Edmonds College, where they are performing a collection of Sondheim songs as a way of honoring him. Miette would like to thank her family, friends, teachers, and enemies for encouraging her to continue working as hard as she can.

Grace Carbonetti-Norton (she/her)

Little Red Riding Hood
Grace Carbonetti-Norton (she/her) - Little Red Riding Hood Gracie is so excited to be in Into the Woods. This will be Gracie’s fifth show at Edmonds Heights and her third in person show here. Past shows include Alice in Wonderland, The Big Bad Musical, The Wizard of Oz, Ranked, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, All Together Now, and The Lightning Thief. When Gracie is not acting she is either swimming or working on a new project in her craft room. She has had a blast rehearsing with all of her friends and is thrilled to finally get to share this wonderful show with everyone.

Cordelia Carranza-McCullough (she/her)

Narrator/Mysterious Man
Cordelia Carranza-McCullough (she/her) - Narrator/Mysterious Man Cordelia is giddy to be back on a real-life stage, as this is her first performance with a live audience since 2019! She is also simply happy to return to Edmonds Heights and see all your wonderful faces(but she is glad that she now has an excuse to turn down your handshakes because she never much liked that custom anyway). Past performances include A Midsummer Night's Dream (Bottom), Twelfth Night (Feste), The Flight Before Xmas (Maya), You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown (Marcie), and A Christmas Carol (Ebenezer Scrooge). When not performing Cordelia enjoys reading and drawing and she did quite a lot of that during the time of remote learning. She would like to thank the long-suffering Dorothy, Christopher, Mads, and Kai so much for their patience and support. This could not have happened without them.

Aidan Cavanaugh (he/him)

Stepmother
Aidan Cavanaugh (he/him) - Stepmother Bring on the high heels! Aidan is excited to play this mischievous character. This is his second outing with Edmonds Heights Performing Arts where he most recently played a member of the ensemble cast of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. Other previous roles include work with Madrona Children’s Theater as Augustus in Willy Wonka, James in James and the Giant Peach, Cat in Honk!, and Rooster in Annie. He has also performed roles with the Driftwood Players as Goggles in A Christmas Story, Young Will in Big Fish, Flounder in The Little Mermaid and ensemble cast in Tarzan. He performs every character with passion and continues to learn from his cast mates, stage crew and directors. When not performing, he loves to sing, play card games, read books and play video games.

Matthew Dennon (he/him)

Baker
Matthew Dennon (he/him) - Baker After teching for EH shows like Percy Jackson the Lightning Thief and Giants in the Sky, Matthew is excited to finally act in a show again .This is Matthews's fourth show that he’s done at Edmonds heights. Some highlights include High School Musical as Troy Bolton and The Little Mermaid as Prince Eric. Matthew would like to thank all of the wonderful cast and Christopher, Dorothy, Kai, and Mads for making this show possible!

Enya-Maria Healy (she/her)

Grandmother, Birds, Snow White (u/s Florinda & Rapunzel)
Enya-Maria Healy (she/her) - Grandmother, Birds, Snow White (u/s Florinda & Rapunzel) You've most recently seen Enya as the Oracle in The Lightning Thief. She has also been in Annie (canceled by the pandemic), and Footloose (her first show at Edmonds Heights). She thanks everyone for supporting her musical career and for teachers' understanding of late work. She loves this show, is grateful for the hard work everyone has done to make it happen and is excited to perform again for family and friends.

Sage Jennings (she/they)

Rapunzel (u/s Cinderella & Baker's Wife)
Sage Jennings (she/they) - Rapunzel (u/s Cinderella & Baker's Wife) Sage, attending their first year at Edmonds Heights as a junior, is thrilled to be putting on a favorite show of theirs, Into the Woods. You may have seen them in their work with Village Theatre, Driftwood Players, Ballyhoo, and Kitsap Forest Theatre. Most recently they performed in Edmonds Heights' own recent production of The Lightning Thief as Silena Beauregard. Not only do they love to perform, but they also write songs on the ukulele in their free time and have an interest in directing. A big thanks to their vocal coach, Jordyn!

Jayla Judd (he/they)

Milky White, Cinderella’s Mother
Jayla Judd (he/they) - Milky White, Cinderella’s Mother Jayla is beyond excited for his last show at Edmonds Heights. You might have seen them as Percy in Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief, Adella the mersister in the Little Mermaid, or Old Lady in Beauty and the Beast. This is their senior year of high school, and their last musical on the EH stage. He would like to thank his amazing and talented cast mates, Ella, Christopher, Dorothy, and the wonderful tech crew. Along with their loving family and friends.

Zeb Kovell (he/him)

Rapunzel's Prince
Zeb Kovell (he/him) - Rapunzel's Prince Zeb, 18, has been performing in musicals since the third grade. Most recently, he played Linus in EHPA’s online production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown and preforming "Middle of a Moment" n All Together Now. This is his final show at Edmonds Heights and he would like to thank everyone involved for making it such a great experience.

Silas LaRose (he/him)

Steward
Silas LaRose (he/him) - Steward Silas enjoys musical theater and has previously acted in several musicals including Footloose, Peter Pan, and, most recently, The Lightning Thief, in which he played Poseidon. He also enjoys fishing, hiking, and playing the bass for his band. Silas would like to thank Dorothy, Christopher, and the stage crew for their time and support during the production and rehearsals of Into the Woods!

Ari Lemley (he/him)

Cinderella's Prince/The Wolf
Ari Lemley (he/him) - Cinderella's Prince/The Wolf Ari, age 18, has had a blast putting on this show. Past shows include Shrek The Musical (Shrek) EHK-12, The Lightning Thief (Mr. D) EHK-12, Thoroughly Modern Millie (Trevor Graydon) Driftwood Theater, 42nd street (Julian Marsh) EHK-12, and The Little Mermaid (Scuttle) EHK-12. In his free time, Ari enjoys playing Dungeons & Dragons and listening to music. Ari thanks Dorothy, Christopher, and the band as well as the rest of the cast and crew for putting this great production together. A special thanks to Ilze for being a great stage wife. Enjoy the show!

Tia Narayana (they/she)

Lucinda
Tia Narayana (they/she) - Lucinda Tia is really excited to be back performing at Edmonds Heights. This is their fourth show here! They were most recently seen as Wendy Jo in Footloose. When not on stage they enjoy writing and botany including growing their monstera plant, Malleus. They'd like to thank Dorothy, Christopher, Mads, and Kai for all of their support in putting this amazing show together.

Finn Paynich (they/them)

Jack
Finn Paynich (they/them) - Jack Finn is so excited to be in Into the Woods this spring! They’ve recently been in The Lightning Thief as Grover, 9 to 5 as Joe, and You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown as Charlie Brown. Finn enjoys cows, family, friends, nature, and theater. Love and thanks to the cast, crew, the directors, and their voice teacher, Jordyn Day, for all their hard work, creativity, talent, and support. Enjoy the show!

Ilze Riekstiņš (she/her)

Cinderella
Ilze Riekstiņš (she/her) - Cinderella Ilze is incredibly excited for her first large role and is thrilled to perform a Sondheim piece! Ilze is 16 and started theater in 6th grade. Last seen in her previous role as Katie Gardener in The Lightning Thief. Ilze has also been cast in Shrek, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and James and the Giant Peach. She would like to thank her family for all the love and support.

Elanor Sansburn (she/they)

Giant/Cinderella's Father (u/s Witch & Lucinda)
Elanor Sansburn (she/they) - Giant/Cinderella's Father (u/s Witch & Lucinda) Elanor is thrilled to be working with this truly spectacular cast for the production of Into The Woods. This is Elanor’s eleventh show both on stage and behind the scenes. Some of her favorite roles include Wendy Darling in Peter Pan and Sally Jackson in Lighting Thief here at EH and Roz Keith in 9 to 5 at The Red Curtain. Elanor enjoys hanging out with her friends, singing and playing guitar, and sleeping. Elanor would like to thank Dorothy, Mads, Christopher, Kai, and Ella for all of the hard work they have put into this show.

Saige Soriano (they/them)

The Witch
Saige Soriano (they/them) - The Witch Saige is 17 years old and this is their 10th show. They have performed mostly in Edmonds Heights K12 shows, which include: Jungle Book Jr, 101 Dalmatians Jr, Nifty Fifties Jr(Misty), School House Rock Jr, Madagascar Jr(Marty), Legally Blonde Jr(Brooke Wyndham), 42nd Street Jr(Lorraine), and Ranked, A New Musical. Into the woods has been one of their favorite shows for a while, and they are so grateful to be playing one of their favorite characters of all time, The Witch. Special thanks to their family, Dorothy, Christopher, the cast, and everyone behind the scenes that makes this show run. Now, go to the woods!

Madi Steiner (she/her)

Jack's Mom
Madi Steiner (she/her) - Jack's Mom Madi is thrilled to be playing the role of Jack's Mother in her last EHK12 production. Madi has been acting for 12 years and has the honor of being EHk12´s Thespian president. She most recently played Clarrise in The Lightning Thief. Into The Woods has been her favorite show for nearly 10 years and she is so excited for you all to see this production. She would like to thank Ella Horner (sound designer) and the rest of the tech team, the production team, her friends, and family for supporting her theater dreams for all these years, and all the audience members for coming to see the show. Thank you and enjoy the show!

Avery Sund (she/her)

Baker's Wife
Avery Sund (she/her) - Baker's Wife Avery is ecstatic to be part of Into the Woods as her final show in high school. Over the past 8 years, she has participated in 20 shows at Edmonds Heights, and is so thankful for the opportunities she's had to learn and grow with such a supportive group of people. Some of her favorite roles over the years have been: Flounder in The Little Mermaid, Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street, and Pinocchio in Shrek. Of all the people she has learned from over the years, she is most grateful for Erin, Dorothy, and Christopher, who have helped her become the performer she is today. In the future, she hopes to continue pursuing theatre, as well as supporting the amazing program that is Edmonds Heights Performing Arts.

Evangeline Carballo (they/them)

Stage crew
This is Evangeline's seventeenth show at Edmonds Heights. They were last seen in The Lightning Thief (Thalia) and you can catch them later this month in Mary Poppins. Outside of theatre, they enjoy talking to friends, playing video games, especially Minecraft, and reading. They would like to thank the cast and crew for this is wonderful teching experience. Please enjoy the show!

Bella Conroy (she/her)

Dresser
Bella has been in twelve shows at Edmonds Heights. She's enjoyed roles in Peter Pan, Frozen, and, most recently, The Lightning Thief. This is her first time teching for a show and she is super excited to work behind the scenes. Catch her next month in EHPA's production of Mary Poppins!

Kera Croft (she/her)

Stage Crew
This is Kera's first time working behind the scenes in a show. You may have recently seen her as DJ Cerberus in The Lightning Thief. She loves reading, listening to musicals, and walking with her friends. She would like to thank Dorothy and the crew for making such a wonderful experience.

Isaiah Dean

Spotlight Operator
This is Isaiah's senior year at EH. He has done spot operator many times before in shows like The Lightning Thief and Mamma Mia. His favorite musical is 42nd Street. He enjoys playing video games, board games, hanging with friends, and being with family. He would like to thank Dorothy and his family for all their love and support.

Ella Horner (she/her)

Sound Design/Sound Operator
Ella has been doing theater on and off the stage since she was four years old. This includes backstage, costumes, sound, performer, assistant stage manager, stage manager, and production manager. She feels, especially during these times, it is important to keep theater alive and is honored to be a part of it. Seeing a show grow from auditions to opening night has been a new and enriching experience that she would not be able to get anywhere else and she is proud to work with the creative team to help create something truly special.

Ace Luccio (he/him)

Stage Crew
This is Ace's first time working backstage, but he has studied musical theater for the last 9 years. His favorite musicals are Heathers, Phantom of the Opera, and Be More Chill. He enjoys dancing, video games, hanging out with friends, and going to see musicals in person. He would like to thank his family and friends for support.

Avery Matheson (he/him)

Lighting Design/Engineer
Avery has previously been in nine shows at Edmonds Heights. This semester he has been in the booth designing and running all of the lights. When not at the theatre Avery enjoys reading, watching YouTube, and playing Minecraft with friends.

Thomas Matheson (he/him)

Sound intern
Thomas is 17 and in 11th grade. Thomas was in multiple musicals when he was little but this is his first time being a part of the tech crew. He is excited to help out and learn more about what goes on behind the scenes. Thomas also likes to play ultimate frisbee with friends, play video games, and watch TV.

Gryffon Matthews (he/him)

Stage Manager
Gryffon is excited to finish his EHK12 theatre career as Stage Manager for Into the Woods. He has enjoyed the steady growth in his stage skills as he worked up from stagehand and second spotlight to stage manager in "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" (stagehand and second spotlight), "Beauty and the Beast" (stagehand), "42nd Street" (assistant Stage Manager), and The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical (Stage Manager). He'd like to thank the entire crew for being a solid team. He'd like to give a big "Thank You!" goes to his family, as well.

Eden Sansburn (she/they)

Stage Manager
Eden is excited to be on the crew for Into the Woods. She previously enjoyed being on the crew for 9 to 5, All Together Now, and Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. When she is not backstage Eden enjoys writing, painting, reading, and many more things, but let's be real - when is she not backstage? Eden would like to thank Dorothy and Mads for their help learning through this production.

Harper Sund (she/her)

Stage Crew
Harper Sund is 12 years old and currently a 6th grader at Terrace Park Elementary. She loves acting, singing, playing basketball, and hanging with her friends and family. This is her first show being a tech. She is currently starring as Fiona in Shrek The Musical Jr. at Broadway Bound. She is so excited to be a tech and is excited to be a part of the production that her sister, The Baker's Wife, is in. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Ruby Williams (they/them)

Stage Crew
Ruby is excited to help out with tech and cannot wait to spend extensive hours with absurdly exhausted theatre children. They've never officially teched before and are happy to work on something new. They're 15 and in ninth grade. They grew up working on school skits in Northern California and took improv classes at Seattle Children's Theatre for three years after they moved to Washington. Ruby is currently in EHPA's performance of Mary Poppins Jr. as Mrs. Corry and a member of the ensemble.

Photos

Photo
Training Lighting Technician
Training Lighting Technician Backstage Crew!
Backstage Crew! Story time!
Story time! Photo
Rehearsal
Rehearsal Orchestra - first run with full orchestra
Orchestra - first run with full orchestra Orchestra! It's showtime, folks!
Orchestra! It's showtime, folks!

Don't miss our next show, Mary Poppins Jr! May 26, 27 & 28th!Mary Poppins Jr

 

Our Spring Showcase - Annual Improv and One Acts Night is June 1st.

The Real Deal 

(a modern re-telling of The Velveteen Rabbit)

Box

by Lindsay Price

and appearances by our Improv 1 Class

 

and stay tuned for our audio drama by Radio Class

The Monkey's Paw!

Extra Reading

Read the Upstage Guide from Roundabout Theatre Company.

History

Inspiration

Into the Woods draws plot lines and characters from a variety of Brothers Grimm fairy tales, such as Little Red Riding HoodRapunzel and Jack and the Beanstalk. James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim were drawn by the true morals of the main characters of these stories. However, they found that the stories were all very short and, rather than creating an entirely new tale or trying to expand material for just one story, they created the characters of the Baker and his Wife. They aimed to make the first act about each character's individual quest, and the second act about the consequences of their actions and coming together as a community. Sondheim also claims that he drew on parts of his troubled childhood, using his parents as the basis for characters like the Baker and Jack's Mother.

Over its history, the script has been tweaked for certain productions. The original San Diego production included a story line about the Three Little Pigs and was eventually cut, but then brought back for the 2002 Broadway revival. The original London production added "Our Little World," a duet between the Witch and Rapunzel, which was included in many subsequent productions. The recent Public Theatre production removed the character of Cinderella's Father.

Productions

Into the Woods, with book by James Lapine and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, premiered in San Diego, California, at the Old Globe Theatre on December 4, 1986. It ran for 50 performances.

The musical later opened on Broadway on November 5, 1987, at the Martin Beck Theatre. The production closed on September 3, 1989, after 765 shows, although most of the original cast reunited for a tenth anniversary benefit performance on November 9, 1997. A national tour ran across the United States from November 1988 to September 1989, with a longer residency at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

The original West End production opened at the Phoenix Theatre on September 25, 1990, and ran for nearly 200 performances. A London revival opened on November 16, 1998, running for only three months.

In the new millennium, the musical has seen a significant number of revivals: Los Angeles in early 2002 (before moving to the Broadhurst Theatre on Broadway), the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden in June 2007 and the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre of England in a six-week limited engagement, which performed in an actual forest. This particular production transferred to the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park series in New York's Central Park for a limited run in the summer of 2012.

Throughout the years, the musical has been performed in theatres across the United States (including Puerto Rico), London, Australia, New Zealand, Spain and Singapore.

Cultural Influence

  • Both the original Broadway cast and the 2010 Regent Park production were video recorded. The former was first broadcast on public television before being released on DVD, while the latter was released for public download through Digital Theatre.
  • Walt Disney Pictures released a film adaptation of Into the Woods in December of 2014.

Critical Reaction

"Total enchantment. A spellbounding score, witty enough to make old stories fresh for adults, lovely enough to enchant youngsters."
– Daily News

"Bewitching... dazzling... triumphant."
– New York Post

"Non-stop pure pleasure. A ravishing explosion of color and melody and magic and laughter."
– TIME Magazine

"[Sondheim's] lovely score – poised between melody and dissonance – is the perfect measure of our tenuous condition. The songs invariably follow the characters' thinking patterns, as they weigh their options and digest their experience. Needless to say, that doesn't make for traditional show-stoppers. But it does make for vivacity of another kind. And Sondheim's lyrics... are brilliant."
– The Washington Post

 

Awards

Tony® Award

1988 - Best Choreography, Nominee (Lar Lubovitch)

1988 - Best Direction Of A Musical, Nominee (James Lapine)

1988 - Book Of A Musical, Winner (James Lapin)

1988 - Choreography, Nominee (Lar Lubovitch)

1988 - Best Musical, Nominee (Into the Woods)

1988 - Costume Design, Nominee (Ann Hould-Ward)

1988 - Best Book Of A Musical, Winner (James Lapine)

1988 - Direction Of A Musical, Nominee (James Lapine)

1988 - Best Original Score, Winner (Stephen Sondheim)

1988 - Featured Actor In A Musical, Nominee (Robert Westenberg)

1988 - Best Actress in a Musical, Winner (Joanna Gleason)

1988 - Leading Actress In A Musical, Winner (Joanna Gleason)

1988 - Best Featured Actor in a Musical, Nominee (Robert Westenberg)

1988 - Lighting Design, Nominee (Richard Nelson)

1988 - Best Scenic Design, Nominee (Tony Straiges)

1988 - Musical, Nominee (Heidi Landesman, Rocco Landesman, Rick Steiner, M. Anthony Fisher, Frederic H. Mayerson, Jujamcyn Theatres (producers))

1988 - Best Costume Design, Nominee (Ann Hould-Ward)

1988 - Original Musical Score, Winner (Stephen Sondheim)

1988 - Best Lighting Design, Nominee (Richard Nelson)

1988 - Scenic Design, Nominee (Tony Straiges)

1997 - Best Costume Design, Nominee (Ann Curtis)

2002 - Best Scenic Design, Nominee (Douglas W. Schmidt)

2002 - Best Lighting Design, Winner (Brian MacDevitt)

2002 - Best Lighting Design, Winner (Brian MacDevitt)

2002 - Best Choreography, Nominee (John Carrafa)

2002 - Best Revival Of A Musical, Nominee (Into the Woods )

2002 - Best Director of a Musical, Nominee (James Lapine)

2002 - Best Revival Of A Musical, Nominee (Into the Woods)

2002 - Best Choreography, Nominee (John Carrafa)

2002 - Best Actor in a Musical, Nominee (John McMartin)

2002 - Best Costume Design, Nominee (Susan Hilferty)

2002 - Best Actress in a Musical, Nominee (Vanessa Williams)

2002 - Best Direction Of A Musical, Nominee (James Lapine)

2002 - Best Actress in a Musical, Nominee (Vanessa Williams)

2002 - Best Performance By A Featured Actor In A Musical, Nominee (Gregg Edelman)

2002 - Best Featured Actor in a Musical, Nominee (Greg Edelman)

2002 - Best Performance By A Featured Actress In A Musical, Nominee (Laura Benanti)

2002 - Best Featured Actress in a Musical, Nominee (Laura Benanti)

2002 - Best Performance By A Leading Actor In A Musical, Nominee (John McMartin)

2002 - Best Scenic Design, Nominee (Douglas W. Schmidt)

2002 - Best Performance By A Leading Actress In A Musical, Nominee (Vanessa Williams)

2002 - Best Costume Design, Nominee (Susan Hilferty)

Drama Desk Award

1988 - Outstanding Music, Nominee (Stephen Sondheim)

1988 - Outstanding Musical, Nominee (Into the Woods)

1988 - Outstanding Musical, Winner ()

1988 - Outstanding Orchestrations, Nominee (Jonathan Tunick)

1988 - Outstanding Actress in a Musical, Nominee (Bernadette Peters)

1988 - Outstanding Orchestration, Nominee (Jonathan Tunick)

1988 - Outstanding Set Design, Nominee (Tony Straiges)

1988 - Outstanding Book of a Musical, Winner (James Lapine)

1988 - Outstanding Actress in a Musical, Nominee (Bernadette Peters)

1988 - Outstanding Set Design, Nominee (Tony Straiges)

1988 - Outstanding Costume Design, Nominee (Ann Hould-Ward)

1988 - Outstanding Book of a Musical, Winner (James Lapine)

1988 - Outstanding Director Of A Musical, Nominee (James Lapine)

1988 - Outstanding Costume Design, Nominee (Ann Hould-Ward)

1988 - Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical, Winner (Robert Westenberg)

1988 - Outstanding Director Of A Musical, Nominee (James Lapine)

1988 - Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical, Nominee (Danielle Ferland)

1988 - Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical, Winner (Robert Westenberg)

1988 - Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical, Winner (Joanna Gleason)

1988 - Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical, Winner (Joanna Gleason)

1988 - Outstanding Lighting Design, Nominee (Richard Nelson)

1988 - Outstanding Lyrics, Winner (Stephen Sondheim)

1988 - Outstanding Lyrics, Winner (Stephen Sondheim)

1988 - Outstanding Music, Nominee (Stephen Sondheim)

2002 - Outstanding Costume Design, Nominee (Susan Hilferty)

2002 - Outstanding Sound Design:, Winner (Dan Moses Schreier )

2002 - Outstanding Sound Design, Winner (Dan Moses Schreier)

2002 - Outstanding Actress in a Musical:, Nominee (Laura Benanti )

2002 - Outstanding Revival of a Musical, Winner (Into The Woods)

2002 - Outstanding Actress in a Musical:, Nominee (Vanessa Williams )

2002 - Outstanding Actress in a Musical, Nominee (Vanessa Williams)

2002 - Outstanding Costume Design:, Nominee (Susan Hilferty )

2002 - Outstanding Actress in a Musical, Nominee (Laura Benanti)

2002 - Outstanding Director of a Musical:, Nominee (James Lapine )

2002 - Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical, Nominee (Greg Edelman)

2002 - Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical:, Nominee (Gregg Edelman )

2002 - Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical, Nominee (Kerry O'Malley)

2002 - Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical:, Nominee (Kerry O'Malley )

2002 - Outstanding Director Of A Musical, Nominee (James Lapine)

2002 - Outstanding Revival of a Musical:, Winner ()

2002 - Outstanding Set Design of a Musical, Winner (Douglas W. Schmidt)

2002 - Outstanding Set Design of a Musical:, Winner (Douglas W. Schmidt )

NY Drama Critics Circle Award

1988 - Best Musical, Winner (Into the Woods)

Theatre World Award

1988 - Best Debut Performance, Winner (Danielle Ferland)

Olivier Award

1999 - Best Actress in a Musical, Winner (Sophie Thompson)

 

 

 

 

Learn More About Stage Mag