Students walking outside Sturges Hall.
GENESEO, N.Y.—SUNY Geneseo’s spring production of the popular Stephen Sondheim musical “Into the Woods” will not only amuse audience members, but it will enlighten them, too.
The Department of Music will be putting on this Tony award-winning musical, with Scott Scaffidi directing the production and Don Kot—coordinator of the musical theater program—as the music director of “Into the Woods.” The musical will be staged in the Alice Austin Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on April 6-9, and the Sunday matinee will commence at 2 p.m. on April 10. General admission tickets will be $15—while student tickets will be $10—and are available for purchase online.
“Into the Woods” intertwines the stories of beloved Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault fairytales, such as “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Cinderella,” “Rapunzel” and “Jack and the Beanstalk.” The production itself is based on James Lapine’s book Into the Woods, and Stephen Sondheim wrote the music and lyrics for the musical.
“This timeless production takes the Grimm fairy tales we all know—and some we don't—and gives them a new life,” said junior Brodie McPherson, hair and makeup designer and stage manager of “Into the Woods.” “Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine have taken characters like Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jack of beanstalk fame and have given them complex characterizations.”
The musical follows a plethora of characters’ stories: a Baker and his wife, who wish to have a child; Jack, who wants to be able to milk his barren cow; and Cinderella, who wants to attend the king’s ball away from her step-family. Eventually, all the fairytale characters end up in the woods, where their stories connect to create this musical of dreams and wishes—dreams and wishes that ultimately lead to destruction.
“The show really revolves around the character's actions and the consequences they have from their adventures into the woods,” said McPherson. “What happens after happily ever after is not something any of them expected to have to deal with, but when they have to go back into the woods to deal with unexpected circumstances, they learn just what it means to have to tell their own stories.”
“‘Into The Woods’ shows us how to forgive ourselves and learn from our mistakes, how to cherish our loved ones and how to boldly take on life's ups and downs with bravery, compassion and wonder,” said Kot.
For Geneseo’s production of this classic, the hilarious and poignant lyrics will persevere, alongside a fantastic score—the very same score that won the Tony Award for Best Original Score in 1988.
“Director Scott Scaffidi has taken these characters and given them a new purpose,” said McPherson. “The cast takes on the role of an acting troupe performing these stories and exploring who these characters truly are and how they react to just what happens when everything goes awry.”
In addition to Scaffidi, Kot and McPherson, the gifted team of designers comprises of Graydon VanRy as scenic designer, Ruth Henry as costume designer, Toni Elderkin as lighting designer, Dave LaDue as sound designer and Nina Mor as assistant stage manager.
The student performers in the cast include Jordan Bachmann, Katelyn Brooks, Erin Burris, Miranda Calarco, Kimberly Cole, Nicole Eras, Alexandra Imbrosci, Rebecca Leville, Sarah Maphey, Erica Milliman, Jessica Murphy, Aram Peers, Aidan Procopio, Ben Ranalli, Ben Reiner, Alexandra Salerno, Tyler Smith, Brian Sousis and Sophie Yeomans.
News release written by College Communications intern Alexandra Ciarcia.
Media Contact:
David Irwin
Media Relations Director
(585) 245-5529
Irwin@geneseo.edu