“Anything can happen in the woods…”
And when you gather students who are passionate about the theater, anything can happen in the theater.
This Spring, Briarcliff High School students will perform Stephen Sondheim’s smash hit “Into the Woods,” with its brilliant lyrics, catchy melodies and unforgettable characters. The fractured fairy tales will come to life at the school auditorium in three performances.
The story revolves around a cast of characters who are all familiar to us, such as Cinderella, Rapunzel and Little Red Riding Hood.
According to senior Conor Duperrouzel, who plays the Baker, the close-knit cast relies on each other.
“The show is partly infamous in the theater community because many of the songs are difficult to sing, but because everyone in the cast and crew is so supportive, those who are stronger singers can help people like me, who are not as strong,” he said. “I have been struggling with the song ‘No One is Alone,’ which is a duet with Ava Wu, who plays Cinderella. We have to sing different lyrics at the same time, and we have to count a lot not to miss the beat. Ava is such a strong singer, so when I’m not quite sure what’s going on, I can refer to what she is singing.”
Freshman Nio Torosian, who is Assistant Stage Manager, agrees.
“I like working with everyone, it’s a great group of people. I can talk to them about anything,” he said.
“Rehearsals are really fun and I get to see a lot more of my friends,” said junior Em Anderson, who puppeteers the cow, Milky White. “We joke around a lot in the off time.”
Conor, who plans to study theater in college, is partial to the changes the characters go through during the show.
“My favorite part is singing ‘No More,’ in the end, because there is a very defined shift in character near that song and it goes from the hero’s darkest hour to a revelatory moment. It’s really beautiful,” he said.
Conor appreciates director Paul Kite’s commitment to the show.
“It’s very clear that Mr. Kite read the script a billion times and has prepared a lot. He doesn’t just wing it, he cares a lot about the show and is very dedicated to it,” he said. “I really like how every time I have a question, such as why we are cutting something out, he always has a complete answer.”
Em thinks people who see the show will be in for a surprise.
“It subverts people’s expectations, especially during the second act,” she said. “And it is a beautifully sung show. There’s so much great music, and it’s quite funny as well. I have been enjoying watching the whole thing come together.”
“As someone who has devoted a lot of his life to telling stories, I love that this show is about the responsibility that storytellers hold,” Kite said. “It’s about what a story can do to people and how we come together after trauma and loss.”
“People should come see the show because it has some great music and it’s a retelling of the classical fairy tales,” Conor said. “And it has a great message in the end that is relevant for today: wishes can come true, but they don’t come free. The glorious thing about life is dealing with more life, and once you have what you want, you must work at it. It can be beautiful and challenging. And I think the show is beautiful and challenging.”
Performances:
Thursday, March 14 and Friday March 15 at 7:00. Sunday, March 16 at 1.
Click here to purchase tickets: https://cur8.com/228/project/130120
The show is recommended for middle school students and up.
