Before & After...

One of the most difficult things about directing a show is visualizing what the final product will look like when you are in rehearsal. I'm constantly suprised by the depth and visual punch that the designers bring to the final product. To help illustrate this, we've put together a pair of shots (with help from the always fabulous Mark Oristano). The first is a scene in rehearsal. You can always tell these shots by the tennis shoes and casual wear on the actors. The second shot is the same scene in performance. Quite a difference, huh?

From the Desk of the Lighting Designer...

The photos below were taken under actual stage lights! It is opening night and excitement is everywhere. It has been a difficult journey for me, because the lighting is very complex. Every time I turn a page it says, "another part of the forest". How big can these woods be? Big enough to hold a basket full of delightful and slightly fractured tales. The amazing thing about this production was the great comraderie and pleasant atmosphere in the midst of all the madness. The madness is due to the added complexity of having many video sequences, having an orchestra in "another part of the forest" (building), over 200 light cues in the first act alone, etc. The cast is amazing, and the crew couldn't be nicer. Let's hope the result tonight will be joyous! Good Show to all!

-Susan White
Lighting Designer for Into the Woods

Into the Woods Production Shots

Christopher J. Deaton & Melissa Farmer

Stacey Oristano & M. Denise Lee

Beth Albright, Stacey Oristano & Rachel Robertson

Patrick Pevehouse & Margaret Shafer

Greg Allen & Christopher J. Deaton

From the Desk of the Music Director...

Thursday, I arrived at the theatre in time to see some of the yet-to-be-revealed technical elements. Theatre is such an amazing environment. For all of the spectacular illusions available through film, and I do love film, there is absolutely nothing that compares with theatre. The designers for this production have created magic.

Our wonderful actors are tired, which is typical for this stage of rehearsal, but you would never know it. They work very hard. As is typical with a Stephen Sondheim opus, there are a lot of words, spoken and sung very quickly, within rhythms that repeat but not exactly. I’m a stickler for articulation and rhythms. In anticipation of a cast-plot to steal and destroy my metronome, I carry 3 with me …. Just in case. These are nice people, but I’ve seen the way they look at my metronome.

Saturday, I work with the musicians for the first time as a group. Whee! The percussionist is in a little booth big enough for a Hobbit. You should see all of the instruments in there. He has timpani (both of them), xylophone, chimes, a bass drum, full drum set, and a host of other toys. We will have 3 keyboards plus acoustic piano, double bass, flute and clarinet.

So. At this point in the process, the theatre space is a-buzz and a-twitter with hammering, painting, hanging and focusing, vocalizing, and cow maneuvering. (Don’t ask.) For all of the hard work involved, ITW is really a fun show to do. Perhaps that’s why there is so much laughter in the theatre as we work. There are few things more satisfying than working with people that love what they do. The end result is almost always a high quality product. That is what audiences will receive when they see this show. My sincere thanks to everyone involved, especially the cast.

-Janice Franklin
Music Director for Into the Woods

Sneak Peek: Into the Woods

We spent the majority of last night learning the Act 2 finale and reviewing the finale of Act 1. We were able to grab a sneak peek at the Act 1 finale for you. Enjoy!

Click here for your sneak peek...
(the file is a little big so either be patient or right click and do a save as)

Rehearsal Update: July 19

So, here we are, roughly a week out from performing for our first audience, and we find ourselves at that crucial point of determining whether or not we have a show. Actors are struggling to rid themselves of their rehearsal scripts while juggling lines, lyrics, and staging (with an occasional waltz step thrown in here and there). Trees of the forest are beginning to look less like cardboard tubing and 2" x 4"s. Certain show props are beginning to replace rehearsal props; however, the afore mentioned golden hippo seems to find ways to make it back onto the stage even though the real "Milky White" has taken shape and is in workable condition - that is, until she blew a wheel last night, oddly enough. Coincidence? Hmmm. . . and we still can't get rid of the glitter.

With all of this being said, we still see how steep the climb is to reach our intended goals for this production. The entire show has been laid out, structurally speaking. The music has been learned, the staging has been given, and most of the scene shifts have been assigned, and so begins the real work - the fine tuning. The time when you take the story off of the page and truly place it on its feet. Rehearsals are long and end late into the evening, which, for many of us, comes after a full day's work already. Patience is an absolute virtue at this point with having to repeat scene work over and over in order to meet the expectations of the director and music director. This is also the time in our rehearsal schedule when we will often revisit many of the things that were learned early in rehearsal - for instance, the music. We do this with the intent to protect the integrity of the body of work - so that moments aren't lost or forgotten while paying attention to other elements, especially when dealing with the technical demands of a show of this caliber. . . let's just say that I'm afraid for Sunday to get here when we tech the entire show. . . will have to make at least two trips to Starbucks that day. Off to rehearsal now. Be sure to check back later to see who survives tech weekend.

-Andy Gosnell
Assistant Director

Our good friend Mark Oristano snuck a camera in rehearsal last night to share some shots of how things are coming along. We've reached the toughest part... done with initital blocking and down to repeatedly going over sections to smooth out the details.

On to the photos:

Randy Pearlman & R Bruce Elliott

Stage Manager Heidi Shen keeps a tight reign.

Director James Paul Lemons and Music Director Janice Franklin conspire together.

Cara Serber Statham, Beth Albright and Rachel Robertson
resort to voilence when things do not go well.

Rehearsal Update: Stacey Oristano

So, let’s begin by explaining the monster. It’s “rehearsal Milky-White.” Yes, we know it looks like a golden hippo but sometimes in rehearsal we make do with what we have. In the picture Patrick (who is playing Jack) was forced by Denise (who is playing the Witch) to give it a hug. This was difficult for Patrick because what he wants to do is throw the cow-hippo across the room. As all 6 foot 6 inches of him stood up after the hug, he was coved in gold glitter. (Some even managed to sneak their way up his nose, and the step-sisters nose’s as well.) Now, everywhere that Patrick walks a trail of gold follows him.

So, we have disco-cow and my golden slipper that is too small for my foot, but again, we make do. Randy (who plays the Baker) tried to put on a hunting jacket that didn’t fit over his manly shoulders, again, he made do.

Complaining aside (and before we get comments, I am completely kidding! Except about the monster-cow!) rehearsals are going very well. We breezed through our music (Sondheim, none the less) and now we are into blocking Act 1. My biggest dilemma now is trying to remember all of the words at the end of The Opening, The end of Act 1, and the end of Act 2. (To see, to sell, to make, to buy, to run…. I don’t know!!!) Hopefully soon, I can put the script down, and stop running into people. (Especially Patrick, because then a cloud of gold bursts everywhere.) None-the-less, things are going swimmingly in the Woods! More to come!

-Stacey Oristano
Cinderella in Into the Woods

Rehearsal Report: Into the Woods

Last night was our first rehearsal for Into the Woods. First rehearsals are always a strange night. It takes some time for most casts to get to know each other, especially a cast a large as this show (19 actors!). It is very similar to going on a first date... everyone's a little nervous, a little shy and everyone wants to make a good impression to all the artistic staff and fellow actors.

For rehearsal last night, we did our first sing through of the entire show. Then our music director, Janice Franklin, starting working number by number through the opening number. As a director, it's amazing to hear everyone together for the first time! What amazing voices!
We have a long road ahead. We'll spend the rest of the week learning music before moving on to blocking next Monday evening. I'll try and sneak a camera into rehearsal soon to get some candid "behind-the-scenes" shots.

-James Paul Lemons