ACT! “Into the Woods” goes to the youth show

At first glance, “Into the Woods” doesn’t seem like a musical for young audiences, let alone a young cast. But show director Seth Greene says that while there are lessons to be learned from the musical’s plot, it’s a story full of humor.

“It’s a dark musical, but ultimately it’s a comedy,” Greene said. “What happens on stage is slapstick.”

“Into the Woods” is ACT! for Youth’s fall production, which runs Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. The schedule repeats the following weekend. Elizabeth Winstead serves as musical director.

The 1986 musical, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Lapine, is based on several fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm and explores the consequences of the characters’ wishes and tasks. The main characters are from “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Rapunzel,” “Cinderella,” and several others. The musical revolves around a story about a childless baker and his wife and their attempt to start a family, a witch who cursed them, and their relationships with the other well-known storybook characters during their journey.

“Sondheim wrote it as a comedy to disguise the internal problems,” Greene said. “It’s light-hearted, but you get the message you need. The first act is all about the fairytale characters we grew up with and getting what they want. The second act is about the consequences of getting what you wanted.”

After years of casting for ACT! For youth productions, this is Greene’s first directing job. Although he has recently served as music director on a few productions, he has never taken the director’s reins.

“It was a nice learning curve with everything coming my way, and it was a lot of stress and hard work, especially explaining this show to teenagers, but it was very rewarding,” Greene said. “Directing has to involve shows that I really, really care about.”

Greene said he had wanted to direct “Into the Woods” for many years and he knew it was now or never when it came to his talent.

“I basically sent an essay to Wilson Arts in September 2023 about why this particular show needed to be done this year,” Greene said. “Elizabeth had already told me that she was the musical director of ACT! wanted to be. because Youth ever did “Into the Woods,” and I knew we had to do it soon because ACT! I wouldn’t have the necessary musical talent in the school classes for a few years after graduating this year. This production features mostly seniors who attended my last show with ACT! Were in eighth or ninth grade! And the music in this show is very technical; you have to do it in a very special way. Rhythmically and melodically it’s very difficult.”

Greene said that other production companies had drawn into the darkness of “Into the Woods,” but he didn’t want to go in that direction.

“Some groups that do this show like to make it scary and spooky, but I wanted to make it like a storybook,” Greene said. “You don’t change the script, but you decide how to present it. I always knew I wanted to do it this way, more carefree.”

“This is a show about the reality of the world we live in,” Greene added. “The actions we take have an impact and affect other people. We need people to know that, and that’s why I want everyone to see this show now.”

The cast includes Narrator/Mysterious Man, Alden Whitehead; Baker, Nate Barberio; Baker’s wife, Harper Daniels; Cinderella, Emma Townsend Satterfield; Jack, Oscar Edwards; Little Red Riding Hood, Livvy Matthews; Witch, Hailey Matthews; Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf, Matt McKellar; Rapunzel’s Prince Gavin Harris; Rapunzel, Gwyndelyn Rigby; Cinderella’s mother/grandma/giant, Kadence Korson; Jack’s mother, Christina Pappas; Cinderella’s stepmother, Sicily Russo; Florinda, Lydia Denton; Lucinda, Katelyn Wilson; Cinderella’s father, Tristan Thompson; Steward, Abbie Durrett; Milky White, Bethany Denton; Snow White, Bella Skinner; and Sleeping Beauty, Kylie Fassnacht.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and students, plus tax. For ticket information, call Wilson Arts at 252-291-4329 or visit www.wilsonarts.com.