Welcome Back! Thanks for Visiting Our Department Blog!

Welcome back to a fantastic 2007-2008 year and to the LCHS Drama Blog. If you haven't done so yet, take our fall play survey for 2007-2008. We'll be making important decisions soon.

For those of you new to us, this is another place for us to share information about the LCHS Drama Department, ITS Activities, Drama Club Activities and production information that is aimed to assist us in "Continuing Our Winning Tradition of Excellence." We will be using the LC Website for most of our information this year. On the blog, though, we have a chance to create an on-line community and have discussions.

This has been a great way to share photos, calendars, student testimonials and also archive "hands-on" work done in the LCHS Drama Department. We'll test this out to see how effective a tool it is for learning and promoting excellence within the already successful Drama Department at Lewis Central High School. Welcome!

Mr. M.

Exciting Year Planned for 2007

Happy new school year to one and all!

I hope you've had a summer that you can remember positively because of what you've accomplished, how you've spent your time and that you're ready to help us "carry on our 'Winning Tradition of Excellence.'"

Our first major production is just around the corner. We have selected several short, short-lists.

Like many of you, I've been really busy this summer. I've worked on tons of projects, traveled lots and kicked-off my campaign to be ISEA's next Vice-President. We also have a "tentative calendar put together for the year. Take a look at the Drama Calendar for 2007-2008 here. We still need to have all the Performing Arts faculty sit down to iron out conflicts. But this is pretty close.

Anyways, it's time for us to make some decisions. I hope you're excited to be part of this process. So, here's some things that we need to start taking care of to maintain our place in the program's great history:

(1) We have a brochure prepared for all of our "new students" and want to give it to them on their first day of school like we did last year. E-Mail to tell me whether you're going to be there to help or not. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU PASS OUT THESE LETTERS AND WELCOME OUR NEW STUDENTS. These first impressions are very important. They are part of our program's future.

(2) We have to start planning for our season. Please take a moment to respond to the poll questions to the right.

(3) ITS members and the seniors need to sit down and look at our short lists. We need to choose our fall play and--as you can see--we're going to do it a little differently this year.

(4) We need to organize our "CARE PACKAGE" program for all the cool kids who are going off to college. I have a great piece to put in their packages.

(5) We need to decide how we're going to put our ITS Meetings together. We have reserved the second Tuesday of each month for our grouop.


(6) We need to get busy with our seniors. It's time to help you put together your resumes, get letters of recommendation stared, time to prepare for standardized tests if you need to improve your score or get one, time to find you some scholarship money and time to put a plan of action for the year together. This needs to be a big priority.

It's exciting to start off with lots of good goals in mind. I hope that you're excited.

Let me know what you're thinking. So, don't just read this--respond! What you think matters. Please be honest--with politeness. I hope that you're as excited as I am about a great new year.

Please fill out the survey questions that are on the sidebar. If they don't show up, try refreshing a few times. It's a glitch in the code. Auditions are early this year... LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE.

I'm excited to work with you again this year. You guys rock!

Here's to us,

Mr. McLaughlin

VOICES IN CONFLICT Challenges Censorship of Ideas

Credit goes to VOICES IN CONFLICT, an original drama created by students at Wilton High School in Connecticut. The powerful and moving drama is drawn from interviews, letters and essays written by Iraqi civilians and American soldiers serving in Iraq. The students planned to perform the show at their school, but those plans were cut short. According to Bonnie Dickinson, the Drama Advisor for the students, the Principal deemed the play too controversial, and cancelled the performances. Then as media attention grew, the superintendent on behalf of the school district backed the principal's decision, calling it "Sensational and inappropriate."

Music Theatre International has joined with everyone from our soldiers in Iraq to students across the country, a creative coalition (including playwrights Edward Albee, Christopher Durang, John Weidman, Marsha Norman, Doug Wright, John Guare and John Patrick Shanley representing the Dramatists Guild of America,) the National Coalition Against Censorship and the national media to make sure VOICES IN CONFLICT would not disappear. We created our first-ever "Courage in Theatre Award," which will be presented to the Wilton students as part of a very special performance at the Public Theatre in New York on June 15.

According to Freddie Gershon, Chairman of Music Theatre International, Wilton's advanced-theater students' "non-performance of their original theater piece is unique in our experience of licensing over 500,000 high school performances in the last two decades and deserving of special recognition." In a letter to the Wilton High School principal, Gershon goes on to explain, "Collaboration by 15 students acting as a microcosm of society working together, exchanging views, bending, honing, editing and ultimately sharing a vision requires perseverance, tenacity, resilience, compromise and passion, particularly when their shared vision may not be shared by a large segment of the full community. Although we have witnessed students in College and University theatre groups go down this road, we have never before been made aware of it at the high school level."

MTI applauded the drama students of Wilton High School and their advisor, Bonnie Dickinson and proudly awarded them the "Courage In Theatre" Award.

Click here to read the story published in The New York Times on March 24, 2007.

Click here to read a follow-up NYT article from June 7, 2007

Courageous high school students and their sponsor fight censorship and address social relevance through drama. Click here to read more about this inspirational story and follow the play all the way to Broadway! Cheers to freedom of thought.

ANOTHER PART OF THE FOREST

Another Part of the Forest
Sep 1, 2002 12:00 PM,
from LIVE DESIGN
David Johnson & Ellen Lampert-Gréaux

For the new Broadway revival of Into the Woods, the creative team played it by the book—the storybook, that is. In re-imagining this Stephen Sondheim musical about what happens after happily ever after, director James Lapine (who also directed the original production) wanted the designers—Susan Hilferty (costumes), Doug Schmidt (sets), Brian MacDevitt (lights), Elaine McCarthy (projections), and Dan Moses Schreier (sound)--to look beyond the fairy tales that populate the show—Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Baker and His Wife, Little Red Riding Hood--to the actual act of storytelling, and ultimately to the books themselves.

Douglas Schmidt's show curtain.

"James wanted us to free our imaginations," says Hilferty. "The only thing he brought to the table was a pop-up book, and we kept trying to figure out what it was we connected to in the book. It all came down to the memory of books--the idea of storytelling--and how it brings you back to childhood."

One of the first things the team tried to establish in early meetings was an actual vocabulary of the fairy-tale world. "People would say, ‘Well it’s just fairy stories,’ as if there were a vocabulary for fairy stories, which there isn’t," says Hilferty. "If you look back to your favorite illustrators, every single one of them is different. You look up Cinderella on the Internet, and there’s edition after edition. So we had to create our own vocabulary."

Hilferty’s vocabulary would end up including moos, howls, oinks, and a variety of other barnyard sounds; she felt early on that giving a real voice to the various animals that populate the musical—the big bad wolf, the three pigs, and especially Jack’s beloved Milky-White—was the key to connecting the overlapping fairy-tale worlds. "This was a world in which I thought the animals should talk, because animals do talk in this world," she says. "Though there are human events happening onstage, nobody’s surprised when a wolf walks onstage, and nobody’s surprised to see Milky-White. Just as in fairy stories, where you accept these things—a bear talks, a snake talks—what this world needs is to accommodate the animals."

Perhaps the biggest accommodation—indeed one of the production's major innovations—is the introduction of Milky-White as an animated being. Jack’s bovine friend was nothing more than a prop in the 1987 Broadway incarnation; today, she’s a living, breathing creature, played by actor Chad Kimball. But because the decision to animate Milky-White came well into the creative process, there was in turn a long evolution process in coming up with the right look and feel to the creature. Hilferty and her team—which included associate designers Devon Painter and Michael Sharpe and assistant designers Amanda Whidden and Chris Peterson—sketched innumerable variations of the animal, ranging from a girl with a cow’s body, to a cow with a girl’s face. "All the initial goals of the cow for me were to find this level of humanness and then to find the level of character," Hilferty says. "This went on for a long time as we tried to get James to visualize by what I had sketched by what we were ultimately trying to figure out and accomplish."

Milky-White in her final manifestation with Jack. Photo: © Joan Marcus

The final sketch was a four–legged cow that combined the idea of storytelling with the idea of movement, giving the creature something of a sad, stuffed animal quality (as in a rag doll, or Eeyore), while making it clear that an actor was playing the role.

"I broke all the rules of real cows," Hilferty says. "It became important that the head was low because it made it sadder and sweeter. We gave a humanness to the face, and eyes that have nothing to do with a cow. I knew that this was the right idea because whenever anybody looks at the sketch they’d go, ‘Awww.’ We kept finding whenever we tried to do something different we didn’t get the same response."

The next step was to actually make the thing, and for that Hilferty turned to fabricator Andrew Benepe. "He made the cow head and the fabrication of the cow body, but his real masterpiece is the head," says Hilferty. Actually, the head and the neck: it is the neck that has to hold up the head. Sure, the cow’s eyes open and close, her ears flap, and she can move her mouth from side to side to mimic chewing. But the head, even though lightweight, needed to be supported. Kimball has to use crutches to create the front legs of the cow, and his head is actually over a foot away from the cow’s head. "The actor is in one place, and the head is in another, so what’s holding the head in place? And at the same time, it has to be flexible, so if you’ve got a hard spine holding it up, you’re out of luck.

"The brilliant thing Andrew did," Hilferty continues, "was to try a coil. The coil gave support to the neck and allowed an enormous amount of flexibility. The other critical thing was that it gives some space for the actors to see. As soon as I saw it, I said, ‘Okay, we’re going to feature that. We stuffed it and wrapped it at the neck, and it immediately became not about being a cow."

The cow’s body is deceptively simple, made up essentially of Polartec, a lightweight, fleecelike material, worn like a pair of longjohns, with a long spine connecting the tail and the neck, and a strapped-on udder. This gives Kimball the freedom of movement that Lapine and Carrafa sought in bringing Milky-White to life.

It’s telling that Milky-White elicits the same "awws" from the audience every night that Hilferty got from that final sketch of the cow. Still, doesn’t it seem odd that a costume designer gets such acclaim (Hilferty was nominated for a Tony for her work) for creating this lovable but essentially silent bovine entity? Not at all, says the designer. "The key to it is character, which is what we work with every day. That’s the difference between a costume designer and a fashion designer."

And apparently, a set designer as well. "Doug [Schmidt] was thrilled that I was so interested in the animals," Hilferty adds, "because it meant that he didn’t have to do them!" --David Johnson

The Forest and the Trees

"I was reluctant at first, almost hesitant," says set designer Douglas Schmidt about designing this production of Into the Woods. "I had fond memories of the earlier Broadway version. It's not that I didn't want to tread the waters, but Anthony Straiges had done a great job. It was just beautiful to watch, but James Lapine was anxious to rethink the whole thing."

Schmidt's version was inspired by Lapine's interest in using Victorian books as a frame for the production. "We did a lot of research into old books, looking at the typography, the binding, and the graphics, to find something that would sustain enlarging to a giant scale and not fall apart visually," Schmidt says. After entering the world of fairy tales through a large book, three of the stories jump to life, each in its own "book" set. The "books" were built by ShowMotion in Norwalk, CT. with the intricate design detail and faux embossing by Scenic Art Studios.

a set model by Schmidt

The books serve as houses for Cinderella, Jack (of beanstalk fame) and his mother, and the baker and his wife. One of the books revolves to create Rapunzel's tower. There is also a finale book that the characters go back into at the end of the story. "The book metaphor worked very well and gave me permission to use the period illustrations to root our production in reality," says Schmidt.

Schmidt created a child's fairy-tale version of a forest, where much of the action takes place. "I looked at illustrations by English artists such as Arthur Rackham and Walter Crane," he says. "I added a complexity to give the illustrations a magical quality. It is ominous and has a scary quality; this is important in a fairy tale."

In Schmidt's forest, things move around to accommodate the action. "There is a big danger you could get sick of looking at the forest, so we had to do a moveable feast," he says. To do so, things shuffle about the stage to create the feeling that the characters have moved to another part of the forest. The trees move about on overhead tracks, with the trees and tracks also built by ShowMotion.

"Each tree has its own set of parameters of where it can move via a computer interface," explains Schmidt. The trees reach as high as 25' and were laser-cut out of huge sheets of aluminum, with scrolly trunks and roots based on Schmidt's initial drawings. To add textures, fabric was dipped in a glue-based substance that was applied to the trees. "There were great globs of glue-soaked rags twisted into bark and roots. It was not an easy job," Schmidt allows. The trees were then painted to look like the 1/2" models and topped with leaves that have a gauzy see-through quality, allowing them to let light through.

Schmidt worked with video designer Elaine McCarthy to create projections of Cinderella's mother and one of the giants atop Jack's beanstalk. "We wanted to do something different for the apparition of Cinderella's mother, and find an evocative way to present her," Schmidt says. The end result is the mother's face in one of the trees in the forest. The projection of the giant's shadow was rather complicated, as there is a mix of live action with the projection, and the sound track had to be cued with very close timing. "It took a lot of work in Los Angeles to get it right, but the subtlety of the gestures make it look as it the giant is listening."

Seeing all the elements come together confirmed for Schmidt that the entire creative team was on the same page. "The musical itself is so touching and funny, and beautifully written, you want it to have one sensibility. I think we achieved that."

Fairy Lights

"Winning the Tony was a thrill," says Brian MacDevitt, who was honored for his lighting design for Into the Woods. "The lighting follows the investigating that set designer Douglas Schmidt did to give the musical a literary point of view, with ornate, illustrated children's books spinning and popping open." As if you entered the fairy tales through the text," MacDevitt notes. Clickstrip runs along the edge of the book layers to give them a pop-up effect."

set model of Red Riding Hood's granny's cottage.

Following the lead set by Schmidt's sets, the lighting adds an extra vibrancy to the natural colors witnessed in nature. The show follows a big arc, from the dappled sunlight of a beautiful forest to a devastated, almost war-torn look," MacDevitt explains. "The scenery is painted with fairly neutral colors so the lighting could push deep greens, blues, and ambers. The lighting is more colorful, with a very saturated palette. It needed to be magical."

In the numerous scenes that take place in the forest, MacDevitt layered the light, with overlapping five to six different colors and various templates, including leaves. "I tried to really mix things so they weren't recognizable to look at," he notes. The layers range from large breakup templates to GAM's pointilism patterns, with the size of the patterns varying with the intensity of the colors. "A source, such as the moon, would be portrayed by the densest templates, where the least light gets through, and the palest colors, and layers of larger breakups and deeper colors would follow.

MacDevitt describes his rig, as supplied by Fourth Phase, as "fairly conservative," and that of a traditional Broadway musical. "There is no special truss, just booms and overhead pipes," he adds. The rig does include 40 automated luminaires; a mixture of 21 ETC Source Fours on City Theatrical AutoYokes, and both 17 Studio Beams® and 12 X Spots from High End Systems. The show is run via one Wholehog II and one ETC Obsession III console.

MacDevitt worked with programmer David Arch, associate LD Jason Lyons, and assistant LD Yael Lubetzky. In working with projection designer Elaine McCarthy, MacDevitt strove to incorporate the projections seamlessly, actually using the video projectors as sources.

"There is subtle movement in the moving lights. Every choice we made was influenced by the score, so there are not too many moments of flash, except for the vogue-ing by Vanessa Williams in her transformation scene," MacDevitt says. Other moves in the automated fixtures helped during scene shifts, adding to the movement of the scenery. "You never see a template change or the gobos flipping, yet there are a few visible changes of focus, zoom, and color."
--ELG

Fee Fi Fo Fum

You notice sound designer Dan Moses Schreier’s work on Into the Woods before you even sit down in your seat—the preshow features a collage of bird cues emanating from various parts of the theatre, all chirping and tweeting happily away. These fine feathered friends can be heard during transitions throughout the first act, a far cry from the ominous sounds of the scavenger birds Schreier unleashes for the much darker second act. Such inventive specificity is par for the course for Schreier, a designer best known for his work on straight plays whose extensive collaborations with director James Lapine (Dirty Blonde, The Diary of Anne Frank, Twelve Dreams, Golden Child, A New Brain) led to working on this revival.

While the bird cues were relatively simple to pull off, Schreier and his crew (associate Simon Matthews and assistant Fitz Patton) had much bigger fish to fry. The giant casts a, um, giant shadow over the proceedings in Act II of Into the Woods—the grieving wife of the giant slain in Act I who has come down to earth looking for revenge is heard but never seen aside from shadowed video projections by Elaine McCarthy—and it was up to the sound designer to create a believable, threatening, but not overpowering presence.

"The biggest challenge was creating the giant," Schreier explains. "It takes up a large part of Act II. And because it evolved as we were working on the piece, it took us a long time to get to where it got finally. Not only were there technical issues involved, which were considerable—the synching with the video became a big issue—but also because of what we wanted the sounds to be."

The genesis of the giant began in rehearsals, courtesy of musical director Paul Gemignani. "He had a giant bass drum in the rehearsal room in order to begin to give the actors a sense of what the approaching giant might do to them emotionally," Schreier says. "That became my marker for how to build the giant, just jotting down when Paul hit the drum, and taking note of when the steps should begin to be heard, and when they have to arrive and disappear." From there, it became a matter of adding different layers of sounds that would go with the moving giant—the brushing of leaves and trees, the cracking of branches, not to mention the big thud when the male giant hits the ground in Act I.

"I also decided," Schreier adds, that as the giant moves, the animals in the forest are being displaced, so whenever the giant approaches, you’re hearing birds fluttering and going off in different directions in order to give a real sense of being within the forest. It’s not just the giant steps, there’s a whole environment that moves very much in the space as the giant approaches."

The next step was the addition of McCarthy’s video. As her ideas were added to the mix, more sound would be added, video would be moved around, or some of the scenery would be shifted to create the total picture. During this time, the female giant’s vocals were added to the mix; originally done by cast member Linda Mugleston as a marker, the final voiceover, by Dame Judi Dench, was added while the production was still in tryouts in LA. Dench was in a recording studio in London, Lapine and Schreier were in a studio in LA, and Schreier recorded her performance via a digital link while Lapine provided direction over the phone.

Schreier generally prefers to record as many effects himself as possible, then opts for the standard libraries, using a sampler to make them all sound as different from the original sources as possible. He also goes for extreme layers, rarely opting for a single effect, except obviously in the case of the cow, though even that was altered. He used the Performer music-sequencing program for much of the show, which was especially useful with the giant cues. "Performer was invaluable in making that happen," he says. "Version 3.0 is new and it has these things called MOTU Panners. It’s very flexible in creating how you want sound to move within a space and how many speakers you want. It has a great capacity for linking things together, and you can also track through reverb."

Speakers include the d&b E3 full range compact speaker, an increasingly popular choice among theatre sound designers in the US (it’s been a fixture in the UK for a couple of years now), as well as EAW JF-80 and JF-60s and Meyer’s new MM-4 compact speaker. Schreier also used a variety of subwoofers, including Meyer UPA-1Ps, EAW SB-48s, and Sunfire True subwoofers, which were placed all over the theatre, one, to deal with the giant effects, and two, to help with the orchestra. Control comes via the Cadac K-Type, the small, sidecar console, which supplier Masque Sound custom-modified to Schreier’s specifications, and which, needless to say, provides a smaller footprint than standard-sized boards. Microphones included AKG CK91s, DPA 4022s, Sennheiser MKH-80s, and Shure SM-58s. There are also a handful of the new Sennheiser SK5012 mini UHF lavalier transmitters on the show.

Some eyebrows might have raised at the prospect of Schreier, best known for his effects-driven work on straight plays (Topdog/Underdog, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Tempest), working on a big Broadway musical. His long collaboration with Lapine helped, but, as the designer notes, he’s also a composer. "When I got hired the refrain that kept coming was ‘Remember Dan, this is a chamber piece, it’s not a full-blown rock piece, it shouldn’t be amplified in a very strong way. And I kept telling everyone, ‘I’m your man.’ Because I’m a music lover. I’ve never been averse to musicals; that’s not where my reputation is, but I’m very happy to do it."
--DJ

INTO THE WOODS Team List

WE ARE PROUD TO CONGRATULATE
THE MEMBERS OF THE INTO THE WOODS TEAM

CAST LIST
(in order of appearance)

Narrator
JOSEPH TWEEDT*

Baker
ZACH MAILAHN*

Baker's Wife
JENNIFER ETTINGER*

Cinderella
NATALIE JACOBY*

Jack
BRETT COON

Milky White
BEN RAUSCH*

Cinderella's Stepmother
VICTORIA MEANS

Lucinda
COURTNEY DUSING*

Florinda
ERICA SHOCKEY

Jack's Mother
HANNAH HOPSON*


Little Red Ridinghood
KRISTEN SCHWEER*

The Witch
JESSICA FORMANEK*

Cinderella's Father
DANNY LICH*

Cinderella's Mother
HALEY GREGORY

Mysterious Man
CALEB HOUSLEY*

Wolf
ADAM EVANS

Rapunzel
BONNIE SOUTH

Rapunzel's Prince
BRETT EPPERSON*

Granny/The Giant
NICOLE McGUIRE

Cinderella's Prince
DAVID EBKE*

Steward
RYAN PENNEY

Royal Protocol Liaison
TESSA HOPSON*

Sleeping Beauty
LAUREN PETRI

Snow White
MEGAN REIF

*Indicates membership in the International Thespian Society (ITS) which is part of the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA). Since its inception in 1929, ITS has honored over two million students for excellence in theatrical arts. Its members have gone on to distinguished careers in medicine, law, education, business and, of course, theatrical arts. We are proud of the active members of LC's Chapter #5150 of the organization.

PRODUCTION TEAM LIST

Coordinating/Drama Director
MR. TOM McLAUGHLIN*

Vocal Directors
MR. BRIAN JOHNSON
MS. SHELBY SEIVERS

Orchestra Conductor
MR. ANDY WALTERS

Assistant Director
DIANA MESCHER

Assistant to the Director
JORDEN HARDEN
COURTNEY ZUCCA

Production Secretary
ANDREW GULDEN
SARA MARSHALL

Stage Manager
TEDI SWANSON*

Choreographer
CARLY SINN*

Associate Choregraphers/Dance Captains
SHANNON GASCOIGNE*
ANDREW GULDEN
ALYSHA RAU*

Associate Stage Managers
OLIVIA HANDY
KELSEY MOORE

Technical Directors
NATHAN BLACK*
DANNY LICH*
MATT WOLF

Associate Technical Directors
MARK HAMILTON
JARED JUEL

Web Page/Technologist
ALEX MARES
SARA MARSHALL
SARAH PIERCY

Lightboard Operator/Lighting Design
ROSALIE WARNER
KYLE WINELAND

Sound Board Operator
COLE TEMPLETON

Headset Crew Chief
KYLE WINELAND

Spotlight Operators
TYLER LARSEN
ALEX MARES

Costume Coordinators
TYLER LARSEN
KAYLEE McKINLEY

Program Coordinators
KAILIN BELLOWS
MAKENNA DOPHEIDE

Publicists
MOLLY COX
KAYLENE PAGE
ALAINA WALKER

Makeup Crew
JENNIFER BURNETT
CHLOE SMITH
ALAINA WALKER

*Indicates membership in the International Thespian Society (ITS) which is part of the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA). Since its inception in 1929, ITS has honored over two million students for excellence in theatrical arts. Its members have gone on to distinguished careers in medicine, law, education, business and, of course, theatrical arts. We are proud

of the active members of LC's Chapter #5150 of the organization.

LCHS Performing Arts to present INTO THE WOODS

LCHS Performing Arts Department
announce Spring 2007 Musical,
INTO THE WOODS
SAVE THE DATES
April 20 & 21, 2007
Important Audition Information in this Entry
(more posts about the show and auditions follow)

An ambivalent Cinderella? A blood-thirsty Little Red Ridinghood? A Prince Charming with a roving eye? A Witch...who raps? They're all among the cockeyed characters in James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim's fractured fairy tale. When a Baker and his Wife learn they've been cursed with childlessness by the Witch next door, they embark on a quest for the special objects required to break the spell, swindling, lying to and stealing from Cinderella, Little Red, Rapunzel and Jack (the one who climbed the beanstalk). Everyone's wish is granted at the end of Act One, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later, with disastrous results. What begins a lively irreverent fantasy in the style of “The Princess Bride” becomes a moving lesson about community responsibility and the stories we tell our children.

Look to the sidebar---------------> for some video clips of different INTO THE WOODS productions.

OUR APPROACH

The original production was lauded with many major awards and nominations. However, Sondheim and Lapine rethought their approach in the 1988 Broadway production and revived the hit in 2002. This version was much richer in dance, spectacle and acting. The LCHS version of INTO THE WOODS will move in the same direction as the revival production of 2002. Although the original DVD (with Bernadette Peters) is a treasure for singing, sets and costumes, it is not the approach we will be taking with the production.

PREPARATION & AUDITION INFORMATION

Mrs. Sievers and Mr. Johnson will be passing out music on February 19 & 20, 2007 to give students an opportunity to rehearse prior to auditions. Needed are 12 female actors, 7 male actors, a stage manager, an assistant director, a technical director and several choreographers. The set for this production is ambitious. The costumes are goregeous. It will truly be a BEAUTIFUL production.

The first audition for most roles will be ONLY singing. Please check out the links below to see vocal range for characters and the link to MTI Shows' online versions of the songs. Those who are "called back" will be asked to sing and act.

General meetings and auditions will begin on February 26, 2007. Callbacks will be held Thursday March 2, 2007. The cast list will be posted on Friday afternoon March 3, 2007. Rehearsals will begin the week of March 6, 2007.

With plenty of unforgettable roles, and no chorus, “Into The Woods” is a great way to showcase a talented ensemble cast. And since the show's emphasis is on character rather than spectacle, it is equally at home in large or intimate spaces. One of Sondheim's most popular works, this timeless yet relevant piece is a rare modern classic.

Opened 11/5/1987 Ran for 764 performances.

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"

DOUBLE CLICK HERE to take the Quizilla Quiz to determine which INTO THE WOODS character you are most like.

INTO THE WOODS Characters with Singing Ranges

SINGING INFORMATION
(More INTO THE WOODS information follows this post)

DOUBLE CLICK HERE to the taken to the Music Theatre International Web Page. This page has hyperlinks to the songs so that you can listen to them. Please pay special attention to "Agony" and "No One is Alone".

NARRATOR Intellectual and pleasant.
Baritone: G - High E

CINDERELLA Earnest, warm-hearted.
Soprano: G - High G

JACK The feckless Giant Killer, almost a man.
Tenor: A - High G

JACK'S MOTHER Browbeating and weary.
Soprano: B - High F sharp

THE BAKER Harried and insecure.
Baritone: A - High G

THE BAKER'S WIFE Determined and bright.
Mezzo-Soprano: G - High F

CINDERELLA'S STEPMOTHER Mean-spirited.
Mezzo-Soprano: A sharp - High F

FLORINDA Cinderella's stepsister, lovely but black of heart.
Mezzo-Soprano: C - High E

LUCINDA Cinderella's stepsister, lovely but black of heart.
Mezzo-Soprano: C - High E

CINDERELLA'S FATHER

LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD A spoiled smart aleck.
Mezzo-Soprano: B - High F

THE WITCH Sarcastic, ugly-then-gorgeous.
Mezzo-Soprano: Low F - High F

CINDERELLA'S MOTHER

MYSTERIOUS MAN A mischievous vagrant.
Baritone: G - High E flat

WOLF Hungry and insatiable.
Baritone: B - High G flat

GRANNY Red's fiesty, savage grandmother.

RAPUNZEL A loopy-but-lovely maiden.
Soprano: C - High A sharp

CINDERELLA'S PRINCE Vain and gorgeous.
Baritone: B - High F

RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE Just as vain and gorgeous.
Baritone: C sharp - High E

STEWARD Surly and bureaucratic.

GIANT

SNOW WHITE

SLEEPING BEAUTY

JACK'S COW (2)

INTO THE WOODS Plot Synopsis w/ Pictures

INTO THE WOODS SUMMARY
(more production information below this post)

Act One

We discover three dwellings in a large forest. In one, we see Cinderella cleaning; in the second, we see Jack trying to milk his pathetic-looking cow, Milky-White; and in the third, we see the Baker and the Baker's Wife preparing tomorrow's bread.

The Narrator leads the company through The Prologue" as we learn about a series of wishes that are more important than anything - even life itself - to these characters. Cinderella wants to go to the King's Festival; Jack wishes his cow could give milk; and the Baker (who believes his parents were killed in a baking accident) wishes he and his Wife could have a child. As these characters express their wishes, we meet Cinderella's Stepmother and stepsisters who laugh at the idea of her going to a ball; Jack's aging mother who wishes for a lot of gold and a less foolish son; and Little Red Ridinghood, who comes to buy bread, sticky buns and pies from the Baker and his Wife before starting her journey into the woods to see her sick Grandmother.

We learn Jack's cow (whom Jacks foolishly persists in refering to as "he") is no longer giving milk. Jack's Mother says he must sell the cow so they can survive. He is crushed because he thinks the cow is his best friend, but sets off to the market to sell it. Leaving Cinderella in tears, her family rides off to the ball without her.

The Baker and his Wife learn the Witch next door, a humpbacked crone with long gnarled fingers, has placed a curse on them to prevent their having a child. She explains the Baker's father had stolen various vegetables from her garden many years ago to satisfy his wife's insatiable desire for greens. He also stole the Witch's magic beans. To punish him for the theft, she demanded and had been given the Baker's sister, a sibling the Baker never knew existed. She claims she still has the Baker's sister hidden away and that he can break the spell that makes him childless only by bringing her a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn and a slipper as pure as gold.

The Baker puts on his father's old jacket as he prepares to journey into the woods. He finds six beans in the pockets and wonders if they are the Witch's magic beans. He forbids his Wife to join him on this dangerous quest as he tries to memorize the list of things the Witch says he must deliver. As "The Prologue" ends, Cinderella decides to visit her mother's grave.

At this point, the show takes on a rapid pace.

Cinderella tells her mother her wish and is given a fancy dress and slippers to wear to the ball. While walking through the Woods to market, Jack encounters a Mysterious Man who tells Jack his cow is only worth a sack of beans. Little Red Ridinghood meets a Wolf who targets her and her grandmother as his next meal ("Hello, Little Girl"). The Baker appears and is concerned harm will come to Little Red Ridinghood. The Witch warns him not to worry about the child's welfare; his task is simply to steal her cape. We hear the sound of a woman singing in the distance; it is the voice of the Baker's lost sister, Rapunzel.

As the Baker struggles to remember the four objects on his list, his Wife appears, with another offer to help him. They argue about her presence as they encounter Jack and his cow, a beast like the one the Witch has demanded. The Baker's Wife persuades Jack to sell the cow for five of their beans (which leaves them with one remaining bean). After Jack sings a sad farewell to the cow ("I Guess This Is Goodbye"), the Baker is upset they used deceit to acquire the animal. The Baker's Wife insists they did Jack a favor. ("Maybe They're Magic"). She says you have to go after what you want and not hesitate. The Baker sends his wife home with the cow and continues on his way, as Rapunzel sings again.

The Witch visits Rapunzel at the tower where she is kept prisoner. A handsome prince sees the Witch climb Rapunzel's hair and decides to try it himself the following day.

The Baker makes an unsuccessful try at stealing Little Red Ridinghood's cape - thievery does not come naturally to him. Little Red Ridinghood enters her Grandmother's house to find the Wolf, in bed, pretending to be the old woman (whom he has eaten). After the Wolf eats Little Red Ridinghood, he takes a nap. The Baker sees a corner of the red cloak hanging out of the Wolf's mouth and hoping to get the whole thing cuts his stomach open, releasing Little Red Ridinghood and her Grandmother. After the ordeal, Little Red Ridinghood realizes that "I Know Things Now." Grateful to the Baker for saving her life, Little Red Ridinghood gives him her cloak.

Jack's Mother is furious with him for selling their cow for five seemingly worthless beans and she throws them away. The Baker's Wife, leading Milky-White through the forest, encounters Cinderella, who is running from the Prince (the brother, coincidentally, of the prince who is smitten with Rapunzel) and his Steward. When Cinderella reveals she isn't sure she wants the Prince, the Baker's Wife thinks she is being very foolish ("A Very Nice Prince.") The Baker's Wife tries to take one of Cinderella's gold shoes, but is forced to chase after the runaway cow instead.

The next morning the characters realize one midnight has gone and they have not realized their wishes. Jack discovers a beanstalk has grown up overnight.

As the Baker sleeps beneath a tree, Jack appears with an oversized money sack. He sings about "Giants In The Sky" and relates his adventure. He describes the sensation of being high in the sky and meeting a lady giant who drew him close. The appearance of her husband, an even bigger giant who intended to harm him, sent him scrambling back to earth with one of the giant's sacks of gold. Jack's Mother, delighted by his acquistion, has let him keep five gold pieces which he wants to use to buy back Milky-White. He finds the Baker and demands his cow. The Baker cannot sell the cow because the Witch wants it. Jack, thinking the Baker is holding out for more money, goes off in search of additional funds, leaving the gold with the Baker. The Baker's Wife appears, confessing she has lost the cow.

Rapunzel's Prince and Cinderella's Prince exchange tales of woe ("Agony"), each insisting his romantic problem is more serious than his brother's.

The Baker's Wife, who is searching for the hair as yellow as corn, encounters Jack's Mother, who is looking for Jack. The Mysterious Man returns the cow to the Baker. The Witch warns the Mysterious Man to stay out of her business. The Baker's Wife, recognizing Rapunzel's hair as the perfect shade to satisfy the Witch's hair demand, grabs one of the girl's substantial tresses, rips it out, and runs into Cinderella, who is on her way home from another night at the Festival. The Baker's Wife tries, without success, to take Cinderella's shoe. The Baker and his Wife run into each other and he finally agrees it will take both of them to accomplish their goal ("It Takes Two").

Jack appears with the hen that lays golden eggs. The Baker's Wife realizes the Baker has considered selling the cow for money. The cow drops dead and all seems lost for the Baker and his Wife. Two midnights are gone.

The Baker goes in search of another cow. The Baker's Wife goes off to try again to grab a golden slipper. The Witch warns Rapunzel to obey her ("Stay With Me") and to remain shielded from the world. Rapunzel says she is no longer a child and wants to see the world. Enfuriated, the Witch cuts off most of Rapunzel's hair and exiles her. The Narrator reveals, while pursuing Rapunzel, Rapunzel's Prince has fallen into a patch of thorns and blinded himself.

Little Red Ridinghood has turned bloodthirsty, replacing her red cloak with one made from the skins of the Wolf. Jack, questing after more money for his mother, has returned to the giant's domain to steal more gold.

Leaving her third visit to the royal ball with only one slipper, Cinderella reflects on her indecision about leaving her miserable home for the unknown aspects of life with the Prince ("On The Steps of the Palace"). She decides not to decide. She has left a shoe for the Prince to find and it will be his decision.

The Baker's Wife gives Cinderella her own shoes in exchange for the remaining gold slipper. She then has a struggle with the Prince's Steward who also wants the second gold slipper. The Mysterious Man becomes involved in the struggle. The Prince decides they only need one shoe. There is a horrible thud. Jack's Mother screams that a dead giant has fallen from the sky. No one seems to care. The third midnight is near. The Baker and his Wife report to the Witch with their four objects, but she rejects the new cow which they have covered with flour to look like the dead Milky-White. The Witch demands they bring the dead Milky-White to her and she'll bring it back to life. Jack appears with a golden harp. The Witch restores Milky-White to life and commands the Baker to feed the cow the other objects. A clock chime begins to strike. The Witch insists the cow be milked to fill a silver goblet. Jack tries, but no milk flows. When the Baker's Wife says she pulled the hair as yellow as corn from a maiden in the tower, the Witch explains she, the Witch, cannot have touched any of the objects needed to break the spell. The Mysterious Man says to feed the cow an ear of corn. The Witch reveals the Mysterious Man is the Baker's father. The cow eats the corn, the milk flows into the goblet and the Witch drinks it. She is transformed into a beautiful woman and the Baker's father dies as the third midnight strikes.

The Narrator explains the Witch had been cursed with ugliness after her beans were stolen, but is now beautiful once again. Milky-White is reunited with Jack. The Prince searches for Cinderella with the golden slipper. Lucinda and Florinda try to fit into the slipper by cutting off parts of their feet, but their tricks are discovered and the Prince finally finds Cinderella.

The Narrator states Rapunzel, who has had twins, has been reunited with her blind husband and Rapunzel's tears restored his vision. The Witch attempts a reconciliation with her adopted daughter, but Rapunzel refuses. When the Witch tries to enchant Rapunzel and her prince, she realizes that in exchange for her own youth and beauty, she has lost her magical power over others.

At Cinderella's wedding, her stepsisters are blinded. The Baker's Wife appears, very pregnant.

The Narrator observes that everything which seemed wrong is now right. The kingdoms are filled with joy and those who deserve happiness to are certain to live long and satisfying lives. Only tenderness and laughter are foreseen forever after. As everyone congratulates themselves on their unswerving determination to get their wishes, a giant beanstalk emerges from the ground and stretches to heaven. No one notices it.

Act Two

As in the opening of Act I, we discover three structures. The first is the castle where Cinderella lives with the Prince; the second is Jack's house which is filled with all the conveniences gold will buy; the third is the home of the Baker and his Wife, which is cluttered with nursery items.

While the characters seem content ("Prologue: So Happy"), minor disturbances are quietly disrupting the joyous scene. The Baker's Wife wants a bigger cottage and she is squabbling with her husband over the baby's care. Suddenly a huge crash is heard and their home caves in.

The Baker goes off to tell the Royal Family. The Witch, who has lost her garden in the incident, insists they will not be of any help. When the Baker stops at Jack's house he is refused help by Jack's Mother who is still angry because no one cared when she had a giant in her backyard. The Baker is granted an audience with Cinderella who seems unable to offer any concrete assistance. Despite his mother's warnings, Jack goes out to investigate.

Little Red Ridinghood stops at the Baker's. She is on her way to move in with her Grandmother because her own home was destroyed and her mother has disappeared. The Baker and his Wife offer to escort her through the woods. The birds come to lead Cinderella through the woods, warning of trouble at her mother's grave. The characters re-enter the woods "To flee the winds - To find a future - To shield - To slay - To flee - To find - To fix - To hide - To move - To battle - To see what the trouble is."

The royal brothers, Rapunzel's Prince and Cinderella's Prince, meet and again compare their problems. Rapunzel's Prince complains his wife finds it impossible to be happy because of her pain-filled upbringing. He has fallen for Snow White. Cinderella's Prince lusts after Sleeping Beauty (Reprise: "Agony").

The Baker, his Wife and child and Little Red Ridinghood are lost in the now chaotic woods. They see the Royal Family staggering down a path and learn the castle has been set upon by a giant. When the Baker reminds the Steward he tried to warn them, the Steward replies "I don't make policy, I just carry it out."

Suddenly the Giant appears and the group realizes it is the wife of the giant Jack killed. She has come to exact revenge and demands Jack be handed over to her. Since she is near-sighted, the group thinks they can substitute someone else. Everyone in the group has an idea who should be sacrificed. First they sacrifice the Narrator. When the Giant realizes he isn't the boy she's after, she destroys him and again demands Jack. Jack's Mother engages the Giant in a furious verbal battle; the Steward bashes Jack's Mother over the head to stop her from endangering everyone else and Jack's mother is fatally wounded. The Steward reveals that Jack is hiding in Rapunzel's tower. Then, hysterical, Rapunzel runs toward the Giant and is crushed. The witch mourns that this is the world she was trying to save Rapunzel from confronting ("Lament").

The group disagrees about turning Jack over to the Giant. The Royal Family, without concern for anyone else, run to another kingdom. The Baker and his Wife leave their child with Little Red Ridinghood and go off to save Jack from the Witch, who is on her way to turn him over to the Giant.

The Baker's Wife encounters Cinderella's Prince in the woods and they have a romantic encounter in a glade. The Prince is ready to forget his commitment to Cinderella, but The Baker's Wife is ambivalent ("Any Moment"). The Baker meets Cinderella next to her mother's ruined grave and invites her to join his group. The Baker's Wife realizes she has to let the moment go, but says she will never forget her time with the Prince ("Moments In The Woods"). She knows it is time for her to leave the woods, but she becomes lost, the giant appears and she is crushed.

Jack is discovered by the others. He reports the Baker's Wife is dead. Everyone blames him, but he blames the Baker for giving him the beans which set the scenario in motion ("Your Fault"). As the song evolves, everyone blames every one else. The Witch stops their accusations, declaring it's the "Last Midnight." She says everyone is looking for someone to blame, when they should look inward instead. She says "You can tend the garden. Separate and alone." She disappears as they begin to see the connections between their earlier individual actions and the current problem.

The Baker starts to leave the Woods, believing his child is better off with Cinderella than with him. Suddenly, his father, the Mysterious Man, reappears. The Baker says, "I thought you were dead." The Mysterious Man answers "Not completely. Are we ever?" The Baker cries out that the whole situation was caused by the father's invasion of the Witch's garden years before. The Mysterious Man accuses the Baker of running from his own guilt ("No More"). As his father leaves, the Baker realizes he is just like him. He decides to stay and fight alongside the others.

As the Baker, Jack, Little Red Ridinghood and Cinderella plan their attack, a flock of birds whispers to Cinderella that her prince has been unfaithful. She says she doesn't care and enlists their help to kill the Giant. As each perepares to execute the plan, the Prince reappears. Cinderella dismisses him saying, "My father's house was a nightmare. Your house was a dream. Now I want something in between."

Cinderella and the Baker try to reassure Little Red Ridinghood and Jack, who are now orphans trying to make sense of right and wrong ("No One Is Alone").

The Giant is killed and the dead in the community appear as ghosts, joining in a pronouncement of the moral lessons learned from the experience in the woods. The Baker and Cinderella become the responsible adults in a re-constituted family made up of the Baker's child, Little Red Ridinghood and Jack. The ghost of the Baker's Wife encourages him to believe in his power to raise their child without her. The Witch reappears to warn the Baker to be careful of the tales he tells his child ("Children Will Listen").

The final reprise of "Into The Woods" reminds us there will be times when each of us must journey into the woods but that we must mind the future and the past.

YOU JUST CAN'T ACT
YOU HAVE TO LISTEN
YOU CAN'T JUST ACT
YOU HAVE TO THINK.

The show ends as Cinderella says "I wish ... "

INTO THE WOODS--About the Pultizer Prize Winning Authors

The original production ran for 764 performances on Broadway and had a 17-month national tour. The original cast featured Bernadette Peters (the Witch) and Joanna Gleason (the Baker's Wife). Other Witches included Phyllicia Rashad, Nancy Dussault, Betty Buckley, Ellen Foley and Cleo Laine. Dick Cavett played the Narrator for several weeks on Broadway in 1988. There was also a much-heralded London production, which is also available as an RCA cast album. The original Broadway cast was videotaped for PBS' Great Performances" series; that show was made available on laserdisc and now on videotape.

Stephen Sondheim, one of the most influential and accomplished composer/lyricists in Broadway history, was born in New York City and raised in New York and Pennsylvania. As a teenager he met Oscar Hammerstein II, who became Sondheim's mentor. Sondheim graduated from Williams College, where he received the Hutchinson Prize for Music Composition. After graduation he studied music theory and composition with Milton Babbitt. He worked for a short time in the 1950s as a writer for the television show Topper; his first professional musical theatre job was as the songwriter for the unproduced musical Saturday Night. He wrote the lyrics for West Side Story (1957), Gypsy (1959) and Do I Hear A Waltz? (1965), as well as additional lyrics for Candide (1973). Musicals for which he has written both music and lyrics include A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (1962), Anyone Can Whistle (1964), Company (1970 - 1971 Tony Award Music and Best Lyrics), Follies (1971 - 1972 Tony Award Score and New York Drama Critics Circle Award; revised in London, 1987), A Little Night Music (1973 - Tony Award Score), The Frogs (1974), Pacific Overtures (1976 - New York Drama Critics' Circle Award), Sweeney Todd (1979 - Tony Award Score), Merrily We Roll Along (1981), Sunday In The Park With George (1984 - New York Drama Critics Circle Award; 1985 Pulitzer Prize for Drama), Into The Woods (1987 - Tony Award Score), Assassins (1991) and Passion (1994 - Tony Award Score). He composed the songs for the television production Evening Primrose (1966), co-authored the film The Last of Sheila (1973) and provided incidental music for The Girls of Summer (1956), Invitation to a March (1961) and Twigs (1971). Side By Side By Sondheim (1976), Marry Me A Little (1981), You're Gonna Love Tomorrow (1983; originally presented as A Stephen Sondheim Evening) and Putting It Together (1993) are anthologies of his work. He has written scores for the films Stavisky (1974) and Reds (1981), and composed songs for the film Dick Tracy (1990 - Academy Award for Best Song). He is on the Council of the Dramatist Guild, the national association of playwrights, composers and lyricists, having served as its president from 1973 until 1981, and in 1983 was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 1990 he was appointed the first Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre at Oxford University. He was also recipient of a Kennedy Center Honor in 1993.

James Lapine also collaborated with Stephen Sondheim on Sunday in the Park with George, a revised version of Merrily We Roll Along and, most recently, Passion. Mr. Lapine collaborated with William Finn on the musicals March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland, which were later presented on Broadway as Falsettos. He has written and directed the plays Luck, Pluck and Virtue; Twelve Dreams; Table Settings; and adapted Gertrude Stein's poem/play Photograph. He has also directed The Winter's Tale and A Midsummer Night's Dream for the New York Shakespeare Festival and directed the films Impromptu and Life With Mikey. His work has been recognized with Tony, Drama Desk Obie and NY Drama Critics Circle awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Sunday in the Park With George.

History & Awards of INTO THE WOODS

The original production ran for 764 performances on Broadway and had a 17-month national tour. The original cast featured Bernadette Peters (the Witch) and Joanna Gleason (the Baker's Wife). Other Witches included Phyllicia Rashad, Nancy Dussault, Betty Buckley, Ellen Foley and Cleo Laine. Dick Cavett played the Narrator for several weeks on Broadway in 1988. There was also a much-heralded London production, which is also available as an RCA cast album.
The original Broadway cast was videotaped for PBS' Great Performances" series; that show was made available on laserdisc and now on videotape.

This same team won the Pulitzer Prize for Sunday in the Park With George three years before."

"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

Highlights of Major Awards Won:

2002 Tony® Award nominee Best Revival of a Musical -- Into the Woods

2002 Tony® Award nominee Best Actor in a Musical -- John McMartin

2002 Tony® Award nominee Best Actress in a Musical -- Vanessa Williams

2002 Tony® Award nominee Best Actress in a Musical -- Vanessa Williams

2002 Tony® Award nominee Best Featured Actor in a Musical -- Greg Edelman

2002 Tony® Award nominee Best Featured Actress in a Musical -- Laura Benanti

2002 Tony® Award nominee Best Scenic Design -- Douglas W. Schmidt

2002 Tony® Award nominee Best Costume Design -- Susan Hilferty

2002 Tony® Award winner Best Lighting Design -- Brian MacDevitt

2002 Tony® Award nominee Best Choreography -- John Carrafa

2002 Tony® Award nominee Best Director of a Musical -- James Laine

2002 Drama Desk Award winner Outstanding Revival of a Musical -- Into The Woods

2002 Drama Desk Award nominee Outstanding Actress in a Musical -- Vanessa Williams

2002 Drama Desk Award nominee Outstanding Actress in a Musical -- Laura Benanti

2002 Drama Desk Award nominee Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical -- Greg Edelman

2002 Drama Desk Award nominee Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical -- Kerry O'Malley

2002 Drama Desk Award nominee Outstanding Director of a Musical -- James Lapine

2002 Drama Desk Award winner Outstanding Set Design of a Musical -- Douglas W. Schmidt

2002 Drama Desk Award nominee Outstanding Costume Design -- Susan Hilferty

2002 Drama Desk Award winner Outstanding Sound Design -- Dan Moses Schreier

1999 Olivier Award Winner Best Actress In A Musical -- Sophie Thompson
1997 Tony® Award nominee Best Costume Design -- Ann Curtis

1988 Tony® Award nominee Best Musical -- Into the Woods

1988 Tony® Award winner Best Book of a Musical -- James Lapine

1988 Tony® Award winner Best Original Score -- Stephen Sondheim

1988 Tony® Award Winner Best Actress in a Musical -- Joanna Gleason

1988 Tony® Award nominee Best Featured Actor in a Musical -- Robert Westenberg

1988 Tony® Award nominee Best Scenic Design -- Tony Straiges

1988 Tony® Award nominee Best Costume Design -- Ann Hould-Ward

1988 Tony® Award nominee Best Lighting Design -- Richard Nelson

1988 Tony® Award nominee Best Choreography -- Lar Lubovitch

1988 Tony® Award nominee Best Direction of a Musical -- James Lapine

1988 Theatre World Award winner Best Debut Performance -- Danielle Ferland

1988 Drama Desk Award nominee Outstanding Actress in a Musical -- Bernadette Peters

1988 Drama Desk Award winner Outstanding Book of a Musical -- James Lapine

1988 Drama Desk Award nominee Outstanding Costume Design -- Ann Hould-Ward

1988 Drama Desk Award nominee Outstanding Director of a Musical -- James Lapine

1988 Drama Desk Award winner Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical -- Robert Westenberg

1988 Drama Desk Award winner Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical -- Joanna Gleason

1988 Drama Desk Award winner Outstanding Lyrics -- Stephen Sondheim

1988 Drama Desk Award nominee Outstanding Music -- Stephen Sondheim

1988 Drama Desk Award nominee Outstanding Musical -- Into the Woods

1988 Drama Desk Award nominee Outstanding Orchestrations -- Jonathan Tunick

1988 Drama Desk Award nominee Outstanding Set Design -- Tony Straiges

1988 NY Drama Critics Circle Award Winner Best Musical -- Into the Woods

Your Raise Me Up...You Raise Each Other Up...You Raise the Program Up

To all of my students who do their best each day:

So many of you do such fantastic work each day. I am proud to be your teacher or to have been your teacher. Thank you for helping me celebrate what I love doing most: teaching & directing. I hope you find the following words to be a fitting tribute for your commitment, hard-work, loyalty and for carrying on our "Winning Tradition of Excellence" with such great pride.

Thank you for all the times that I forget to tell you...and, I fear, that's more often than I'd like to admit.

What I love best about this song for you is that you do it for each other so selflessly. It's wonderful to work with a group of students who care about their work, their peers, the performing arts programs and who have such great pride in our school.

Mr. M.

Drama Logo

A CHORUS LINE Hits the Front Page

A CHORUS LINE PHOTOS

The LCHS Department of Theatre continued its traditon of producing "cutting edge" theatre with its Spring 2006 production of Michael Bennett's A CHORUS LINE.

The talented student performers worked extensively to create a professional production that captured the essence of the classic American musical that took the America and the Tony's by storm in the 1970's and 1980's when the musical was given a Special Golden Tony Award as the longest running musical on Broadway.

With a challenging vocal score, incredibly complicated and demanding dance sequences and a wonderful blend of both comedy and drama, the LCHS A CHORS LINE Team nailed its performances--especially closing night by capture the spirit of the production that will reopen on Broadway in October 2006.

With an incredibly simple set, stunning lights and a dedicated cast, the LCHS production was welcomed by audiences with excitement and thanked with well-deserved "standing ovations."

Students were congratulated with emails from literally around the world. Special thanks go out to all who worked so diligently to "Continue Our Winning Tradition of Excellence."

"Why Teach Drama in Our Schools"

WHY TEACH DRAMA IN OUR SCHOOLS?

Drama is science.
Drama is mathematical.
Drama is foreign language.
Drama is history.
Drama is physical education.
Drama is language arts.
Drama is art.
Drama is business.
Drama is technology.
Drama is economics.

Drama is taught in our schools not because one is expected to major in theatre, not because one is expected to perform through life, not only so one can relax, not only so one can have fun…

Drama is taught in our schools so one will recognize beauty.

Drama is taught in our schools so one will be sensitive, so one will be closer to an infinite beyond this world, so one will have more love, more compassion, more gentleness, more good.

In short, more life.

Of what value will it be to make a prosperous living unless you know how to live?

That is why drama is taught in our schools.

LCHS Drama Production Contract

LCHS Department of Drama: Production Contract

1. Play well the part, for therein lies the glory. Give 100% of what is best about your talent, your leadership, your effort and your behavior during every rehearsal. We want you to do your best at every rehearsal. Challenge yourself to be a great team member and to contribute vocally and physically to every rehearsal and performance.

2. Do Your Homework. Your academic work should be your major focus. We also need you to meet the deadlines which have been established for the production. Failure to do so will not only let others down, it will the harm production. We will set aside a work area for students to work quietly in during rehearsals. During ALL CALLS and TECH DAYS there will be little to no-time for homework. We will work smart with our time, we need you to do that same. More than that, keep in mind that the IHSSAA's No Pass, No Play Rule is in effect. We value the other activity programs. Please make sure that you stay eligible to compete/participate next term.

3. We're Gonna FISH Every Day. We have a great cast and begun to build a nice ensemble. Let's get even more comfortable and knowledgeable of each other. Most of all let's make sure
that we (1) Play; (2) Make Someone's Day; (3) Choose Our Attitude; and (4) Be Present.

4. Please be on Time for All Rehearsals. Like in the professional world, early is on time. Please consider photo shoots, vocal warm-ups, "tech days", costume fittings, etc. Early is at least 5-10 minutes before the rehearsal is scheduled to begin or your call time on performance nights. If you should be late, enter the rehearsal or performance space quietly and respectfully as we may be in the middle of our opening talk or may be working. Please do try to be inconspicuous. We will discuss your tardy later in the rehearsal.5. Please be physically and mentally prepared to work when rehearsal begins. Please arrive soon enough to give yourself the needed amount of time to warm up mentally, vocally, and physically. Occasionally, there will be impromptu warm-ups as needed to extract an energetic performance.

6. Absence Policy.

A. SKIPS/No Show, No Call. Please inform Mr. McLaughlin or Marcy Hamsa in the Attendance Office by 7:40 of the morning of the absence. Of course, everyone has emergencies or other important previous commitments/family responsibilities and obligations. Any of these can and will be handled on a case by case basis. The reason for this rule deals with our need to plan for each rehearsal. You are important to our process. When you are absent, it affects all of us and our rehearsal plan. We want to use our time in the best way possible. If key players are missing, we may benefit by altering our rehearsal plan for the day.

Also, as we are preparing you to be successful in future activities, college activities, college classes, work during high school, any one who does not inform Mr. McLaughlin will be considered a "NO SHOW/NO CALL" or a SKIP. Please help us be successful by observing this rule that honors our shared time, our need to communicate with each other and--most importantly--our opinion to plan for success in a meaningful manner.

Other SKIPS include being absent from school with an illness, with outinforming Mr. McLaughlin or a school secretary. The reason for this deals with our need to plan for each rehearsal. You are important to our process.

One skip equals four hours of additional technical work; a second skip equals eight hours of additional technical work; the third skip will result in the actor being replaced.

See below for a great number of ways to contact Mr. McLaughlin concerning an absence.

There will be two other types of absences: EXCUSED and UNEXCUSED

B. Unexcused Absences: include work (one--possibly two--weeks after casting), non-school sponsored activities, haircuts, shopping, tanning, school activities whose meetings were scheduled after the production calendar is published. If there is a problem between activities, please contact your one of your directors who will be happy to visit with the other sponsor on your behalf. One unexcused absence will result in a verbal reminder of our policies and three hours additional technical work; the second unexcused absence will result in being removed from a production number or some element of the show and six hours of additional technical work; the third unexcused absence will result in the ensemble member being replaced. Three unexcused tardies equals one unexcused absence. Any tardy longer than 20 minutes is equal to an unexcused absence. Once again, emergencies will be handled in a reasonable manner.

7. Communication is Key.

A. The Drama Callboard. Check the main bulletin drama bulletin board in the Performing Arts Wing (between the drama room and the band room) for changes in schedule, calls for technical rehearsals, measurements, etc. at the beginning and end of each day.

B. Your Responsibility to Communicate with the Director Coordinating Attendance. Unless an emergency, leaving a last minute phone message is not appropriate or good practice for students whom we are trying to educate. In case of emergency and/or occasion which you will be absent or late from rehearsal- please communicate with Mr. McLaughlin. Mr. McLaughlin will be the coordinating director during all productions and he will be responsible for coordinating all areas of the production, scheduling, production administration, attendance and discipline. Ms. Sievers, Mr. Johnson and Mr. Walters (during the musical) are all fantastic directors. We're sure that you will treat them with respect. If for some reason you are going to miss a rehearsal (and you know it) you need to communicate that to the director verbally (and with a written reminder on an absence sheet provided Mr. McLaughlin) by 7:30 a.m. on the morning of that day at the latest. This is done to allow rescheduling as needed. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT MR. McLAUGHLIN COORDINATES ABSENCES IN ORDER TO ADJUST REHEARSAL PLANS.

Tier One Ways to communicate DIRECTLY with Mr. McLaughlin:

See Mr. McLaughlin as soon as you are aware of a conflict.

Drop my Mr. McLaughlin's room and tell him in person.

If Mr. McLaughlin is taking care of other responsibilities or unavailabe because he is addressing other professional responsibilities, leave a note on his desk or on one of the white boards in the drama room.

High School Office--366.8222
Drama Office After School Hours--366.8283
Mr. McLaughlin's Cell Phone--(712) 326-8557

School Email-- mclaughlt@lewiscentral.k12.ia.us
Home Email-- tvmclaughlin@cox.net LC Drama Blog-- http://www.lcdrama.blogspot.com
Mr. McLaughlin's Class Blog-- http://www.mclaughlinsclass.blogspot.com
Lewis Central Web-site-- http://www.lewiscentral.org

Tier Two Ways to communicate INDIRECTLY with Mr. McLaughlin:

Main School Switchboard--
366.8222 Receptionist (Mrs. Mary Knavel);
366.8322--Principal's Assistant (Mrs. Donna Elliff);
366-8227--Activities Treasurer (Charlotte Butterbaugh);
366-8245 Activities Director's Assistant (Ms. Cindy Brockman)

I do not always have the opportunity to check my voice mail. My planning period is 6th Hour for first and second term (1:45 a.m.-2:45 p.m.) and 4th Hour for third term (10:50-12:35, my lunch falls during this time as well)

EMERGENCY AFTER HOURS NUMBER:

Please use this only for emergencies. My office phone and cell phone is how I handle most calls. Please be patient as my first responsibility is to teach my students and direct. Unless an emergency, I will not take calls during classes or rehearsals on my office or cell phone.

Home phone--322.6844 I will return calls only until 9:30 p.m. If calling later is an option, you should communicate that in your voice mail. I would prefer if you used this number on weekends only or as a LAST RESORT.

School Email-- mclaughlt@lewiscentral.k12.ia.us

Home Email-- tvmclaughlin@cox.net
LC Drama Blog-- http://www.lcdrama.blogspot.com

Mr. McLaughlin's Class Blog-- http://www.mclaughlinsclass.blogspot.com

Lewis Central Web-site-- http://www.lewiscentral.org

C. Daily Announcements. Announcements in the bulletin will be used to communicate to the company and the crew. Please check the bulletin and listen to the daily announcements. If you can't hear the daily announcements, please read one of the many posted copies throughout our school. If your classroom is too noisy to hear announcements, please ask your teacher if you can listen in the hallway.

D. Please Communicate in Our Process. If you have suggestions, ideas, or complaints, come see Mr. McLaughlin immediately. Of course, timeliness is very important in the expression of these feelings. Complaints should be discussed (as will any I have) in private. IDEAS and SUGGESTIONS are almost always worthy of discussion. Please do not blurt out unsolicited suggestions or challenge one of the directors in front of the rest of the cast. In other words, use good judgment.

6. Bring Materials to Rehearsals on Time. Please bring paper and a pencil with you and wear clothing in which you feel comfortable/fits your character. Using suggestive costuming early on will help you get to know your character. There will be a required date to begin wearing character shoes, a date to bring rehearsal props and to wear suggestive costumes. These will be found in the master calendar.

7. Our Focus Belongs on Stage. Please be courteous to actors when not involved in a scene or work in progress. It's fine to have conversations but please have them in the hallways or in the commons and not in the wings of the stage. We will observe the "on-boards" rule. Please be ready to take stage when called. When not on stage (or in break) you should be working on homework, building team, relaxing quietly or on developing your character, lines, or other elements of the show.

8. Show Respect for the Rehearsal Space and Theatre. Please treat the rehearsal area with respect. No food or soft-drinks will be allowed in the Drama Room (new carpet--woo hoo!) and in the auditorium--students will leave all food & non-water drinks in the lobby. Only water bottles or cups of ice-water with lids will be allowed into the auditorium. Respect, of course, goes beyond just respect of the physical space. We have a beautiful facility and want to keep it in tip-top shape. We need you to have water during rehearsals. Keeping your throat in great condition and your brain watered (I know it sounds silly) are important. Also, please eat in a healthy manner. Food is the fuel that will drive your rehearsals and performances.

9. Use Only Your Props. Please do not play with the rehearsal or final properties. PLEASE DON'T PLAY WITH OR TOUCH A PROP WHICH IS NOT YOURS--EVEN THE BEST-INTENTIONED EFFORTS CAUSE PROBLEMS OCCASSIONALLY. Further, unless using the prop in rehearsal or performance- make sure it is where it belongs and placed back where it belongs after using it. PROPS SHOULD BE RETURNED TO THE PROP TABLE FOLLOWING A REHEARSAL OR SHOW. If you are caught tampering/handling another actor�s property, we will have you join our props crew (responsible for cleaning, storage, maintenance, etc. of the props).

10. Code of Conduct. No team member is bigger than the production. Partying and any other violation of the code of conduct will jeopardize the show. Your actions impact others, so be responsible. The Rules and Regulations, Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics exist because they are proven correlates to success, we value them and our school system values them. They will be enforced equitably to all students and adults.

11. Ask Questions if You Don't Know. Feel free to ask questions at appropriate times. This is how the process and show will evolve and grow. I, of course, will not be the answer person. Part of the joy of theatre is collaboration (self and group discovery), which is just as important as what I think. However, a show (at a certain point) can not be directed by committee. Thus, final decisions will have to be chosen by one objective eye: mine. Be cautious, then, about the suggestions you force upon others. Most times it is offensive to a fellow artist to impose your interpretation upon them.

12. Be Good to Yourself. To get better we all must be open to constructive coaching. Don�t beat yourself up. The coaching that is given in rehearsal is meant to make you better, not meant to make you question yourself. View the director's comments as a way to grow- not a reason to regress.

13. No One is Above Our Rules. Teams have rules for a reason and they apply to everyone on the team. Mr. McLaughlin reserves the right to, if ANY BREACH of these rules occurs, ask anyone to leave the ensemble. Mr. McLaughlin

14. Until We Open, You are an Ambassador for Our Show. All teams have great, average and even bad rehearsals. We don't want to give away too much of the show too early. What you say about our process and each other in front of others affect the show. This is good "pre-professional" practice for you. Know that what happens in these four walls stays here. Comments, which you make about the production, are positive in nature both within the theatre and outside the theatre. Do everything you can do give the show good press.

15. Take Care of Your Voice. If placed on vocal rest, you will follow the constraints which Mr. McLaughlin, Ms. Sievers or Mr. Johnson places upon you. This will include limited talking, no screaming, exclusion of caffeine from the diet, exclusion of carbonation from the diet, etc. Please inform us if your voice is getting "rough." We will be teaching you how to support your voice. Please make sure that you do your best to learn and practice this.

16. A Team Includes Everyone, Including the Coaches. Let's do our best to make sure everyone in included. Cliques cannot be tolerated during rehearsal time or within a team; they are counter-productive. WE ARE ONE BIG TEAM. THE BIGGER THE TEAM NUMBERS THE HARDER WE MUST WORK TO BE A TEAM.

17. An Actors Job is to Act. Actors will not direct other actors. Please only solicit suggestions when you are asked to provide them. Let other actor's take the time to decide and process.

18. Our Code of Ethics is a Part of Our Rules. Read the CODE OF ETHICS and respect the guidelines set down in that document. Many seem second nature. That's great if they do. If they seem cliche- remember, the reason that cliches are cliches is that they contain a nugget of truth.

19. Listen and Watch.

20. Physical Appearance and Hair. Please do not drastically change your physical appearance or hair without visiting with Mr. McLaughlin. Hair styles in productions need to adhere to the style and cut of the period.

COMPANY AMMENDMENTS:

I acknowledge that these rules have been explained to me and I understand each rule and the consequences for violating these rules. I understand by signing this document that I am bound to the rules and regulations in these documents. I also understand the consequences outlined for poor behavior, absences, lack of effort, etc. I understand that the consequences for violating any one or more of these rules may result in my suspension or replacement.
Director's signatures:

Tom McLaughlin, Director of Drama/Coordinating Director Date