Audiences will have four chances to witness the Slippery Rock University Theatre Department’s production of “Into the Woods.” This Tony Award-winning musical has become a modern classic since it first hit the stage in 1987, captivating audiences for almost four decades with its tale of wishes, family and the choices people make, all told through the entangled stories of characters from the Brothers Grimm’s fairytales.
Performances will take place in the Performing Arts Center Miller Theater at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 21, Nov. 22 and Nov. 23 and 2 p.m. on Nov. 23. Tickets are $12 for students and $15 for general admission. Tickets can be obtained at sru.edu/tickets or in-person at the ticket counter up to one hour before each performance.
“Into the Woods” is directed by Aaron Galligan-Stierle, an SRU associate professor of theatre, with Sophia Condit, a senior acting major from Bonita Springs, Florida, serving as associate director and Jack Lloyd, a senior acting major from Oak Ridge, Tennessee (Oak Ridge HS) serving as choreographer.
“This is a story about pursuing your own goals and wishes and dreams,” said Lloyd. “But what the characters learn is that true fulfillment comes from connection with others. It’s about individual success versus the survival of the community.”
Through the process of working on this show, Condit and Lloyd both focused on themes of community and the impact that choices that people make have on those around them, not just in their immediate circles, but in their towns, nation and the world at large.
“I hope that when they see the show, people will be reminded of the value of community. We live in a very individualistic culture, so it’s easy to lose track of that,” Condit said.
In addition to moving meditations on choice and consequence and community and individual success, audiences will also be treated to sword fighting, the largest orchestra that SRU has ever had for a musical, and state-of-the-art theatrical effects to take this beloved piece to a new level in a way that only SRU Theatre is capable of.
The cast includes:
- Madelyn Buffone, a junior acting major from Ernest (Marion Center HS) as Witch.
- Adam Fox, a senior acting major from Jersey Shore (Jersey Shore HS) as Baker.
- McKenna Cover, a junior acting major from Lakewood, Colorado (Develyn HS) as Baker’s Wife.
- Lydia Alkinburgh, a junior acting major from Marietta (Pennsylvania Leadership Charter HS) as Cinderella.
- Peyton Houston, a senior acting major from Oviedo, Florida (Paul J. Haggerty HS) as Little Red Riding Hood.
- Jaden Mabin, a sophomore acting major from New Brighton (New Brighton HS) as Jack.
- Sofie Marino, a senior acting major from Sugar Land, Texas (William P. Clements HS) as Jack’s Mother.
- Joseph Digney, a junior acting major from Marysville, Ohio (Marysville HS) as Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince.
- Sean Kelly, a sophomore acting major from Indiana (Indiana HS) as Rapunzel’s Prince.
- Evan Jarvis, a sophomore acting major from Ormond Beach, Florida (Spruce Creek HS) as Cinderella’s Stepmother.
- Rachel Lewiski, a senior acting major from Chester Springs (Pennsylvania Leadership Charter HS) as Florinda.
- Courtney O’Reilly, a junior acting major from Plano, Texas (Plano HS) as Lucinda.
- Connor McCracken, a sophomore acting major from New Brighton (New Brighton HS) as Mysterious Man.
- Mycah Harris, a freshman acting major from Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts HS) as Narrator.
- Hailey Rodgers, a sophomore acting major from Aurora, Colorado (Chaparral HS) as Rapunzel.
- Lily Joseph, a junior acting major from Oviedo, Florida (Paul J. Hagerty HS) as Cinderella’s Mother, understudyunderstudy Witch, understudyunderstudy Rapunzel.
- Cam Sims, a junior acting major from Williamsport (Williamsport HS) as Steward.
- Adele Baldina, a sophomore acting major from Raleigh, North Carolina (Leesville Road HS) as Grandmother.
- Tristan Smith, a junior acting major from West Seneca, New York (West Seneca HS) as Cinderella’s Father, understudyunderstudy Baker, understudy Rapunzel’s Prince.
- Zoie Wade, a senior acting major from Plano, Texas (Booker T. Washington HS) as Milky White.
- Julia Nurenberg, a sophomore acting major from Granger, Indiana (Penn HS) as Giant, understudy Cinderella’s Mother.
- Sabrina Cancelliere, a freshman acting major from Churchville (Council Rock South HS) as Puppeteer.
- Belle Trask, a junior acting major from Murphy, Texas (Plano East HS) as Snow White.
Understudies include:
- Maddie Kesler, a junior acting major from Brambleton, Virginia (Rock Ridge HS) as understudy Baker’s Wife.
- Addyson Lundquist, a freshman acting major from Marengo, Ohio (Highland HS) as understudy Cinderella.
- Elena Rupp, a sophomore acting major from Bloomington, Indiana (Chicago HS for Arts) as understudy Little Red.
- Max Milligan, a sophomore acting major from Pittsburgh (Shaler HS) as understudy Jack.
- Jamilah Turner, a freshman acting major from Denton, Texas (John H. Guyer HS) as understudy Jack’s Mother.
- Connor Hesch, a freshman acting major from Buffalo, New York (Amherst Central HS) as understudy Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince.
- Nick Cox, a sophomore acting major from Alden, New York (St. Mary’s HS) as understudy Cinderella’s Stepmother.
- Hope Johnson, a sophomore acting major from Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts HS) as understudy Lucinda, understudy Florinda.
- Liam Webster, a sophomore acting major from DuBois (Brockway HS) as understudy Narrator, understudy Mysterious Man, understudy Steward, understudy Cinderella’s Father.
- Katelynn Handa, a junior acting major from Pittsburgh (Westinghouse Arts Academy HS) as understudy Milky White.
- Miri Elise (Miriam Shrivastava), a senior acting major from Mason, Ohio (William Mason HS) as understudy Grandmother, understudy Snow White, understudy Sleeping Beauty, understudy Giant.
The creative team includes:
- Sophia Condit, a senior acting major from Bonita Springs, Florida, as Associate Director
- Ellie Weaver, a sophomore acting major from Mechanicsburg (Mechanicsburg HS) as Assistant Director.
- Brittany Walsh, a freshman theatre major from Waterford as Stage Manager.
- Mallory Lohnes, a freshman theatre major from Lakewood, New York (Southwestern Central HS) as Assistant Stage Manager.
- Mirico Alexander, a freshman theatre major from Washington, D.C. (Woodrow Wilson HS) as Assistant Stage Manager.
- Sam Hollerman, a freshman acting major from Murrysville (Franklin Regional HS) as Rehearsal Assistant Stage Manager.
- Lincoln Sandham as Music Director.
- Dominico Reyes as Associate Music Director.
- Jack Lloyd, a senior acting major from Oak Ridge, Tennessee (Oak Ridge HS) as Choreographer.
- Hope Johnson, a sophomore acting major from Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts HS) as Dance Captain.
- Julie Nurenberg, a sophomore acting major from Granger, Indiana (Penn HS), as Dance Captain, First Hand, Scene Ship Assistant and Costume Shop Assistant.
- Aaron Galligan-Stierle as Intimacy Director.
- Maddie Kesler, a junior acting major from Brambleton, Virginia (Rock Ridge HS) as Dramaturg.
- Michael Boone as Scenic Designer and Technical Director.
- Kat Larrick, a junior acting major from Ewa Beach, Hawaii (Wakefield HS) as Assistant Scenic Designer, Sound Designer and Scene Shop Assistant.
- Isaac Smith, a senior theatre major from Edinboro (General McLane HS) as Lighting Designer.
- Rebecca Morrice as Costume Designer.
- Mary Hodson as Costume Coordinator.
- Miri Elise, a senior acting major from Mason, Ohio (William Mason HS) as Assistant Costume Designer and Costume Shop Assistant.
- Hailey Rodgers, a sophomore acting major from Aurora, Colorado (Chaparral HS) as Wig Designer.
- Alex Barnhart as Sound Designer and Assistant Technical Director.
- Giovanni Clark, a junior acting major from Beaver Falls (Beaver Falls HS) as Assistant Sound Designer.
- Lee Spark, a senior theatre major from Cranberry Township, as Propmaster.
- Samantha Kuchta as Scenic Charge Artist.
- Madeline Roell, a senior theatre major from Clarendon, as Stage/Props Crew.
- Faith Evans, a freshman acting major from Pittsburgh (North Hills HS), as Stage/Props Crew.
- Cole Trieste, a freshman acting major from Pittsburgh (Thomas Jefferson HS), as Stage/Props Crew.
- Liam Kilbourn, a sophomore acting major from Coraopolis (West Allegheny HS), as Stage/Props Crew,
- Hermes Johns, a sophomore acting major from Lusby, Maryland (Patuxent HS), as Stage/Props Crew,
- Ryan Mounteer, a senior theatre major from Sewickley (North Allegheny HS), as Fly Operator and Scene Ship Assistant.
- Volt Ouroboros, a freshman theatre major from Lawrenceburg, Tennessee (The Farm School), as Wardrobe Crew and Costume Shop Assistant.
- Rosie McKernan, a freshman acting major from Warriors Mark (Tyrone HS), as Wardrobe Crew.
- Jade Bennett, a senior English writing major from Slippery Rock (Reynolds HS), as Wardrobe Crew.
- Addison Rogers, a freshman acting major from Oviedo, Florida (Oviedo HS), as Wardrobe Crew.
- Abigaile Butler, a freshman strategic communications and media major from Saxonburg (Knoch HS), as Wardrobe Crew.
- Adyson Gedrich, a freshman acting major from Farmington Hills, Michigan (North Farmington HS), as Wardrobe Crew.
- Brady Domingos, a sophomore theatre major from Carlisle (Central Dauphin East HS), as Light Board Op.
- Julia Beene, a freshman modern languages and cultures major from Jeannette (Penn-Trafford HS), as Sound Board Op.
- Meghan Parisi, a senior dance major from Churchville, New York (Churchville-Chili HS), as Spotlight Op.
- Rowan Wilken, a freshman acting major from Oceanside, New York (Oceanside HS),as Spotlight Op,
- Daniel Haubenreich, a senior acting major from Lindenhurst, New York (Lindenhurst HS), as Scene Shop Assistant.
- Akira Newman, a junior theatre major from Cranberry Township (Seneca Valley HS), as Scene Shop Assistant.
- Katelynn Handa, a junior acting major from Pittsburgh (Westinghouse Arts Academy HS), as Scene Shop Assistant.
- Avery Dunn, a senior exercise science pre athletic training major from Swarthmore (Ridley HS), as Scene Shop Assistant.
- Lily Connor, a junior secondary social studies and history education major from Canonsburg (Lincoln Park HS), as Scene Shop Assistant.
- Tyler Pritts, a sophomore electrical and computer engineering major from Prospect (Slippery Rock HS), as Scene Shop Assistant.
- Zane Kent, a senior management major from McKeesport (South Allegheny HS), as Scene Shop Assistant.
- Emma Hess, a sophomore theatre major from Jersey Shore (Jersey Shore HS), as Scene Shop Assistant.
- Delaney Dzeskewicz, a sophomore theatre major from Jeannette (Hempfield HS), as Scene Shop Assistant.
- Anna Counihan, a senior strategic communications and media major from Bethel Park (Bethel Park HS), as Scene Shop Assistant.
- Alexa Rivero, a senior art major from Uniontown (Laurel Highlands HS) as Scene Shop Assistant.
- Paja Clark, a sophomore acting major from Haymarket, Virginia (Charles J. Colgan HS), as Scene Shop Assistant.
- Sydney Korpusik, a sophomore acting major from Daytona, Ohio (Centerville HS), as Scene Shop Assistant.
- Julia Nurenberg, a sophomore acting major from Granger, Indiana (Penn HS), as Costume Shop Assistant.
- Ari Mitchell, a senior acting major from Baltimore, Maryland (Baltimore School for the Arts HS), as Costume Shop Assistant.
- Zoie Wade, a senior acting major from Plano, Texas (Booker T. Washington HS), as Costume Shop Assistant.
- Belle Trask, a junior acting major from Murphy, Texas (Plano East HS), as Costume Shop Assistant.
- Anaysia Mitchell, a senior marketing major from McKees Rocks (City Charter HS), as Costume Shop Assistant.
- Breydi Johnson, a freshman theatre major from Wilmerding (East Allegheny HS), as Costume Shop Assistant.
- Rissa Williams, a sophomore acting major from Allison Park (ittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts HS), as Costume Shop Assistant.
- Ray Martini, a sophomore dance major from Center Valley (Lehigh Valley Charter HS ), as Costume Shop Assistant.
The orchestra includes:
- Lincoln Sandham as Conductor.
- Brooke Jordan, a senior music education major from New Castle (Wilmington HS), on Flute.
- Lamont Williams, a junior music performance major from Pittsburgh (Sto-Rox HS), on Clarinet.
- Emmie Wingrove, a junior music performance major from Uniontown (Laurel Highlands HS), on Bassoon.
- Janelle Sawaya, a sophomore music therapy major from Kemmerer, Wyoming (Kemmerer HS), on Horn 1.
- Kaylee Zimmerman, a senior music therapy major from Langhorne (Neshaminy HS), on Horn 2.
- Patrick Bennett, a senior cybersecurity major from West Mifflin (West Mifflin HS), on Trumpet.
- Chrystal Sircely, a senior music education major from McKees Rocks (Sto-Rox HS), on Percussion.
- Nate Presutti, a senior music education major from Clinton (West Allegheny HS), on Piano.
- Dominico Reyes on Synth.
- Jiddu Vega on Violin 1.
- Andrew Giordano on Violin 2.
- Taine Garcia on Viola.
- Tyler Belak, a sophomore music education major from Server (Knoch HS), on Cello.
- Riley Zimmerman on Bass.
For more information about theatre programs at SRU, visit the Theatre Department’s webpage.
