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The Performing Arts Department Captivates With Whimsical and Engaging Musical Production of “Into the Woods

The Performing Arts Department at Tallulah Falls School captivated the audience with a whimsical and engaging production of the musical “Into the Woods.” 

"Into the Woods," by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, weaves together several classic fairy tales, including Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel, into a unified story. The plot follows a baker and his wife who are cursed by a witch. To break the curse, they must journey into the woods. Along the way, they encounter various fairy tale characters and discover that the consequences of their wishes are often unexpected.

Cast members, including TFS upper school teachers Liz Barraco and Stephanie Stuefer, kept the audience entertained as the plot took unexpected twists and turns. 

Barraco played Cinderella’s wicked stepmother. "More so than any other play I have participated in, there were so many deeply collaborative scenes that required us all to be on point and pitch," she said. "It was an experiment in trust and required 100% from everyone.”

Director Jonathan Roberts explained that it is the most significant and challenging body of work he has taken on. “We had a group of actors that we knew could do it; however, it was quite a puzzle to put together and shift our cast into their roles,” he said. “The cast learned to work together and build off of each other to create a great show. They stretched themselves beyond what they thought they were capable of doing.” 

The cast consisted of several seasoned performers as well as multiple new additions. Senior Caroline Smith played Rapunzel. “I am typically cast as the shy, quiet, sweet character everyone loves because of how sweet she is. However, Rapunzel was not that by any means,” said Smith. “I was able to step out of my comfort zone by acting a little bit and experimenting with something new. To get into character, I would think about how Rapunzel felt in the scene, whether wistful or insane.”  

In her first performance with TFS Performing Arts, freshman Emma Ivester played one of the wicked stepsisters. “Everyone was supportive and very kind, and it was a great environment to work in,” she said. “Being in this production helped me learn more about teamwork, and that for something to be truly great, everyone has to put their time and effort into it. I believe that we did that.”

With twenty-five characters and complicated musical scores, this show differed from other TFS performances. “It was the hardest show we have ever done,” said sophomore Olivia Bonner, who played Jack’s mother. “It required so much work and time, but the show taught me to learn that I am much stronger than I imagined.” 

Cast and crew members included Katie Anderson, Allison Bailey, Liz Barraco, Olivia Bonner, Abigail Bray, Jamie Griffith, Gracie Gunter, Emma Ivester, Jewels Kennedy, Isabella McClain, Jo Newell, Grayson Penland, Cowen Perry, Stella Radford, Parker Seaman, Caroline Smith, Stephanie Stuefer, Lily Turpin, Rylee Vandiver, Lizzy Wanner, Joss Webber, Linda White, Jack Wiese, Lucas Woodland, and  Allison York.

See more pictures here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCdZGz.