Buena Vista University Theatre to Present "Into the Woods"

April 23, 2015

Buena Vista University Theatre is presenting the musical "Into the Woods" by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine for its spring theatre performance, taking place April 24-25 and May 1-2 at 7:30 p.m., and April 26 at 2 p.m. in Schaller Memorial Chapel on the BVU campus.

Tickets for the play can be reserved online at www.bvu.edu/tickets or by calling the BVU Theatre Hotline at 712.749.2211. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens and may be picked up at the door before the performance.

BVU's production of "Into the Woods" will be directed by Dr. Bethany Larson, associate professor of theatre, with technical direction by David Grant Walker, assistant professor of theatre, and musical direction by Dr. Merrin Guice, assistant professor of vocal music.

"Into the Woods" is a musical that brings together some classic fairytale stories including Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood and more. Each of the characters wish for their lives to be different and venture into the woods to get their wish. However, as the show progresses, they begin to learn the consequences of wishes coming true.

According to Dr. Bethany Larson, "BVU's production of 'Into the Woods' reimagines the world of the play so that the magic of storytelling is a way to cope with the childhood fears of not fitting in and not measuring up, creating a world that affirms that no one is alone."

The cast and crew of "Into the Woods" is made up of BVU students including:

• Stage Manager – Miranda Hoffman, a junior vocal music performance major from Missouri Valley
• Assistant Stage Manager – Abigail Daly, a sophomore computer science-systems track major from Waukee
• Company Manager – Samantha Hirschman, a junior corporate communication major from Cherokee
• Assistant Music Director – Tiffany Brauckman, a junior arts management and instrumental music major from Atlantic

• Narrator – Kyle Wiebers, a sophomore psychology and criminology and criminal justice major from Cedar Falls
• Cinderella – Nicole Boysen, a senior English major from Danbury
• Jack – Jacob Amhof, a junior music production and technology and vocal music performance major from Fort Dodge
• Jack's Mother – Alyssa Kragelund, a sophomore business major from Anita
• Baker – Matthew Schulz, a sophomore theatre major from Waverly
• Baker's Wife – Madeleine McCormick, a freshman digital media major from Huxley
• Cinderella's Stepmother – Mackenzie Mauntler, a junior graphic design and visual communication major from Glenville, Minnesota
• Florinda – Kathryn Phillips, a junior psychology major from Norwalk
• Lucinda – Molly Williams, a sophomore social work major from Milan, Illinois
• Cinderella's Father – Austin Adamson, a sophomore computer science-information technology track major from Indianola
• Little Red Riding Hood – Claire Boston, a junior theatre and digital media major from Cedar Rapids
• Witch – Bailey Dean, a senior theatre and vocal music performance major from Ankeny
• Cinderella's Mother – Kathryn Baldwin, a freshman vocal music education major from Shenandoah
• Mysterious Man – Luke Hastie, a sophomore criminology and criminal justice major from Indianola
• Wolf 1 – Justice Kempf, a junior digital media and graphic design and visual communication major from Storm Lake
• Wolf 2 – Spencer Bottorff, a sophomore digital media major from Dakota City, Nebraska
• Granny – Emily Johnson, a junior digital media major from Storm Lake
• Rapunzel – Megan Coats, a sophomore vocal music education major from Sac City
• Rapunzel's Prince – Stephen Condon, a senior vocal music performance, theatre and arts management-music major from Barnum
• Cinderella's Prince – Austin Delp, a senior theatre major from Alta
• Steward – Colin Hansen, a sophomore business-human resource management concentration major from Winside, Nebraska
• Sleeping Beauty – Katalina Ford, a junior digital media major from Piqua, Ohio
• Snow White – Rosalind Russell, a freshman biology and political science major from Rochester, Minnesota
• Milky White – Jennifer Van Oort, a junior communication studies major from Spirit Lake