Into the intricacies of “Into the Woods”

Contributed photo Two of the cast members for "Into the Woods" pose for a promotional photo.

Contributed photo Two of the cast members for "Into the Woods" pose for a promotional photo.

Troy University’s theatre and dance departments’ production of “Into the Woods” has been in full swing since early January, with opening night fast approaching. The Tropolitan was given an inside look at one of the final few rehearsals before that big first show for a (spoiler-free) preview.

“Into the Woods” is a 1987 musical retelling of multiple Brothers Grimm fairy tales, tying together each story into a cohesive plotline. It is one of the many acclaimed works of Stephen Sondheim and has since won multiple Tonys and received a Disney film adaptation in 2014.

“A lot of students haven’t done a Sondheim show yet,” said Tori Lee Averett, the department chair and associate professor of the Theatre and Dance department, and director of “Into the Woods.” “Everyone is doing multiple things, from performing to moving around set pieces, to puppeteering.

"From my perspective, casting is very difficult because it's about education, not just performance. I want everyone to have an equal opportunity.”

The show itself has masterful sets and costumes done by theatre and dance students, and even a live orchestra for the performers to sing along to.

This production began last semester when the department worked on design concepts, which were finalized at the beginning of this semester.

“Everything has been steadily coming together since the cast list has come out,” said Maggie Scarbrough, a junior theatre major from Thomasville, Alabama and stage crew manager.

Performers like John Ingram, a junior theatre major from Bainbridge, Georgia who plays the role of the Narrator, have been rehearsing since the cast list was revealed in January.

Since then, they have been in rehearsal honing in on the production.

“Overall, this is a very difficult show to put on,” Ingram said. “It combines all these stories together in very unexpected ways and it’s navigating the complexities that has been a struggle but also a very rewarding experience for our cast.”

The spring musical is typically a hit for the Department of Theatre and Dance, and the cast and crew of “Into the Woods” expect nothing less for this one. The show will be running for two weekends, from April 18 to April 21, and then again from April 25 to April 28.

“The show takes a bunch of turns, it’s fun and funny, it can be dramatic and dark, it is poignant,” Averett said. “Come ready to play and use your imagination.”