INTO THE WOODS

SMHS hosts spring musical of former Broadway show

Ever wonder what happens on the other side of “happily ever after?” San Marcos High School invited the public to find out with its annual spring musical “Into the Woods,” a musical featuring a series of somewhat twisted fairy tales exploring what happens after all their dreams come true.

“Into the Woods,” originally a Broadway musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, is an inter-departmental endeavor that includes the work of the San Marcos High School band, orchestra, theater, choir, construction, fashion design and cosmetology departments. Underway since October when auditions officially began, the students and teachers involved have been hard at work preparing for opening night.

“This is a project that has brought together a lot of outside departments, not just theater,” Technical Director Emily Rohrman said.

During last week’s dress rehearsal, Rohrman and her fellow directors and stage crew relayed messages via radio to assist with the full-cast run through with wigs, props, set pieces, lighting and costumes, including a cow puppet called Milky White. “One student — a freshman named Jada Lopez — designed three of the major costumes: The witch, Cinderella and Rapunzel. Everything else was designed by Alex Cruz and Alex Villalpando. The construction department built our bridge set. The cosmetology department will be there every performance to help the kids get into wigs and makeup.”

While the cast ran through the songs in rehearsal, the orchestra and band students in the pit, under the direction of Peyton Grover along with vocal directors Mackenzie Powell, Andrew McNair, Brigitte Smith and Dawn Sheridan-Reinhuber, played through the score. Theater teacher and director Tommie Jackson guided the production along, stopping to repeat as needed so that all of the actors understood their cues. The student cast, musicians and stage hands interacted with seamless professionalism, bringing excitement and energy to what appeared to an outside view to be a glittering, organized, welloiled machine.

“A lot of people don’t know that this is the same version they do on Broadway,” Rohrman said. “It’s the same work that’s done at a professional level. Theater teaches you how to work with easy people and how to work with difficult people. It also teaches you how to become the person who is easy to work with.”

In addition to the high caliber of the performers, the costumes and set pieces clearly stand out.

“The tech gives the students the opportunity to display their work and take on leadership roles where they learn about telling someone, ‘This is what I want. This is what I would like to see done with it,’” Rohrman said. “And if it doesn’t work, they can ask how they can fix it.”

Of course, no amount of practice and planning can account for every potential snare, and that was the case for “Into the Woods.” Last week’s inclement weather caused a week’s delay for the opening curtain, putting to test the old stage adage, “The show must go on.”

However, the San Marcos high school students and teachers put the additional time to good use, making them even more prepared to take the stage this Friday. And although the public is invited, Rohrman does offer a caution for younger audience members.

“We authorize this production for children aged 13 and up,” Rohrman said. “The second act, it gets a little dark.”

“Into the Woods,” opens Friday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m., with performances on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 2 and 7 p.m. and a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee on Jan. 28. Tickets are $10 and are available online at smcisd.net/ Page/5092.