Can it be done??!!

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Can it be done??!!

Posted: 2/10/04 at 9:33pm

My high school is about to attempt to put on Into The Woods. My question to you is: do you think that there is any hope that a high school can pull off a decent ITW performance? keep in mind that our drama department gets absolutely no funding, and we are getting a proffesional band, and we have a professional set designer working for us. i know that we have at least three strong females, and one strong tenor and three strong baritones. What are our chances????

and yes, all you H-B people, yours was amazing. jordan, it was a musical orgasm.

"We ought to make the pie higher." --George W. Bush, South Carolina Republican Debate; February 15, 2000

re: Can it be done??!!

Posted: 2/10/04 at 9:36pm

My middle school is putting on Into the Woods, Jr. for the spring (auditions on thursday...fun...), but I understand that to only be the first act. The second act is a lot darker.

re: Can it be done??!!

Posted: 2/10/04 at 9:39pm

It depends on the high school--and the production staff. I've seen marvelous high school productions of difficult works (including a splendid SWEENEY TODD), however the school I'm presently working in can't even do staged readings properly. (They tried doing THE WIZ a few years ago, but the girl who was cast as Dorothy started showing her pregnancy and the production was canceled.)

"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)

re: Can it be done??!!

Posted: 2/10/04 at 9:40pm

My answer would be yes. I directed the music and accompanied a production of ITW at a VERY small high school with a limited number of men. Our two princes COULD NOT sing...please don't think this is horrible, but the director decided to make Agony a rap...it ended up being pretty hysterical. Was the show Broadway? no, but thanks to A LOT of hard work, the audience truly enjoyed it. One neat thing (I thought) our director did was to have crew dress up as characters from other fairytales...they popped out from behind trees, etc. holding numbers with the number of items, and at various other times (like to bring Cinderella kleenex at the grave. Plus, they moved scenery. It sounds like as long as the strong voices can act, you will be ok. Have Fun!

re: re: Can it be done??!!

Posted: 2/10/04 at 9:41pm

Into the Woods is a great show to be done by High Schoolers. It is a simple set. Yes, the music is difficult, but it sounds like you have the right people to fill the tough roles...The show is so much fun, and it makes it easy since it is a relatively small cast! MY ADVICE: Most likely your community doesn't know much about the show ITW, so I would try and do a TON of publicity to get the word out there! There is nothing more dissapointing than walking onstage to an empty house...

From the sounds of things I think you guys will do a fine job...Good-luck!!!!:

re: re: Can it be done??!!

Posted: 2/10/04 at 9:42pm

Choirboy- yes it can be done. Into The Woods doesn't have to have a wonderful set, it can work with a high school budget. My warning would be this: the music is pretty difficult stuff to learn. The rhythms are tricky in a lot of places. Hearing the cast recording makes it sound easy but I can assure you the musical director has their job cut out for them. Hopefully some of the cast will have some music background. The show can definitely work though. We did it when I was in high school. It turned out wonderful. Good luck to you.

re: re: re: Can it be done??!!

Posted: 2/10/04 at 9:59pm

Last year a fairly small private school here in Houston did ITW and managed to win a Best Ensemble award in the Tommy Tune Awards (a local program that honors high school musicals), so it is definitely possible to do this show at the high school level.

I say dive in and have a great time in the process.

Zack

Pass it on - Take a kid to a show.

re: re: re: re: Can it be done??!!

Posted: 2/10/04 at 10:06pm

Choirboy, Im sure that your high school can pull it off...I know that there is some talent there, and even if there is no funding, you guys always manage to put on a good show!!!

me

say the word...and i just might listen...

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Posted: 2/10/04 at 10:11pm

I musically directed Into the Woods once too. And it can be done by high schoolers. Yes, it's hard, but I thought of it as a giant puzzle. I taught them to count properly and listen for clues in the underscoring. If you are with a group of performers who take the project seriously, it may not turn out to be as hard as it seems.

"Gif me the cobra jool!"

#10

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Posted: 2/10/04 at 10:11pm

Double post. Sorry all.

"Gif me the cobra jool!"

Updated On: 2/10/04 at 10:11 PM

#11

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Posted: 2/10/04 at 10:15pm

I agree with all of the above..
tech wise, the show is done on a unit set really.. bring some new things in at different times, but essentially teh same through out.. as far as casting, as has been said, it varies greatly, you need a few strong singers, many others can get by as strong actors with passable voices.. Sondheim is MUCH more about teh acting in many cases.. Elaine Strich in Company anyone?

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