OBHS Students Wow Audience with Into the Woods

By Stefanie Sadocha

Into the Woods made its Oyster Bay debut the weekend of March 6th. The annual production was directed by Ms. Teriann Chiappardi and Ms. Jaclyn Allgier and produced by Oyster Bay's own Mr. Anthony Femino

​Into the Woods is the enchanting story of a baker, played by Torin Aebly, and his wife, played by Colette Kilfoil, who must venture 'Into the Woods' to undo an evil spell that keeps them from having a child. The Witch, played by Ava Aschettino, tells the couple that they must find a cow as white as milk, hair as yellow as corn, a cape as red as blood, and a golden slipper, all in three days, in order to undo the spell. 

Additionally, all of the characters must come together to stop a giant from destroying their kingdom. These characters include Little Red, played by Anabella Ballone, Cinderella, played by Grace McKenna, Jack (and the Beanstalk), played by Sam Lingen, and Rapunzel, played by Lauren Swezey, among others.

​This year's cast gave stellar performances all around, and each student was able to embody his or her character well. Junior Ava Aschettino reveals, "Theater has made me a much more confident person. I feel more comfortable with who I am, especially when playing a character like the Witch. Playing her made me step way out of my comfort zone, and she has taught me so much about myself."
Of course, the musical would not be a success without the music. The pit band was conducted by Ms. Brenda Murphy and included students from grades 10-12, along with professional musicians. The pit band rehearsed each week, tackling the challenging music. As opening night quickly approached, the entire cast and pit band rehearsed together for long hours.

The stage crew was also vital to the show’s successful performance. Directed by Ms. Maria Randazzo, the crew creates the set and manages lighting and sound. The stage crew is responsible for following the script in order to perfect the sound effects, the curtain, and all the details in between.

Stage Manager Rebecca Keller reveals, “We are responsible for every little detail, and it is a strong effort to line the lights, sounds and everything else in between up with the cast and pit.”

This year's set was particularly impressive, specifically Rapunzel's tower, where Lauren Swezey wowed the audience with her spectacular vocal cords. Lauren reveals, "It was a lot of hard work, requiring an abundance of focus and perseverance.
However, the outcome is worth it in the end." 

Students and staff tackled a challenging production this year and executed it beautifully. Congratulations to the cast, crew and pit band on a wonderful performance!

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