PHS brings 'Into the Woods' to life

PALMER — With performances running through this weekend and again next weekend, “Into The Woods” at Palmer High has a lot of lead parts and very few supporting roles.

That’s just the way the musical is structured. Stephen Sondheim, who wrote the Broadway production, took a handful of fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm and mashed them all together.

Which is why you wind up with Little Red Riding Hood sharing the stage with Jack from “Jack and the Beanstalk” and Cinderella.

Stan Harris, music director for the play and a teacher at Palmer High School where it’s being performed, said he needed a play that could accommodate a very deep talent pool.

“I had a lot of experienced and really talented seniors,” Harris said. “I needed a large musical.”

But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a challenge. Palmer High doesn’t have the largest of stages. Fitting all that action into the space was difficult. And, with spring break, the usual eight weeks needed to rehearse a musical were reduced to six.

With so many parts, and all of them singing, Harris said the people running the soundboard are dealing with 20 microphones at once.

You wouldn’t know it to watch the show, though, which at Wednesday’s dress rehearsal was running about as smooth as a play can.

Nancy Means, who plays The Witch, certainly belongs in that category, Harris said of the experienced and talented senior. This is her eighth Palmer High School production.

She revels in playing the villain in this story. Well, that’s not quite accurate. Means wouldn’t call The Witch bad. The Witch, she said, is less the villain than “the moral to the story.”

“It’s the one I wanted when I auditioned,” she said of the part. “You can be really crazy with it because it’s a really weird part.”

Means said she’d like to keep performing when she leaves for college, but doesn’t plan to make a career of it. “I want to be able to feed myself,” she said.

She’s headed to the University of Idaho this fall and hopefully then to a degree in volcanology.

Stefan Marty plays the role of Jack and has a very succinct description of the part.

“I’m just a young kid that is in love with a cow,” he said.

Fair enough. Marty said this is his first play and his first theater experience. He plans to head to University of Alaska Anchorage in the fall and study as a linguistics major. He said he’s probably not done with theater.

“I’ll probably do a couple of (Valley Performing Arts) plays,” Marty said. “I’d like to try, if I ever get to, maybe some more serious material.”

Cinderella is played by another seasoned senior, Heather Bachelder, who has played Titania in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and Beth in “Little Women.” She said “Into the Woods” has been a blast.

“It’s way more challenging because there’s a lot more character depth,” Bachelder said.

Kathy Sage, who is doing photography and publicity for the play, said she and the other adults involved in the production have been impressed with the kids. Director Grant Olson told her this was one of the best groups he’s worked with.

“It’s a really complicated play,” Sage said. “The kids have done a really good job with it.”

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.

IF YOU GO:

What: Palmer High School’s production of Into the Woods

Where: Palmer High School

When: 7 p.m. tonight, Saturday, May 5, 6 and 7.

How much: $10 for adults, $7 for students and seniors. Tickets are available at the door or by calling 746-8403.