STAGEBILL - static1.squarespace.com · INTO THE WOODS IS PRESENTED THROUGH SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT ......
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STAGEBILL
RUTH ASAWA SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
I N T O T H E W O O D SMUSIC & LYRICS BY STEPHEN SONDHEIM
BOOK BY JAMES LAPINEORCHESTRATIONS BY JONATHAN TUNICK
DIRECTORRon S.McCanCHOREOGRAPHER
Elizabeth CastanedaMUSICAL DIRECTOR
Daniel FeyerCONDUCTOR
Tristan ArnoldTECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Paul Kwapy
THE ORIGINAL BROADWAY PRODUCTION BYHEIDI LANDESMAN ROCCO LANDESMAN RICK STEINER
M. ANTHONY FISHER FREDERIC H. MAYERSON JUJAMCYN THEATERS
ORIGINALLY PRODUCED BY THE OLD GLOBE THEATER, SAN DIEGO, CA.
INTO THE WOODS IS PRESENTED THROUGH SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTWITH MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL (MTI).
ALL AUTHORIZED PERFORMANCE MATERIALS ARE ALSO SUPPLIEDBY MTI: WWW.MTISHOWS.COM
PLEASE NOTE: FOG WILL BE USED IN TODAY’S PERFORMANCE.THE VIDEOTAPING OR OTHER VIDEO OR AUDIO RECORDING OF THIS PRODUCTION
IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Students at the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts receive academic instruction in the morning and spend the balance of the day
immersed in learning the essential skills and craft of their chosenareas of creative study, through an inspiring hands-on program
that draws on the talents of over 70 Artists-in-Residence workingin the broader arts community, recruited to support specific goalsof each department’s curriculum. This unique teaching structure
exposes students to fresh ideas and experiences, creating a learning environment where vision, creativity and passion are valued
in the formation of the whole person.
This production of Into the Woods has been made possible bythe Friends of SOTA Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation
whose mission is to support the arts and academics programs at the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts and manage the Annual Fund which
funds the Artist-in-Residence program.
SPECIAL THANKSColleen Ivie & the Friends of SOTA Foundation
Barnaby Payne • Caitlyn Boyle • Phillip Rayher • Kristin Grzeca
Henry Hung • Tristan Arnold • Julie Glantz • Kate Stacy
Stephan Dupuis • Jenny King-Turko • Paulette Cauthorn
Merrill Komai • Sue Schechter & the Asawa SOTA PTSA
Paula Dinnell • Nancy & Matt Murphy • Janice Evans • Kelly Forde
Christie Stokes • Lili Gaudreau • Brian Garcia • Pam Wellner
Brian Chew • Maria Chew • Anne Yanow • Jeanne Batacan-Harper
Josh Davidson and the Asawa SOTA Cafeteria Team
Larry Doyle and Parkside Tavern • Emily Van Dyke
Eric Rice & Norbert Holter from the SFUSD
Career Technical Education Department
Jace Wittig • Michael Desnoyers Victor Cervantes
J. Llewellyn Gravely Action Rentals and
theTechnical Theater Department Alumni:
Gabe Pothier • Katarina Bone-Tsokaloti
Mohamed Benkelouf • Glenn Quilici
CASTin order of appearance
Narrator • Mysterious Man • Isaac Edejer ♪ Trey Harris ♫Cinderella • Jillian Abaya ♪ Lucy Murphy ♫
Jack • Niko Rakos ♪ Cole Sisser ♫
Milky White • Isabel Hansen
Baker • Ryan Doyle ♪ Ben Stacy ♫
The Baker’s Wife • Mackenzie Rohan ♪ Kaeli Shaw ♫
Cinderella’s • Mother • Giant • Granny • Aiyana Greene
Cinderella’s Stepmother • Mara Schumann
F lorinda • Alyzza Marquez
Lucinda • Zoe Bruce ♪ Kennedy Shelby ♫
Jack’s Mother • Emily Cronan ♪ Eleanor Stokes ♫
Little Red Riding Hood • Ariella Berkman ♪ Zoë Ferguson ♫
The Witch • Tasneem Norris ♪ Lauryn Thomas ♫
Cinderella’s Father • Cristian Rivas
Cinderella’s Prince • Wolf • Gabe Bibliowicz ♪ Nathan Savant ♫
Rapunzel ’s Prince • Joe-Joe Kelly ♪ Oliver Paddock ♫Rapunzel • Elisabeth Fortescue
The Steward • Euan Ashley ♪ Martin Schuler ♫
♫ = MARCH 3 - 7:30 • MARCH 4 - 7:30 • MARCH 11-1:30 • MARCH 12 -1:30♪ = MARCH 4 -1:30 • MARCH 5 -1:30 • MARCH 10 - 7:30 • MARCH 11- 7:30
MUSICAL NUMBERSACT ONE
TIME Once Upon A Time PLACE A Far-off Kingdom
OPENING…………Ensemble
CINDERELLA AT THE GRAVE…………Cinderella, Cinderella’s Mother
HELLO, LITTLE GIRL…………Wolf, Little Red Riding Hood
I GUESS THIS IS GOODBYE…………Jack
MAYBE THEY’RE MAGIC…………Baker’s Wife, Baker
OUR LITTLE WORLD…………Rapunzel , Witch
BAKER’S REPRISE…………Baker
I KNOW THINGS NOW…………Little Red Ridinghood
A VERY NICE PRINCE…………Cinderella, Baker’s Wife
FIRST MIDNIGHT…………Ensemble
GIANTS IN THE SKY…………Jack
AGONY CINDERELLA’S PRINCE…………Rapunzel ’s Prince
A VERY NICE PRINCE (REPRISE)…………Cinderella, Baker’s Wife
IT TAKES TWO…………Baker’s Wife, Baker
SECOND MIDNIGHT …………Ensemble
STAY WITH ME…………Witch, Rapunzel
ON THE STEPS OF THE PALACE…………Cinderella
ACT ONE FINALE…………Ensemble
ACT TWO
ACT TWO OPENING…………Ensemble
AGONY (REPRISE)…………Cinderella’s Prince, Rapunzel ’s Prince
WITCH’S LAMENT…………Witch
ANY MOMENT…………Cinderella’s Prince, Baker’s Wife
MOMENTS IN THE WOODS…………Baker’s Wife
YOUR FAULT…………Jack, Little Red Ridinghood , Baker, Witch, Cinderella
LAST MIDNIGHT…………Witch
NO MORE…………Baker, Mysterious Man
NO ONE IS ALONE…………Cinderella, Little Red Ridinghood , Baker, Jack
ACT TWO FINALE…………Ensemble
ORCHESTRA
CONDUCTOR Tristan Arnold
MUSICAL DIRECTOR & PIANODaniel Feyer
FLUTES & PICCOLOJialin Li • Darren Lam ♪ • Brianna Carmona ♪ Hanako Rahdert ♫ • Milla Elliot ♫
OBOE Nicole Anderson
CLARINETSameer Eliot ♪ • Marisa Cruz ♪ • Georgia Chau ♫ • Moses Pippenger ♫
BASSOONAndre Bartalos ♪ • Adam Rechav ♫
HORNSEli Isaacs ♪ • Laura Bunger ♪ • Max Braun ♫ • Ronan Fitzsimons-Brey ♫
TRUMPETAneka Yee ♪ • Sarah Clayson ♪ • Daniel Rowe ♫ • Daniel Goldman ♫
VIOLINKaitlyn Huey • Faith Lam • Renata Volchinskaya • Matthew Silva
VIOLAMichael Tse • Jason Jue • Maya True-Fogel
BASSAtticus Simmons • Kimberly Rivera
CELLOJoseph Clayson • Madeline Belew • Katie Lee
PERCUSSIONJasper Mahnke
♪ = MARCH 3 -7:30 • MARCH 4 -1:30 • MARCH 10 - 7:30 • MARCH 11- 1:30 ♫ = MARCH 4 - 7:30 • MARCH 5 - 1:30 • MARCH 11-7:30 • MARCH 12 -1:30
DIRECTOR’S NOTE
At first glance, Into the Woods is an entertaining musical that weaves some of the Brothers Grimm most beloved fairytale characters with the genius of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. However, when you dive a little deeper, you learn that it is a metaphor for one’s personal journey in life: our wishes, and the paths we take to make them come true, and what we dis-cover along the way in regards to love, loss, choices, responsibility, and how our personal values impact our community. Musicals often reflect the times in which they are written. Into the Woods made its Broadway debut in 1987, however with our current world events and national political environment, the message and themes that this show touches on are just as profound today. Who do we blame? Who actually is to blame? Who gets to decide what is right, wrong or what justice looks like, and how do we work together to correct the errors made by those mak-ing these decisions? Into the Woods asks us to examine these thoughts, and encourages us to be mindful of the impact our choices have on our most vulnerable: our children. What you will see at this performance is what happens when 104 students come together to create art in a time when the world is much different than when they auditioned. This production has challenged our students to grow in the most magical ways, as artists and as human beings, and I am proud to have been a part of this journey. “What redeems us as human beings and restores us to our humanity is solicitude for those whom we love.” –Bruno Bettelheim, The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales
Ron S. McCanDirector, Into The Woods
TECHNICAL CREWLEAD SET DESIGNER Sam GarciaPRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER Evan GarrisonTECHNICAL STAGE MANAGER Iain LanglandsASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER Sam Garcia • Jaden LuscherAPPRENTICE STAGE MANAGER Jaden LucherSCENIC PAINTERS Maia Cluver • Madi Gaudreau • Isa SpicerSCENIC APPRENTICES Maya Kunungo • Jaden LuscherLIGHTING DESIGNER Dexter ChewASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGNER Justin SvendbergDECK ELECTRICIAN Sage PothierLIGHTING APPRENTICES Emmet Forde • Tolya MueurSOUND DESIGNER Sam TraversASSISTANT SOUND Jack GramlingSOUND APPRENTICE Levi Morgan-WorleyFLY RAIL Zak Koshio • Tucker Predock • Ian Torok DECK CREW LEAD Sam GarciaDECK CREW Maia Cluver • Evan Garrison • Madi Gaudreau • Iain Langlands Isa Spicer • Alex Stewart • Anoah Wang • Sebastian YoungPROPS Alejandro Alfaro • Wes WellnerHAIR AND MAKEUP Maia Cluver • Maya Kanungo • Teaghan Rohan Keanna Vicente COSTUME LEAD Nina PatchellCOSTUME DESIGNERS/PRODUCTION CREW Amarisa Azucar • Char BurnsMaya Clemmons • Assata Conley • Beatrice Griffin • Meztli Mercado Mina Kreutzer-Joo • Sophia Lunardi • Alyssa McDowell • Grace McGee Bea Nussbaum • Juliao Ocampo CONSTRUCTION CREW/SCENIC PAINTERS Asawa SOTA Technical Theater Department
ARTISTIC STAFFPRODUCERSBarnaby Payne • Colleen Ivie & Friends of SOTA Foundation
DIRECTORRon S. McCan
CHOREOGRAPHERElizabeth Castaneda
DANCE CAPTAINJoe-Joe Kelly
*MUSICAL DIRECTORDaniel Feyer*
CONDUCTORTristan Arnold
TECHNICAL DIRECTORPaul Kwapy
COSTUMES DEPARTMENT HEADAnnette Ribeiro*
HAIR AND MAKEUP/SCENIC PAINTINGJenny-King Turko*(Courtesy of IATSE Local 706)
HAIR/MAKEUPStephan Dupuis* (Courtesy of IATSE Local 706)
SCENIC PAINTINGJay Koetcher* (Retired SF Opera Scenic painter, IATSE)
RIGGING/FABRICATIONStephan Gaudreau* (TrapezeArts, Oakland, CA) VISUAL ARTSJeff Castleman* (SOTA Visual Arts Department)
PUBLICITY/ART DIRECTION/GRAPHIC DESIGNJulie Glantz
PRODUCTION PHOTOSMichael Schumann • Niko Rakos
OUTREACH COORDINATORAnne Yanow
SPRING MUSICAL PARENT LIAISONKate Stacy
TECHNICAL THEATRE DEPARTMENT PARENT LIAISONLili Gaudreau
*Asawa SOTA Artist-in-Residence
Jillian
Abaya
ZoE
Bruce
ZoE
Ferguson
Trey
Harris
Euan
Ashley
Emily
Cronan
Elisabeth
Fortescue
Joe-Joe
Kelly
Ariella
Berkman
Ryan
Doyle
Aiyana
Greene
Alyzza
Marquez
Gabriel
Bibliowicz
Isaac
Edejer
Isabel
Hansen
Lucy
Murphy
INTO THE WOODS WHO’S WHO
¨
Tasneem
Norris
Mackenzie
Rohan
Kaeli
Shaw
Ellie
Stokes
Oliver
Paddock
Nathan
Savant
Kennedy
Shelby
Lauryn
Thomas
Niko
Rakos
Martin
Schuler
Cole
Sisser
Cristian
Rivas
Mara
Schumann
Ben
Stacy
JILLIAN ABAYACINDERELLA MUSICAL THEATRE 2018
trained at YMTC, SSPA, and
Upstage Theatre. Her favorite
roles have included Heather
Duke Heathers, Olive Spelling
Bee and Diana Morales A
Chorus Line. Into the Woods has
been one of Jillian’s favorite
musicals, from when she first
played Cinderella in the eighth
grade. She would like to thank
her directors for this amazing opportunity.
EUAN ASHLEYTHE STEWARD THEATRE 2017
began acting when he realized
that it was the only realistic
route to ever becoming
Spiderman. Working in the SOTA
Theatre department has given
him experience in a variety
of eclectic roles in numerous
shows. Into the Woods is Euan’s
first role in a musical.
ARIELLA BERKMANLITTLE RED RIDING HOODMUSICAL THEATRE 2019
appeared as Helga in the
SOTA Spring 2015 production
of Cabaret and performed
in numerous shows with
SFartsEd’: Lil’ Abner, Destry Rides Again, Oklahoma!, Bells Are Ringing, and On The Town. Her experience with
SFartsEd has been integral to
her practice and understanding
of the discipline and behavior
needed for pursuing a career
in performance. She would like
to thank Ron McCan, Elizabeth
Castaneda, Daniel Feyer, and the
cast, musicians and crew for this unforgettable experience.
GABRIEL BIBLIOWICZCINDERELLA’S PRINCE/WOLFCLASSICAL VOICE 2017 performed on the SOTA
main stage in The Music Man
(2015-Charlie Cowell), and
Spamalot (2014). He recently
appeared in the SFArtsEd
production, Bells Are Ringing.
“I’m inspired by my parents,
Bill Clinton, and James Michael
McAdoo. All amazing people
and leaders on and off the
court.” He thanks his cousin,
Taco Bibliowicz, for always being
there and supporting him every
step of the way.
ZOE BRUCELUCINDA MUSICAL THEATRE 2019
credits Beyoncé as one her
greatest influences, “because
she has amazing vocal control,
a large range, a unique
sound, and a great sense of
theatricality”. Zoe was a member
of Voices Chorus from 2011-
2015, and has been a member
of the SFArtsEd theatre arts
community, as both a student
and a teacher, appearing in the
SFArtsEd Players productions
of Sittin’ On A Rainbow (2015),
and Building Broadway (2016),
for which she also mentored
younger students. Last year,
Zoe was cast as Rosie, one of
the Kit-Kat Girls in Cabaret, the
SOTA Spring Musical. She also
participated in the World Music
Taiko Show and Takeover IV and
can sing in Portuguese, Spanish,
Japanese and several African
languages.
EMILY CRONANJACK’S MOTHER JAZZ VOCAL 2019 received training at the American Conservatory Theatre
and Young Performers Theatre
and has appeared in eleven
theatrical productions. Her
favorite roles include Marvalyn
in Almost, Maine, Queen Of
Hearts in Alice In Wonderland,
and Sandy in Filed As CIP. Emily
considers Courtney Lindl, her
YPT family, and her parents,
her main influences and is
especially appreciative that they
encouraged her to pursue her
artistic endeavors. In her free
time, she enjoys songwriting and
traveling. Emily is thrilled to be
in the SOTA musical for the first
time and to work with such a talented cast and crew.
RYAN DOYLETHE BAKER MUSICAL THEATRE 2017has performed in every SOTA mainstage production since
his freshman year: Cabaret
(Cliff 2016) and The Music Man
(Harold Hill-2015), Spamalot (2014). He has been the
featured performer in two solo
shows at Society Cabaret in
San Francisco’s Union Square
district and produced Right By My Side, an album of original
material available on iTunes and
through ryandoylemusic.com.
Ryan would like to thank Ron
McCan for his endless support
and guidance, and for making
his last SOTA musical experience
unforgettable. He also wants to
shout out to Ben, Joe-Joe, Lucy,
Mackenzie, Mara, and Tazy, for
always having his back and for
making these past four years
so amazing–“I can’t wait to see
where the future takes us,” and
to his parents Paula & Larry,
for being the best parents a kid
could wish for. “I love you so much.”
ISAAC EDEJERNARRATOR/MYSTERIOUS MANTHEATRE 2017
claims that his greatest
inspiration comes from sleep
deprivation, guacamole, and
Korean Jesus, aka Genghis Khan,
aka Johnny Park, aka Parker, aka
Dumbfoundead. He appeared in
the SOTA main stage production
of Cabaret and A Charlie Brown Christmas with the SF
Symphony. He is very proud of the Theatre Department, Field Day Champs, 2016!
ZOË FERGUSONLITTLE RED RIDING HOODMUSICAL THEATRE 2018
is ecstatic to be in this
production after having to miss
most of the shows last year
due to an injury. Her last Asawa
SOTA Main Stage production
was The Music Man (Spring
2015), as a member of the
ensemble. Prior to her time at
SOTA, she spent 6 years with
Musical Theatre Works, and was
cast as Pilar in Legally Blonde,
and as a Wickersham Brother in
Seussical, among other shows.
Zoë is 5’1’’, lots of fun, and is
finally thankful for her height
(or lack thereof), allowing her
to play Little Red in her junior
year. In addition to musical
theatre, she is a women’s soccer
enthusiast, and enjoys playing,
watching, aand talking about
the sport. She enjoys sleeping
outside on warm nights and
frolicking in the outdoors. Zoë
is grateful to Christina Lazo, Ms.
Music, and her whole family
from MTW for helping her find
her love for musical theatre. She
would like to thank Ron McCan for this amazing opportunity,
and for all he’s done, both for
her and for the Musical Theatre
Department, this year. Shout out
to her parents, sister, and friends
for encouraging her daily to
continue pursuing her passions!
ELISABETH FORTESCUERAPUNZEL CLASSICAL VOICE 2019
played Rosie in the 2015 SOTA
Spring Musical production of
Cabaret and has trained with
Victor Cervantes of Inspire
Music and with SFArtsEd. Her
inspirations and influences
include Cecilia Bartoli, Kristen
Chenoweth, Megan Hilty, and
Ludwine Hall. Emily thanks
her friends and family for their
endless support. and a special
thank you to her little sister,
Claire, for never leaving her side.
She is very excited to be playing
such a dynamic role, and has
had an amazing time preparing
for this performance.
AIYANA GREENECINDERELLA’S MOTHER • GRANNY • THE GIANT CLASSICAL VOICE 2019
has performed at Musical
Theatre Works in numerous
productions: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Alice/Miss
Dorothy Understudy), Legally Blonde (Harvard Student/
Delta Nu understudy),
Seussical (Ensemble/Bird
Girl Understudy), Grease
(Ensemble), Bye Bye Birdie
(Ensemble), and Annie (Duffy).
She pursues her passion for
vocal and musical theatre
performance through classes
at A.C.T., ODC, and the
Conservatory of Music, and as
an intern at Musical Theatre
Works. Aiyana was introduced
to musicals at a very young
age and has loved them ever
since. Into the Woods marks
her return to the musical stage
after an 18 month hiatus. She
is very thankful to her family
and friends for supporting her
dream of being a performer.
ISABEL HANSENMILKY WHITE THEATRE 2018
has been recognized as a
California Arts Scholar twice,
having completed the summer
intensive for Theatre Arts at
CSSA (California State Summer
School for the Arts) in 2015 and
2016. She enjoys watching the
performances of her friends
and peers, because all of the
incredible work they do, pushes
her to work even harder and
learn more in the process. She
thanks her family for believing
in her and pushing her forward;
and her friends, who keep her
sane and grounded, and let her
be herself. She would also like to
thank the grass that has kept her
fed for this role, and the ancient
Egyptian cow goddess, Hathor,
for her unparalleled guidance in
preparing for this role.
TREY HARRIS NARRATOR, MYSTERIOUS MANMUSICAL THEATRE 2017
has portrayed Captain Hook in
his 2008 school production of
Peter Pan, Ernst Ludwig, in the
SOTA Spring 2015 production
of Cabaret, and most recently
appeared as Ted Sullyvan in the
2016 live broadcast of the Asawa
SOTA Holiday Spectacular.
Trey is inspired by the mighty
Peregrine Falcon, which has the
highest diving speed of any bird.
Majestic. He would like to thank
his parents for being supportive
(though not too supportive,
so he can have something to
base his comedy on later in
life), and his counterpart for this
production, Isaac Edejer, for
inspiring the both of them to be
better through their constant
attempts at oneupmanship (A
“Biggest Dramatic Commitment”
contest, so to speak.) Hi Erica!
JOE-JOE KELLYRAPUNZEL’S PRINCEMUSICAL THEATRE 2017
is thrilled to be performing in
his fourth and final SOTA main
stage production. His previous
roles include: The Ensemble in
Spamalot, Marcellus Washburn
in The Music Man, and Ernst
Ludwig in Cabaret. Joe-Joe
owes his early musical theatre
training to SFartsEd, with whom
he performed in Everything Goes: The Music of Cole Porter,
Guys and Dolls, Destry Rides Again (Bugs Watson), Bells are Ringing (Blake Barton), and On the Town. Additionally, Joe-Joe
trains in ballet, jazz, and modern
dance at Alonzo King Lines. He
would like to thank his parents
and grandparents for their
wisdom and encouragement,
the amazing artists-in-residence
of the vocal and musical
theatre departments, Elizabeth
Castaneda for teaching him how
to discover the beauty in dance,
and the musical theatre class of
2017 for the countless memories.
Joe-Joe plans to pursue musical
theatre in college and make it on
Broadway, but if it doesn’t work
out, at least he can still name the
capital of every country in the
world. @mojo_joejoe3.
ALYZZA MARQUEZFLORINDA MUSICAL THEATRE 2018
appeared in the 2015 Spring
Musical, Cabaret, as Fritzie, a
dance swing, and is extremely
grateful to be chosen to be
apart of this amazing show.
“My family keeps me driven
and focused in everything I do.
They constantly remind me to
remain positive and appreciate
everything that is given to me.”
LUCY MURPHYCINDERELLA MUSICAL THEATRE 2017
has been in great performances
during her time at SOTA: a
Laker Girl in Spamalot, Maude
Dunlop in The Music Man and
Sally Bowles in Cabaret. Her
inspirations and influences
are her family and friends, the
wonderful cast and crew of
Into the Woods, and her vocal
coach, Betty Schneider. Lucy
is excited to be able to fulfill
a childhood dream of being
a princess, even for just one
midnight.
TASNEEM NORRISTHE WITCH MUSICAL THEATRE 2017
played Jane Bennet in the
play Pride and Prejudice and
was also a Hot Box Doll in the
musical Guys and Dolls, both
during her freshman year at
Albany High School before
transferring to the School of the
Arts. Throughout her junior and
senior year in Musical Theatre
at SOTA, she trained in ballet,
jazz, and tap. While at Albany,
she played volleyball and also
participated in choir. Tasneem
is inspired by the people
around her, especially family
and friends. Music plays a big
role in her life and she hopes
someday that she’ll “be able to
give an audience the chills that
I experience when I listen to a
certain song”.
OLIVER PADDOCKRAPUNZEL’S PRINCEMUSICAL THEATRE 2019
became involved in musical
theater in the fourth grade and
has been non-stop since then.
He has performed in numerous
shows with the SFArtsEd Players,
such as Destry Rides Again,
Bells are Ringing, and Li’l Abner,
and was in SOTA’s production
of Cabaret last year as Victor.
Oliver has been around music
from “before I can remember.
My parents are both musicians,
and my grandfather thinks that
“entertainment” is a waste of
time. All the more reason to do
it.” He really likes cows and is
excited to be in a show with one
(real or not).
NIKO RAKOSJACK MUSICAL THEATRE 2018
has training in both classical
and contemporary vocal
performance, acting, and
dance. His past roles include:
Emmet Forrest in Legally Blonde and Horton the Elephant
in Seussical. Niko is an avid
thinker and creator, and believes
that by placing yourself in the
shoes of people like Stephen
Sondheim or Richard Rodgers,
you can really fully begin to
understand the world in a more
abstract way, not as defined
by set rules or restrictions. As
an aspiring composer/lyricist,
Sondheim is a huge inspiration
to Niko, so getting to work on
this show has been a wish come
true.
CRISTIAN RIVASCINDERELLA’S FATHERCLASSICAL VOICE 2018
played Rusty Charlie in Guys and Dolls as a middle school
student. He has a passion
for performing, singing and
acting. After watching last years
production of Cabaret, he
was determined to be part of
the next musical production at
SOTA.
MACKENZIE ROHANTHE BAKER’S WIFEMUSICAL THEATRE 2017
has been immersed in Musical
Theatre for almost a decade
and has appeared in numerous
roles: Fräulein Köst Cabaret,
Golde Fiddler On The Roof, Mrs. Paroo The Music Man,
and as a choral singer in Pink Floyd’s The Wall at SOTA; Claire
de Lune On The Town, UC
Berkley Summer Symphony
Orchestra, Ella Peterson Bells Are Ringing, SFArtsEd Players,
Kate/Ensemble, Oklahoma!, UC Berkley Summer Symphony
Orchestra, Ensemble, Destry Rides Again, SFArtsEd Players,
Narrators 1,2,3,4,&5, Aladdin Jr., Ruth Asawa School of the
Arts Junior Company, Cindy
Lou Who, Seussical, Mercy
High School. She takes dance
classes at Lines Ballet and
credits SFArtsED (early training),
Katie Kerwin (private voice),
and Ron McCan (department
head/mentor), for inspiring her
to continue training, pushing
her to be her best, and always
believing in her. Mackenzie’s
parents, Ethel & Padraig, her
sister, Teaghan, and her teachers
and friends are her biggest
inspirations and influences. “I
cannot thank them enough for
their continuous support and
love. They have made me the
person I am today.” Mackenzie
is looking forward to continuing
her training by majoring in
Musical Theatre in college. She
strives to become the best
performer and person that she
can be and thanks everyone in
her life for the role they have
had in her journey so far.
@mackenzierohan
NATHAN SAVANTCINDERELLA’S PRINCE/WOLFCLASSICAL VOICE 2017
is a Baritone Opera Divo from
Oakland. He has had the chance
to perform in Opera roles
such as Osmin in Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail and
Falstaff in Nicolai’s Merry Wives of Windsor. Since 2005, Nathan
has performed with the San
Francisco Symphony, Paul
Simon, and Gustavo Dudamel
through his involvement with
the Pacific Boychoir Academy.
Since transferring to SOTA at
the beginning of his Junior year,
Nathan feels like he has found
the place he truly belongs. He
loves the SOTA community
and has met many new friends,
and has been able to sing
much more then he could
before, participating in multiple
choirs and classical solo labs.
At SOTA, Nathan has also had
the privilege of studying under
artist-in- residence, Michael
Desnoyers, to whom he extends
heartfelt thanks for inspiring
him to become a better singer,
and helping him mightily on his
journey through the world of
music. Nathan would also like
to thank his family for always
supporting him.
MARTIN SCHULERTHE STEWARD MUSICAL THEATRE 2020
has appeared in three musicals
with SFArtsED, including
ensemble roles in Lil Abner, a
narrator in a revue, and the lead
role of Finch in How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Martin is a passionate
practitioner of martial arts and
has been studying kenpo karate
for more than nine years, with
plans to study Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
He enjoys watching sports and
cheering on SF teams.
MARA SCHUMANNSTEPMOTHER MUSICAL THEATRE 2017
has been twinkling her toes on
the stage since the age of three,
performing with the Brisbane
Dance Workshop. She appeared
as Lulu in SOTA’s 2016 Mainstage
production of Cabaret, and was
Dance Captain and a member
of the Ensemble in SOTA’s 2015
production of The Music Man.
Mara trained with SFArtsED
from 4th through 7th grade and
is currently studying dance at
Lines Ballet. The Musical Theatre
Department and the experi-
ence of attending Asawa SOTA
has pushed Mara to become
a confident, determined, and
passionate student, performer,
and person. She is constantly
inspired by the talent, hard
work, and commitment of the
students at SOTA and the work
of Ron McCan and his team of
artists-in-residence. She would
like to thank her family and gag-
gle for all the giggles and endless
support.
KAELI SHAWTHE BAKER’S WIFEMUSICAL THEATRE 2019
has appeared in the CCSF
productions of Pippin (Theo-
2006) and The Women (as
Little Mary -2013), as Glinda The
Good in SFCMT’s Destination OZ (2014), as Elphaba in SFCMT’s
Forever Broadway (2014) and
as Frenchie in SOTA’s Cabaret
(2016). She has studied ballet,
jazz, and tap at Star Dance
Studio and at Alonzo King Lines
Ballet. Kaeli studies voice with
Fred Ewing. Kaeli is extremely
excited to be a part of such an
amazing and beautiful show.
She looks forward to portraying
an interesting new character
that will push her out of her
comfort zone. She would like to
thank her family for all their love
and support.
COLE SISSERJACK MUSICAL THEATRE 2018
has been performing since a
very early age, with some of his
first performances being the
Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, and Judah in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. Some of his most
recent performances included
Chip Tolentino in 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,
and The Emcee in SOTA’s main
stage production of Cabaret
last Spring. In response to the
questions for this cast bio
content, he provided two
words; when asked about his
inspirations and influences-
“Cole” and any additional
details: “Happy”.
KENNEDY SHELBYLUCINDA MUSICAL THEATRE 2020
first appeared as Abu, in the
musical, Aladdin, with Linda
Bulgo’s Musical Productions.
She then joined SFartsEd Players
and performed as Hairless Joe
in Lil’ Abner, as a secretary in
How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. and
also performed a duet in a
Harold Arlen review. Kennedy
attended San Francisco Ballet
School, performing as a clown
in The Nutcracker and has also
studied gymnastics. She
credits her dad as the source
of her inspiration and the main
reason she discovered her love
of musical theatre, “because he
introduced me to music and
performing and taught me the
power of entertaining people
through your music.”
BEN STACYTHE BAKER MUSICAL THEATRE 2017
has been an assistant director
and choreographer for the
Musical Theatre department
since 2013 and appeared as Herr
Schultz in last year’s production
of Cabaret at SOTA. He would
to thank Ron McCan, Elizabeth
Castaneda, Terry Bamberger,
Christina Lazo, and Lynn Lewis
for all that they’ve taught him
throughout the years. “I could
not be here without all of you!”
ELLIE STOKESJACK’S MOTHERMUSICAL THEATRE 2020
is thrilled to make her SOTA
debut in Into the Woods!
Previous productions she has
performed in include MTW’s
Thoroughly Modern Millie
(Mrs. Meers), Guys and Dolls
(Benny Southstreet), West Side Story (Anita), and The Wizard of Oz (Glinda). Ellie also sings
and plays keyboards for SF Rock
Project’s House Band. Shout
out to her incredible family,
San Francisco’s Musical Theatre
Works program, and her mates
over at SF Rock Project. “Keep
being splendid, I owe it all to
you!”
LAURYN THOMASTHE WITCH MUSICAL THEATRE 2019
performed with SFCMT in small
musical theatre productions,
but Into the Woods is her
first SOTA mainstage musical.
Her inspirations? “Billy Porter-
his amazing voice and stage
presence makes me want to
be a better performer. Another
is Viola Davis- without saying a
word, by looking in her eyes, I
get chills. Someone asked me,
why do I like to do my art, what
do I want to do with it? It took
me a minute to answer but I
finally said music saved me, so
I would like to save someone
else.”
DEXTER CHEWLIGHTING DESIGN
2017 is a jack of all
trades and a student in
many areas including
stage lighting, welding,
and set construction.
Dexter can be found
working in some
capacity at almost
all SOTAshows. He is
always willing to jump
in and lend a hand
wherever he’s needed.
This is his second main
stage musical designing
lights. He would like
to thank his family for
their love and sup-
port, his peers for the
fun and eye opening
adventures, and Mr.
Kwapy for helping him
to make something of himself.
SAM TRAVERSLEAD SOUND 2017 has
extensive experience in
the performing arts.
He first started in the
San Francisco Ballet
School at age 8,
performing in the sea-
sonal Nutcracker and
Swan Lake. He then
performed in several
shows at the Spindrift
School of Performing
Arts, where he was
introduced to the SOTA
community. Since his
sophomore year, Sam
has been serving as
lead audio engineer, re-
sponsible for the plan-
ning and/or carrying
out of all moderately
audio-heavy produc-
tions and events. This is
his third and final year
as lead audio engineer.
Sam Travers is largely
self-guided, but thanks
Paul Kwapy for giving
him the opportunity to
thrive, and the numer-
ous artists and audio
professionals who have
helped him along the
way.
SAM GARCIASET DESIGN 2017
Sam began drawing
at a very young age
with his grandma, and
has been hooked ever
since. If you attended
IAIN LANGLANDSSTAGE MANAGER
2017 is excited to be a
part of his fourth and
last spring musical. He
has been part of the fly
rail crew twice for the
musical in his freshman
and junior year. For his
sophomore year, he
was gifted with the task
of co-designing the
lights for his sopho-
more year with Dexter
Chew. Iain would like
to thank Sam Garcia for
guiding him in the art
of stage managing and
helping him through
the process of running
a musical. He would
also like to thank Paul
Kwapy and Ron McCan
NINA PATCHELLLEAD COSTUME 2017
has specialized in the
Technical Theater
Costume Department
for the past four years.
Her work has been
featured in our
musicals including,
Spamalot, The Music Man, Cabaret and
this production of
Into The Woods. Nina
has earned her peers’
respect through her
extremely diligent
focus, hard work, and
professionalism. Nina
has been sewing since
she was five years old.
Since then, sewing
and fashion design
has become part of
her identity. She plans
to continue her arts
education and study
fashion in college. Nina
would like to thank her
last year’s production
of Cabaret, you are
already familiar with
the artistic talent of
Sam Garcia. His ability
to understand design
and adapt it for theatri-
cal purposes is truly
remarkable. That com-
bined with his skill as a
scenic artist makes him
a well-rounded, tal-
ented individual, which
is apparent through the
exquisite sets of Into The Woods.
for giving him the
opportunity of being
stage manager and
make sure that he does
the job to the best of
his ability. Finally he
wants to thank his
parents for raising him
because I assume that’s
a pretty hard thing to
do.
fellow costumers for
all their hard work and
Annette Ribeiro for her
guidance and love.
RON McCAN DIRECTOR/MUSICAL THEATRE PROGRAM DIRECTOR
An Asawa SOTA alumnus
Technical Theatre 1995, Ron has
a wide range of professional
experience, having worked with
ABC/Disney, BBC Worldwide, the
San Francisco Opera, Ameri-
can Conservatory Theatre, the
Mendocino Music Festival, and
the San Francisco Conserva-
tory of Music, among others.
His credits include: (Television)
Dancing With The Stars, GCB,
(Theatre) Nine, Company,
Gypsy, Steel Magnolias, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, My Fair Lady, She Loves Me, The Colored Museum, Ma’ Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Boys from Syracuse, Bizet’s Carmen, Gian
Carlo Menotti’s L’Amour à trois,
and the West Coast premiers
of Michael John LaChiusa’s The Wild Party, Heather McDonald’s
The Rivers and Ravines, and
Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds
with Bay Area Children’s Theatre.
His work has been featured
in OUT Magazine, and most
recently he received a double
nomination for Best Costume
Design of a Musical in the 2016
Broadwayworld.com Awards.
In addition to directing SOTA’s
2016 Interdisciplinary Holiday Spectacular and CABARET,
Ron is a tireless advocate for
youth, and has been involved
with various local and national
organizations and city govern-
ments for more than 20 years.
His work has been recognized
by the California State Assembly
and the San Francisco Board of
Supervisors.
ELIZABETH CASTANADA CHOREOGRAPHER has been
dancing for close to 30 years
and has been teaching and
choreographing for over fifteen
years. She has been teaching as
an artist in residence with the
SOTA Theater department for
the past five years and the
Musical Theater department
for two! Elizabeth has been
teaching at the ODC Rhythm &
Motion School for seven years
and has created choreography
for both the ODC School and
the ODC Dance Jam. Elizabeth
is one of the creators and
co-choreographers of The
Fossettes, a group inspired
by Bob Fosse that has been
performing in the Bay Area for
over ten years. She feels her
place in the world will always
involve dance, performance,
choreography, and teaching
others.
DANIEL FEYER MUSICAL DIRECTOR
A San Francisco native and
graduate of Lowell High School
and Princeton University, Dan
spent 14 years in New York City
before moving back to the
Bay Area. Favorite New York
productions include the U.S.
premiere and cast recording of
Evil Dead: The Musical, Peter
Mills’s The Underclassman
(2006 Drama Desk Award
nomination for Outstanding
Orchestrations), the award-
winning revival of Working,
shows at FringeNYC and NYMF,
and a host of new musicals. His
Regional theater credits include
Vermont’s Weston Playhouse
(eleven seasons), Michigan’s
Meadow Brook Theatre
Baltimore’s CenterStage, the
Barnstormers in New Hampshire,
and Gateway Playhouse on
Long Island. In San Francisco,
Dan is the music director
for American Conservatory
Theater’s A Christmas Carol, was assistant MD for A Little Night Music, and consulted
on Monstress and Ah, Wilderness!. He is the resident
music director/accompanist for
A.C.T.’s Master of Fine Arts acting
program, playing for classes,
cabarets, fundraisers, and the
full production of The Rocky Horror Show at the Strand
PAUL KWAPY TECHNICAL DIRECTOR/TECHNICAL THEATER PROGRAM DIRECTOR has been
involved in theater in one form
or another for almost 40 years.
His deep passion for Technical
Theater has helped bring
countless shows to life. Since
Spring 2011, as a SOTA Art ist in
Residence for Tech, and later
as the Department Director, he
has been the technical genius
behind Ragtime, The Producers,
42nd Street, Spamalot andThe
Music Man. In Fall 2014, he and
the Department spearheaded
an original production of Pink
Floyd’s The Wall, which met
with resounding success. Mr.
Kwapy has had longstanding
artistic relationships with many
Bay Area arts organizations, and
has been involved in numerous
works with SFArtsEd and the
Spindrift School in Pacifica. He
would like to extend a personal
thank you to all of his Artists in
Residence and to the theatrical
industry professionals who give
their time and expertise within
the Technical Theater program.
Theater. He is a six-time winner
of the American Crossword
Puzzle Tournament, and has
published three books of word
searches and four New York
Times crosswords.
TRISTAN ARNOLD CONDUCTOR/ORCHESTRA PROGRAM DIRECTOR joined the
SOTA faculty in 2015 as director
of orchestras. He concurrently
serves as Artistic Director of the
Napa Valley Youth Symphony
and conductor of the Santa
Rosa Symphony Preparatory
Orchestra. His musical direction
credits include Cabaret with
Lincoln High School, Oliver! with
University High School and Cosí Fan Tutte with San Francisco
State University. A native of
Petaluma, he graduated in
2006 with a Bachelor of Music
in Music Education from
Northwestern and received a
Master of Music in Instrumental
Conducting from San Francisco
State University in 2011.
ANNETTE RIBEIRO COSTUME HEAD has been sew-
ing since she was a little girl. She
graduated with a degree in Ar-
chitecture from UC Berkeley and
landed a job as a junior architect
in Sweden for a few years follow-
ing graduation. Upon returning
to San Francisco, she worked as
production manager for fashion
designer and manufacturer,
Julie Weston (Weston Wear) for
many years. Mother of three
very talented children (SOTA
Vocal ’10, Tech ‘13, and Vocal ’16),
Annette regularly volunteered
in the Costume Shop, which
led to an invitation from former
Vocal Director, Todd Wedge to
do wardrobe for the opera Dido
and Aeneas and has remained
in the Costume Shop ever since.
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