James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim take everyone’s favorite storybook characters and bring them together for a timeless, yet relevant, piece… and a rare modern classic. The Tony Award-winning book and score are both enchanting and touching.
Music and Lyrics by STEPHEN SONDHEIM
Book by JAMES LAPINE
Originally Directed on Broadway by James Lapine
Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick
Director Kathy Connolly
Musical Director Matt Ebersole
Choreographer Samantha Amaral
Assistant Director Victoria Keiser
CAST
LINDSAY ABBOT (The Witch) is overjoyed to join this incredible cast and crew. Last seen at the MAC in Jesus Christ Superstar, favorite credits include Francesca Johnson (The Bridges of Madison County), Jo March (Little Women, The Musical), and Emily (Our Town). Thank you to Kathy, Matt, Victoria, Sam, Amethyst and the rest of the production team for their tireless hard work. Much love to her husband, Blake, and two children, Dylan and Cecilia. Children are wishes and wishes come true.
CAITLIN ALONGI (Baker’s Wife) is thrilled to be returning to the woods from a whole new perspective after playing Cinderella over a decade ago. Other past favorites include Guys and Dolls (Sarah Brown), Sweeney Todd (Johanna), West Side Story (Maria), Les Misérables (Cosette) and The Music Man (Marian). Caitlin is the vocal director for the spring musical at New Providence High School and runs a piano and voice studio out of her home in Westfield. For my parents, Phil and, most of all, for our beautiful prizes, Lucy, Joni and James.
VINCE EATON (Baker) – After a fifteen-year hiatus, Vince is humbled and delighted to return to the stage in Into the Woods, a show he wore out the VHS tape he recorded from PBS as a child. Regional credits include Judas in Godspell (Seton Hall Summer Theater), Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors (Olympic Theater Arts), Peter Cratchet in A Christmas Carol (Yates Musical Theater for Children), Long John Silver in Treasure Island (Patchwork Players), Luis in West Side Story (Weathervane Repertory Theater), Peter van Daan in The Diary of Anne Frank (National Theater for Arts and Education), Joe Lacey in The Year of the Hiker (Celtic Theatre Company), Iago in Othello (Seton Hall University) and Flute in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Allentown Shakespeare Company). Special thanks to Aster Fialla for spending the last year introducing him to friends as “My boyfriend Vince, he’s an actor.” All the love in the world to his son Alejo, and may this tale cast its spell on him.
MICHAEL ABRAMOV (Jack) is ecstatic to play Jack in his MAC debut! He’s trading in his debut nerves for some magic beans and a trusty cow as white as milk. Known for causing mayhem as The Cat in the Hat (SEUSSICAL), keeping his friends ‘floating along’ as Grasshopper (James and the Giant Peach) and keeping his ‘positoovity’ levels high as Scuttle (The Little Mermaid), Michael is thrilled to take you on this journey. When he’s not climbing beanstalks, Michael enjoys perfecting the art of pretending to be a functional adult.
ALEXANDRA VARGA (Cinderella) is excited to be playing Cinderella in the MAC’s production of Into the Woods! This is her first production with The MAC Players and she has absolutely loved the experience! Her previous credits include Gertrude in Seussical, Nigel in Something Rotten and Ariel in The Little Mermaid. She would like to thank her family, her boyfriend and her friends for their constant support and love! Thank you to the cast and production team for all their hard work and dedication! She leaves you with this quote from Disney’s Cinderella, “If you keep on believing the dream that you wish will come true!”
JESSICA FREELAND (Rapunzel) is delighted to be making her MAC (and Sondheim!) debut as her absolute favorite princess, Rapunzel! Some previous credits include Peter and the Starcatcher (Black Stache), Life is a Dream (Rosaura), The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) (Jess), The Lion in Winter (Alais), You Can’t Take It with You (Essie) and Wild Horses (New Jersey Repertory Company). Jessica graduated magna cum laude from Montclair State University with a triple Bachelor of Arts in English, Latin and Classics. Along with wishing from atop her tower in the woods, she can also be found writing plays, poetry, novels and composing music. As always, she thanks her family for their endless love and support. For everyone with a dream, to quote the rampion herself, “Ahhhhh…”
AMANDA WINTER (Cinderella’s Mother/Granny/Giant) is excited to be performing in her first show with The MAC Players. Previous favorite roles include Nunsense (Sr. Amnesia-Perry nominee), Titanic (Kate McGowan) and Annie (Miss Hannigan). She has performed Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons and LaMama, as well as locally with Phoenix Productions, NENA Productions and the Premier Theatre Company. Amanda graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a B.F.A. in Drama and studied musical theater at CAP21. Many thanks to the cast, crew and production team. Love to Mom!
JESSICA COGAN (Jack’s Mother) is making her debut with The MAC Players! Jessica’s Community Theater credits include The Music Man (Mrs. Paroo, Phoenix Productions), Oklahoma! (Aunt Eller, Premier Theatre Company), Ragtime (Bridget/Ensemble, Phoenix Productions); Regional Theater credits include Pirates of Penzance (Mabel), Hello Dolly! (Irene Malloy), Gypsy (Electra), Big River (Miss Watson/Aunt Betty), Nunsense (Sr. Robert Anne), Annie Warbucks (Commissioner Doyle) and Swingtime Canteen (Topeka Abotelli); and National Tours include Sunday in the Park with George (Freida/Betty) and Cowgirls (Rita). Jessica is the Operations Manager at the Mason Gross Performing Arts Center at Rutgers University. When she’s not in a show, she fosters kittens for the MCSPCA. Thank you to the incredible production team and this gifted ensemble of actors for being so kind and welcoming. Love to her husband and kids – Patrick, Kevin, Miranda and Declan. Dedicated to her father, John W.P. Ost (1930-1988).
CAITLIN MARTIN (Little Red Riding Hood) is thrilled to be back with The MAC Players for her sixth show! Favorite credits include Adelaide in Guys and Dolls (The MAC Players), Meg in Little Women (SCP), Alice in The Addam’s Family (The MAC Players) and Claire in Rumors (First Avenue Playhouse). She would like to thank Kathy, Matt, Sam, Victoria and Amethyst for everything they do! Love to the cast, the group chat and her family. For you G.
BRENDEN KORTENHAUS (Rapunzel’s Prince) is thrilled to journey back into the woods and discover the true meaning of Agony with this incredible cast and crew! Brenden was last seen on the MAC stage in Legally Blonde as Kyle/Grandmaster Chad, Jesus Christ Superstar as Peter and Guys and Dolls as Rusty Charlie/Havana Dancer. He also stage-managed The MAC Players’ productions of The Addams Family, SEUSSICAL and The SpongeBob Musical, and has worked as a choreographer for Elf JR. and The Lion King JR. with the MAC Student Theater Academy program. Brenden is a graduate of Villanova University, receiving an M.A. in Theatre and Non-profit Management and a B.S. in Mathematics. He is currently the President of The Premier Theatre Company, as well as a performer since 2008, and a resident director there for the last seven years, having most recently directed Seussical this August!
GIAN-SOREN MORICI (Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf) is so happy to be performing in his debut production with The MAC Players! His recent credits include Premier Theatre Company’s Seussical and Oklahoma!, as well as Phoenix Productions’ Jesus Christ Superstar. Soren is the Director of Coaching for Soccer Shots in Central Jersey, a youth enrichment program that teaches children soccer ages 2-8. He would like to thank this spectacular cast and crew, and give a shout-out to his friend, Kolter, a fellow Prince himself!
ETHAN BRYAN (Steward) is ecstatic to make his debut with The MAC Players as the Steward, working tirelessly to bring his everything to the stage. With this being his first show in eight years, Ethan would like to thank his castmates for their warmth and kindness in welcoming him back to the theater community. He’d also like to thank his family and friends for their endless love and support.
JOHN PAUL DURAZZO (Narrator/Mysterious Man) is thrilled to be returning to the MAC with this wonderful cast and crew, having last performed in Jesus Christ Superstar (Caiaphas). Recent credits include Twelfth Night (Malvolio) and She Loves Me (Georg Nowack). Other favorites include Next to Normal (Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine), The Crucible (Reverend Hale), The Bridges of Madison County (Bud) and Les Misérables (The Bishop of Digne). When not performing, John works in the advertising industry and shares his home with his partner Rich and their three dogs. John would especially like to thank his partner, family and friends for always being his greatest supporters.
KIMBERLY VOGEL (Florinda) is super excited for her third show on the MAC stage! Some of her previous credits include Holly in The Wedding Singer (ABOB), Apostle in Jesus Christ Superstar (MAC), Simeon in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (MSTC) and Babette in Beauty and the Beast (PACT). Kimberly would like to thank her mom, step-dad and family for always supporting her. She’d also like to thank Kathy, Matt, Sam, Victoria, Amethyst and the rest of the cast and crew for never leaving her halfway through the woods and making this production an amazing one!
FELICIA RUSSELL (Lucinda) is so excited, after countless productions working behind the scenes, to finally be onstage with The MAC Players, and of course, perform with some of her closest friends and the best team around! Earlier this summer, she crossed two ultimate theater dream roles off her list, Anya in Anastasia and Amalia in She Loves Me. Other favorite credits include Marian in The Bridges of Madison County, Alice in You Can’t Take It With You and Evelyn in Ragtime. Huge thanks as always to her family for their love and support, the cast and crew, of course, and especially, Kathy. Now remember, never wear pink to a ball!
CHRISTINE JAY (Stepmother) is tickled pink to be making her debut with The MAC Players. Christine’s most recent stage credit was directing She Loves Me with the Stone Church Players. By day, Christine is a Voice Over Artist and Audiobook Narrator, and every Holiday season she is a professional Mrs. Claus. As always, much love to C & G, the home team.
TRISH TYLER (Milky White/Cinderella’s Father) is thrilled to be part of this production! Her favorite past roles include Josephine in Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding, General Cartwright in Guys and Dolls, Olga in You Can’t Take It With You and a Russian in Matilda. A proud graduate of the Second City Conservatory, Trish is also a current member of ComedySportz. She’d like to give a special thanks to her amazing son for always being her biggest supporter!
