Scene from ‘Into The Woods’ opening June 12 for two weekends at the Santa Fe High School Performing Arts Center. Courtesy/Caiti Lord of Madrid Emulsions
THEATER News:
Tri-M Productions of Santa Fe will perform the Tony award-winning musical of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, “Into the Woods”, opening Thursday, June 12 in Santa Fe for two weekends. It is directed by Marilyn Barnes with choreography by Laura Orozco Garrett (formerly of Moving Arts Española and now Keshet Dance and Center for the Arts in Albuquerque). Kathlene Ritch, one of the voices of KHFM classical radio and long-time Desert Chorale singer, once again has been musical director but this time steps out from behind the piano to play the lead role of The Witch. Nate Salazar is co-music director and will lead the seven-piece orchestra for the performances.
The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests. The main characters are taken from Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Cinderella, and several others. The musical is tied together by a story involving a childless baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family, their interaction with a witch who has placed a curse on them, and encounters with other storybook characters during their journey.
The show covers multiple themes: growing up, parents and children, accepting responsibility, morality, and finally, wish fulfillment and its consequences. While the first Act may end “happily ever after,” the second Act may not be suitable for young children. Parental guidance strongly suggested.
The paid cast is drawn from throughout Northern New Mexico and beyond. Divara Harper of Española, last seen in the Tri-M Productions “Little Women,” is the Baker’s Wife, and Christopher Niland, newly immigrated from New York, plays the Baker. Los Alamos’s own Matthew DeSmith, a scientist in one of the materials Divisions at LANL and recognizable from Los Alamos Little Theater productions, is Cinderella’s Prince opposite the Cinderella of Ashlyn Vigil, a Santa Fe native now living in Albuquerque.
Marika Rose Sayers is Rapunzel, and Jeremiah Vigil is her Prince. Leah Mascarenas (Little Red), Nicholas Laemmer (The Wolf), and Alex Kiefert (Jack) are all University of New Mexico students. There is a large cast of 22, costumed by Aubrey “Hicks” Pietrocci. Sarah LeBlanc again leads the Technical Direction, this time helped tremendously by the scenic design and construction led by long-time construction chairman for Zozobra, Matt Horowitz. Seeing his Milky-White puppet is nearly worth the price of admission!
This show will be performed at the Santa Fe High School Performing Arts Center, at 2100 Yucca Street in Santa Fe, 87505. Reserved seating at $56 and $34 can be found at www.trimsantafe.org, with Student/Youth tickets available for $20. Shows are at 7 p.m., Thursday–Saturday and matinees at 2 p.m., Sundays through June 22.
Scene from ‘Into The Woods’ opening June 12 at Santa Fe High School Performing Arts Center. Courtesy/Caiti Lord of Madrid Emulsions
About Tri-M Productions
Tri-M “Millennial Music Makers” Productions was founded by Marilyn and Kathlene in 2020 with the help of Cris W. Barnes, former staff member at LANL. Their mission is to create quality musical theater productions and provide opportunities for the local talent of early career professionals to continue to perform. They do three major productions a year at various venues in Santa Fe, most recently including last year’s “Legally Blonde” and “Oklahoma!”