Into The Woods

By: James Lapine & Stephen Sondheim
Directed by: Hilary Goldman

October 7th - 23rd

About the Show

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 story follows a Baker and his wife, who wish to have a child; Cinderella, who wishes to attend the King's Festival; and Jack, who wishes his cow would give milk. When the Baker and his wife learn that they cannot have a child because of a Witch's curse, the two set off on a journey to break the curse. Everyone's wish is granted, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later with disastrous results.

One of Sondheim's most popular works, Into the Woods is a musically sophisticated show with the opportunity to feature actors adept at dark comedy. Designers will especially enjoy highlighting the fantastical elements of this magical word.

Meet the Cast

Gary Lizardo (Narrator/Mysterious Man) is happy to be in his tenth HP production. His NYC stage credits include: Sheridan Whiteside (The Man Who Came To Dinner), Chauncey Miles (The Nance), Julian Marsh (42nd St), David Kingsley (Stage Door), Herr Schultz (Cabaret),: Zoser (Aida), Robert de Beaudricourt (St. Joan), Mr. Laurence (Little Women), King Marchand (Victor Victoria), Danvers Carew (Jekyll And Hyde-The Musical), Priest (Bare - The Pop Opera), Dennis Shepard (The Laramie Project), Frederick Chasuble and Lady Bracknell (The Imp	Rachel Hering (Cinderella) is thrilled to be back with The Heights Players in one of her favorite shows of all time! She was last seen with The Heights in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Some of her favorite credits include, Jekyll and Hyde, Little Shop of Horrors, Jesus Christ Superstar and A Little Night Music. When not performing, Rachel can be found teaching Pilates around Manhattan. Many thanks to the cast and crew - it’s been a joy to spend this time in the woods together.	Gareth Hogan (Jack) currently a junior in high school, is very happy to return to the Height’s Players. He was most recently seen as Squidward in the Edward R. Murrow High School production of Spongebob: The Musical. Other Heights Players appearances include Oliver in Oliver!, JoJo in Seussical, and various roles in George M! and Crazy For You. In 2019 he was part of the ensemble of Fault Lines at MoMA. He enjoys jazz and playing jazz guitar, and all things music and music theory. His favorite deli order is a Bacon
Grace Lazos (Jack’s Mother) is a New York City-based performer, educator, and size inclusivity activist. Ten years ago she entered the woods for the first time in a Cleveland, OH community theatre and she’s so excited to return! Grace currently sings with the Stonewall Chorale, and is the founder and executive director of Broadway Bods, a nonprofit theatre group dedicated to putting larger bodies in leading roles!	Joe Bliss (Baker) is thrilled to once again journey Into The Woods after performing as Rapunzel's Prince in 2018 with the Village Light Opera Group. This also marks his third show with the Heights Players (West Side Story - Riff, Crazy for You - Bobby Child). Joe has a BA in Music and Computer Science from Colgate University and a Masters in Musical Theatre Performance from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He's grateful for the love and support of John, his family and friends, and this amazing cast and crew;	Helora Danna (Baker’s Wife) is so excited and honored to be in Into the Woods, this is her second show at the Heights players, and before this, she has appeared off-broadway in A Christmas Carol, and Sleepy Hollow the Musical. Other work includes Margot in Legally Blonde, and Chris in Carrie the Musical. Much love to all her friends and family, and also her fluffy dog.
Jacob Clark Boggs (Stepmother) a.k.a Juniper J. is a singer, actor, and director celebrating 11 years in NYC. They have been in such films as Mannu and Saving Borshia. Theater projects have included Hysterium in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, Maurice in Beauty and the Beast, Turkey in Honk, Hines in The Pajama Game, Horton in Seussical, and Jack in Into the Woods. You can also catch their fun-loving pop tunes under the moniker Juniper J. available on all streaming platforms. They are thrilled to be joining	Rebekah Shea Rivera (Florinda) is an AMDA graduate reaching for a career in Musical Theater. Raised in Rochester, NY she found her love of musicals while performing in high school. This is her first Heights Players production and is very grateful for this opportunity. She recently played Alexi Darling in Rent with NexGen theater company and has been in productions such as Little Shop of Horrors as Audrey, and In The Heights as Nina. She looks forward to being a part of more productions around the city and dedicates this perfo	Taylor Beckman (Lucinda, u/s Little Red Riding Hood) is elated to be making her Heights Players debut with this incredibly talented group of performers. Pre-pandemic Taylor performed as Jan (An Empowered Woman) in The Gallery Players One-Act Play Festival and on multiple stages during the France/Belgium Theatre in Education tour with Pickles Theatre Company. Other favorite roles include Dorothy (Wizard of Oz), Jeanie (Hair), and Jo March (Little Women). BA in Theatre and Psych from Muhlenberg College and currently pursuing an MA in Drama Therapy
Chelsea Remick (Little Red Riding Hood) is thrilled to join the cast of Into The Woods! Chelsea graduated this past spring from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Chelsea has been performing professionally since the age of nine, specializing in Sondheim and Pop Rock. Some favorite credits include: Into The Woods (Little Red) Theatre Workshop of Nantucket, Boston Pops (soloist), Cinderella (Joy) Theatre Workshop of Nantucket, Hair (soloist/Ensemble) On The Isle Productions, TWN 50th Anniversary with Meryl Streep (soloist).	Blaze Levario (The Witch) is incredibly happy to be onstage again after just a…short hiatus. They are no stranger to The Heights Players, having been seen in two directors workshops, and MainStage productions of Anything Goes and Kiss Me Kate. They are happy to bring gender non-confirming fabulosity to this production and hope to see more TGNC folx grace The Heights Player’s stage. Favorite roles include: Emcee in Cabaret, Robert in Bridges of Madison County, and Snoopy in YAGMCB. They would like to thank Erik	Martha Sue Allen (Cinderella’s Mother/Granny/Giant) is so thrilled to be back with the Heights Players! A recipient of her Masters of Music from the Manhattan School of Music in classical voice (2020), Martha’s favorite credits include Into The Woods (Cinderella’s Mother/Granny/The Giant), The Leopard and the Lynx (Betty), and The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Chairwoman/Mayor Sapsea) with the Brooklyn Heights Players, scene work from Hansel and Gretel (Hansel), La Rondine (Bianca), and Akhnaten (Daughter 3) with the Manhattan
Alan Gonzalez (The Wolf, u/s Cinderella’s Prince, Rapunzel Prince, Stepmother) (they/them) is ecstatic to be going into the woods! A genderfaer puppeteer and "strong mover” from El Paso, TX. Favorite roles include Pablo (Sister Act - Arizona Broadway), Fighting Prawn (Peter and the Starcatcher), and now The Wolf! Theatre is collaborative and has never been created in a vacuum, and at its best, reflects the society in which it is created. Alan believes in directing, performing, and collaborating through a queer, feminist, anti-ableist, body-positive, and actively anti-rac	Anna Bencivengo (Rapunzel) is thrilled to return to the Heights Players where she has previously appeared in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Crazy For You, George M!, and Seussical. She was recently seen in the St. Jean’s Players’ productions of Bye Bye Birdie (Kim MacAfee) and Curtains. Favorite past credits include Sweeney Todd (Johanna), Carousel (Julie Jordan), Li’l Abner (Daisy Mae), and A Funny Thing Happened...Forum (Philia).	Noah Chartrand (Cinderella’s Prince) is grateful to be in this production of Into the Woods. He moved to New York 6 years ago for college and hasn’t looked back. At his day job, he builds sets and loves being in a theater all day long.
Sylvester Nunnery (Rapunzel’s Prince) is excited to return to the Heights Players. Just last spring, he portrayed the role of the Reverand Crisparkle in the Heights Players production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood. His stage credits are Showboat (Joe), The Wild Party (Max), My Fair Lady (Featured Dancer), and Hair (ensemble). In his spare time, he is a home chef and avid video gamer.	J. Scot Cahoon (Cinderella’s Father) is thrilled to join this talented cast as we venture into and/or through some woods — you may recognize this lanky boi from previous Heights productions such as Seussical and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. His tenorific tambour can also be heard in various children’s cartoons, typically as a pre-adolescent anthropomorphic robot dinosaur. Scot hails from colorful Colorado where he grew up hiking, climbing trees, and setting things on fire. With a BA Theatre: Acting/Directing from Colorado Mesa Uni	Sam Brownell (Steward) is thrilled to be making his Heights Players debut in Into the Woods! He has previously starred as Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, Sir Lancelot in Spamalot, Warner in Legally Blonde, John Adams in 1776, and Anthony in Sweeney Todd. Sam is so happy to be back on stage for the first time in three years and would like to thank his family and friends for their endless love and support.
Amanda Briskin-Wallace (Milky White) (she/her) is an NYC based Singer, Actor, Dancer and Teaching Artist. She is so excited to once again be working with the Heights Players having previously appeared in The Mystery Of Edwin Drood! Some of Amanda’s credits include: Pippin (Catherine), She Kills Monsters (Tilly Evans), Peter and The Starcatcher (Smee), & Bound! The Musical (Voice of Emily on the official new soundtrack). She’s always grateful to her parents for their constant love and support. https://www.amanda-bw.com	Chris Carlson (u/s Narrator/Mysterious Man) is grateful to be working with Heights Players and this wonderful production. Favorite roles include Eilert Lovborg (Hedda Gabler), Claudio (Much Ado About Nothing), Edmond Tyronne (Long Day’s Journey Into Night), Officer Lockstock (Urinetown), Wilbur Turnblad (Hairspray), Martin (Fool For Love). Thanks to Hilary, Cathy, Felisha, and the cast and crew.	Amelie Jacobs (u/s Cinderella) 1st performance with The Heights Players! Still, she has done many shows with groups such as Narrows Community Theater (latest credit: Cosette in Les Misérables) & Jeff Samaha Theater Productions (latest credit: Dance Captain and Ronnie in Annie). Amelie is a recent graduate of LaGuardia High School (latest credits: Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance & Lady of the Court in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella). She is now attending Manhattan School of Music to get her bachelor of music in classical
Bryan Cordova (u/s Jack) is honored to be making not only his Heights Players debut, but also his public performance since pre-covid. His other previous works include Christ the King’s Theatre Company’s Mary Poppins as Bert, A Stephen Sondheim/Leonard Bernstein Revue, In The Heights as Usnavi DeleVega, which also got him nominated for the 2019 Roger Rees Awards, a step before the national Jimmy Awards. When not performing, you can find Bryan somewhere in the city working, writing a tune or continuing a play, or spendin	Dominic Fleshman (u/s Baker) is thrilled to make his debut with the Heights Players. Previously, Dominic has starred as Quasimodo in Off the Lake Productions’ The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Professor Callahan in The Ohio State University’s Legally Blonde, and as The Baker in the canceled Ohio State Opera and Lyric Theater Production of Into the Woods. Dominic is grateful for the opportunity to finally bring this show to life with an amazing cast and crew. He’d like to give a special thanks to his family and friends who travel	Jeanne Cascio (u/s The Baker's Wife) is excited to be back with the Heights Players! Favorite roles include: The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Miss. Violet Balfour /Featured Dancer), Pippin (Catherine), George M! (Fay Templeton), Cabaret (Liesel), 42nd Street (Gladys), ...Forum (Geminae), Hello, Dolly! and Anything Goes (Ensemble). Jeanne is a choral conductor and voice teacher at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. Heartfelt thanks to the cast, crew, and creative team!
Katelyn Fuentes (u/s The Witch) (she/her) is thrilled to be in her second production at The Heights Players, the first being Hair where she played the role of Dionne. It’s been about 7 years since Kate has been on a stage performing and she is so grateful to be a part of this talented cast. She hopes to keep up the momentum and keep performing around NYC in the coming years. Some of her favorite roles include Abuela Claudia (In The Heights - The Livingston Theater Company), Elizabeth Benning (Young Frankenstein - The Livingst	Sophia Masterson (u/s Rapunzel, Cinderella’s Mother/Granny/Giant) is thrilled to be making her Heights Players debut! Originally from Sarasota, Florida she is new to New York and is so excited to be here. Let her know your favorite pizza spots in the city! Notable credits include Clara Johnson (The Light in The Piazza), Veronica Sawyer (Heathers), Christine Daae (Phantom), and Flora (The Turn of The Screw). Sophia holds a BFA in Vocal Performance from Carnegie Mellon University. Much love to her family for the constant #love and #support!	Cassaundra Reed (u/s Florinda/Lucinda/Milky White) is just so happy to have spent some time in the woods with these talented folks! She was most recently seen here at the Heights in The Mystery of Edwin Drood and jumped at the chance to work with/learn from Hilary again! A Wagner College Theater alum, notable performances include: Little Shop (Audrey), Guys & Dolls (Adelaide), Sweet Charity (Nikki) and Cabaret (Rosie). Cassaundra is dance captain of the Brooklyn-based, mermaid-themed, sequin-loving dance team, The Tailshakers. Shout out to her