INTO THE WOODS
Into The Woods
Produced in collaboration with DePauw Theatre and The School of Music
PERFORMANCE DATES: SEPTEMBER 26-29, 2024
AUDITIONS: APRIL 9-13, 2024
DePauw Theatre and the School of Music are excited to announce auditions for our fall musical production of Into the Woods! 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.
We’re hoping for a diverse, talented, dedicated, and fun-loving cast and crew! This is a challenging production and we have a rather condensed rehearsal period, so we are having auditions in April in hopes of bringing together the cast and crew for several initial rehearsals that will lay a good foundation for learning the music and lines over the summer.
Auditions will be held Tuesday, April 9 through Saturday, April 13. Please look over the character descriptions and detailed audition requirements below. If you have any questions or are unable to audition on any of the dates/times below, please email Caroline Good at cgood@depauw.edu, and we will arrange another time for you.
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
Narrator: The Narrator helps guide the story along, and also plays a surprising role in the show later on.
Cinderella: Even though she lives with her father, wicked stepmother, and two cruel stepsisters, Cinderella is kind and good and her only wish is to go to the Prince’s festival (a.k.a. the ball), but once she does go and the Prince pursues her, she is uncertain about how to proceed.
Jack: Young, foolhardy, and desperate for a better life, Jack sells his cow for magic beans which lead him on a journey of growing up and learning to accept consequences.
Jack’s Mother: A single mother and a fighter, Jack’s Mother is mainly concerned with not starving. When she forces Jack to sell his cow, little does she know what big things are in store!
Baker: The “hero” of the story (although his actions are not always heroic), the Baker feels he must “fix” he and his wife’s inability to have children and initially tries to pursue his quest without her; but he soon realizes he is much better off with her by his side.
Baker’s Wife: Badly wanting a child, the Baker’s Wife would go to any length to have one. When her husband sets off into the woods to seek the things that would enable them to remove their “curse” of infertility, her assertiveness and stubbornness eventually helps bring about a change between her and her husband.
Cinderella’s Stepmother: Greedy, selfish, and mean-spirited, Cinderella’s Stepmother wants what is best for herself and her two daughters, but not Cinderella.
Florinda and Lucinda: Cinderella’s cruel and materialistic, ambitious stepsisters.
Cinderella’s Father: A pushover, Cinderella’s Father is out-of-touch with his family.
Little Red Riding Hood: A sassy, spoiled girl, Little Red Riding Hood must journey from youth and innocence into adulthood and responsibility through an adventurous and scary path.
Witch: Originally portrayed as “the villain,” the witch’s story is much more complicated. She has an ulterior motive when she reveals she was the one who placed the curse of infertility on the Baker’s family.
Cinderella’s Mother: Though no longer living, Cinderella’s Mother is still pivotal in granting useful advice and helping fulfill Cinderella’s wish of going to the Prince’s ball.
Mysterious Man: A wanderer in the woods, the Mysterious Man is full of riddles and a secret.
The Wolf: Hungry and menacing creature, the Wolf represents a lot more than just a dangerous animal in the woods.
Granny: Little Red Ridinghood’s grandmother who lives in the woods; Granny is feisty and vindictive towards the Wolf.
Rapunzel: Raised and locked away by the Witch, Rapunzel grew up confined to a tower in the woods; and even though she escapes to start a new life and learn her true history, she struggles to maintain her sanity after her distressing upbringing.
Cinderella’s Prince: Though charming, handsome, and seemingly perfect, Cinderella’s Prince thinks his royal birth entitles him to take anything, and anyone, he wants.
Rapunzel’s Prince: Attractive and pompous like his brother, Cinderella’s Prince, Rapunzel’s Prince tries his best to help when Rapunzel starts to lose her grip on reality.
Steward: A self-important, surly servant to the royal family.
Milky White: A pathetic and sad, but very expressive creature who, at times, resists her fate.
Potential Additional Ensemble (3m, 3w): We may add several characters as an ensemble to several musical numbers (Hansel & Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, Sleeping Beauty’s Prince, Snow White, Belle/Tiana, Rumplestiltskin).
AUDITION SIGN-UP DETAILS
To audition:
All auditionees will read from the script (Tues, 4/9 6:00-10:00pm/Sat, 4;13 12:00-4:00pm in Kerr Theatre) AND sing one of the selections below (Wed/Thurs, 4/10-4/11, 6:00-9:00pm on Kresge Stage). [Callbacks will be held on Friday 6:00-9:00pm on Kresge Stage]. See the separate sign-up links here:
SINGING AUDITION SIGN UP EMAIL CAROLINE GOOD, cgood@depauw.edu
Acting Audition (Kerr Theatre): Choose one of the sides from the audition sides document below to read for your acting audition, choosing one of the role(s) for which you are auditioning. During your time slot, you will be partnered with others to read your selection, and perhaps given another side to read. There will be no callbacks for readings. IF acting callbacks are needed based on the number of students auditioning, we may ask you to return on Sunday.
Singing Audition (Kresge Stage): Choose one of the selections below to fully prepare and memorize for your audition based on the character for which you are auditioning and your comfortable vocal range; you will audition with the entire piece. A pianist will be provided at the audition. Please consider your audition piece as a monologue and sing with full expression of character and circumstances. For each audition piece selection, you will also find a PDF of the music and an audio recording to aid in your preparation. **Note that if you are called back, you may be asked to sing your original audition piece again or a different selection that you need not memorize.
To audition for a non-solo/ensemble role:
You may choose any of the singing selections (below) and acting audition sides. To be considered for an ensemble role, you will also need to sign up for an acting audition. There no non-singing roles.
To audition for a principle role(s):
You may choose one of singing selections assigned to that role (below) for your 4-minute audition. If the role you are auditioning for does not have a specific selection below, please choose one that would be comparable. You will also need to sign up for an acting audition.
A note about voice types/ranges: Most characters have a wider vocal range than typical soprano, baritone, etc., so do look at these and know that the voice type listed below are not exact. Please refer to Into the Woods VOCAL RANGES (TOP/BOTTOM NOTES) BY CHARACTER for more precise vocal ranges.
Singing callbacks will be held Friday, April 12th 6-9pm. In the case that you are not called back, please know that it does not mean that you are no longer being considered for a role. You will be notified via email on Thursday night if you are called back. You may be asked to sing your original audition piece again or to sing for a different role from the original selections below.
For callbacks only if auditioning for any of the 5 principal roles (Baker, Jack, Cinderella, Little Red, Witch)
Call Back ONLY - "Your Fault" (See PDF.)
(Spotify) beg. at 1:08 on this "Your Fault" track
AUDITION SINGING SELECTIONS:
Cinderella (soprano) – “On the Steps of the Palace” (See PDF.)
(Spotify) Cinderella
Call Back ONLY - "Your Fault" (See PDF.)
(Spotify) beg. at 1:08 on this Call Back Cinderella track
Rapunzel (high soprano) – “Our Little World” (See PDF.)
(YouTube) Rapunzel
Jack’s Mother (mezzo soprano/soprano) - “Act I Opening, Part 5” (See PDF.)
(YouTube) Jack's Mother
Baker’s Wife (mezzo soprano)– “Moments in the Woods” (See PDF.)
(Spotify) beg. at 2:16 on this Baker's Wife track
Little Red Ridinghood (mezzo soprano) – “I Know Things Now” (See PDF.)
Spotify Little Red
Call Back ONLY - "Your Fault" (See PDF.)
(Spotify) beg. at 1:08 on this Call Back Little Red track
Witch (mezzo soprano) – “The Last Midnight” (See PDF.)
(Spotify) beg. at 1:36 on this Witch track
Call Back ONLY - "Your Fault" (See PDF.)
(Spotify) beg. at 1:08 on this Call Back Witch track
The Wolf (baritone) – “Hello, Little Girl” (See PDF.)
(Spotify) Wolf (mezzo soprano)
Jack (tenor) – “Giants in the Sky” (See PDF.)
(Spotify) Jack
Call Back ONLY - "Your Fault" (See PDF.)
(Spotify) beg. at 1:08 on this Call Back Jack track
Baker (baritone) - “No More” (See PDF.)
(Spotify) Baker
Call Back ONLY - "Your Fault" (See PDF.)
(Spotify) beg. at 1:08 on this Call Back Baker track
The Wolf (baritone) – “Hello, Little Girl” (See PDF.)
(Spotify) Wolf (baritone)
Cinderella’s (also Rapunzel’s) Prince (baritone) – “Agony” (See PDF.)
(Spotify) Prince(s)
Mysterious Man (bass/baritone) - “No More” (See PDF.)
(Spotify) Mysterious. Man