Ashwaubenon HS students perform “Into the Woods” and overcome difficult challenges along the way

GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (WFRV) – Travel to the woods with Ashwaubenon High School students as they recount a few stories about classic storybook characters for a limited time this November.

Students will perform in person at the Ashwaubenon Performing Arts Center in Into the Woods 19.-20. November 26-27 at 7:00 p.m. and November 21 at 4:00 p.m. For those looking to get off the beaten path and explore this magical musical, please find ticket information here.

Amelia Miner, Kennedy Kramer, Bernie Rocheleau

Before their first appearance on Saturday, Local 5 was able to interview some members and get their opinion on the course of production so far.

“I love all the connections and friendships I’ve made in all my years at the theater,” explained Amelia Miner, who plays the witch. “Because we’re really like a family that comes together in the end, and I just love that feeling – just coming together as a community to create something for the community.”

“You’re damn good at it,” agreed director Bernie Rocheleau.

There was excitement in the air as the students got ready for the evening show. “Live theater is back – that’s exciting,” announced Rocheleau. “It’s great to be able to perform in our space and not just – you know, we’ve done a lot of great shows – but also one of those complexities and do them well. These kids have done a lot of hard work and it’s just a great experience with the cast – just being able to do something so difficult. “

“The complexity of each character and their arc to find out what they really want and what they really need – as if each character had so much meaning behind them that we had to really dig deeper into the matter to find out who we are and What? we need, ”explained Miner.

For Kennedy Kramer, a student who played Baker’s Wife, the challenge was the music itself. “It’s extremely difficult music,” Kramer said. “Similar words that are hard to memorize, difficult time signatures, keys, everything about this music is difficult, but if we get it right, hopefully you won’t be able to say that.”

And Rocheleau says lighting wasn’t an easy task either. “This is a very complicated show to light up and so we spent days finding just the right lighting,” he explained. “And then special effects were a challenge. Sentences. A lot of complexity with sets and effects and all these things. “

The best part about hosting the show? Miner and Kramer say it’s all about the audience.

“It’s so much easier to put on a show where the audience can react and hear their laughter when they enjoy it, hear the parts where they are obviously sniffing, sad and seen, and feel the range Emotions that you can convey to our little world, ”said Kramer.

“Especially after COVID and all the dark times we all went through, to be able to put on something that makes the audience laugh and just have a little fun and have this momentary distraction from everyday life – it’s such a wonderful feeling” added Miner.

And all three told Local 5 their best memories of this production so far.

“I have to say, one of my favorites is that there are a lot of very fast, very similar words and that within three to four months of training there is bound to be a mess,” said Kramer. “And we had some funny word mistakes. This has to be my favorite. And of course it makes everything even more fun when you are with your friends. “

Miner says her favorite memory was her first rehearsal. “We had just got our roles and read all the lines for the first time and although we had never been together – or had still practiced together – we could gradually see how it all came together.”

For Rocheleau, he says, it will be his opening night. “Before every performance I give a little pre-show talk. And I decided to dive into the meaning of Into the Woods on some of the songs and I think it was a very touching moment and I just enjoyed doing it because it’s a very meaningful musical. “

Ashwaubenon High School is also part of the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center stage program this year, which has helpful reviews of performances, several workshops, and a showcase event in May.

“We are very fortunate to have been part of Center Stage for four years in our high school career,” said Kramer and Miner nodded in agreement. “They present and give us so many wonderful opportunities – through workshops, through the actual performance on the Center Stage – to be able to participate and meet real seasoned Broadway professionals and people who really have so many years of experience work together and training. And it’s very exciting to learn so much. “

“Many of the workshops were Zoom Kina workshops. We’re really excited to be going back to the live workshops at some point because then you can interact with Broadway actors and it’s a really nice moment for these guys – you can go to the shows and right after the workshop we check out theirs Shows and it’s a great experience, ”added Rocheleau. “I’m just looking forward to coming back to it. We missed it. “