STEPHEN SONDHEIM

STEPHEN SONDHEIM wrote the music and lyrics for Saturday Night (1954), A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (1962), ANYONE CAN WHISTLE (1964), COMPANY (1970), FOLLIES (1971), A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (1973), THE FROGS (1974), PACIFIC OVERTURES (1976), SWEENEY TODD (1979), MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG (1981), SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (1984), INTO THE WOODS (1987), ASSASSINS (1991), PASSION (1994) and ROAD SHOW (2008) as well as lyrics for WEST SIDE STORY (1957), GYPSY (1959) and DO I HEAR A WALTZ? (1965) and additional lyrics for CANDIDE (1973). Anthologies of his work include SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM (1976), MARRY ME A LITTLE (1981), YOU'RE GONNA LOVE TOMORROW (1983), PUTTING IT TOGETHER (1993/99) and SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM (2010). He composed the scores of the films "Stavisky" (1974) and "Reds" (1981) and songs for "Dick Tracy" (1990) and the television production "Evening Primrose" (1966). His collected lyrics with attendant essays have been published in two volumes: "Finishing the Hat" (2010) and "Look, I Made A Hat" (2011). In 2010 Broadway's Henry Miller's Theatre was renamed The Stephen Sondheim Theatre in his honour; in 2019, London's Queens Theatre was also renamed the Sondheim.

JAMES LAPINE

JAMES LAPINE is a playwright and director. On Broadway he has worked with Stephen Sondheim on Sunday in the Park with George; Into the Woods; and Passion. He also conceived and directed the musical review Sondheim on Sondheim. With William Finn he created Falsettos recently revived by Lincoln Center Theater; Little Miss Sunshine; Muscle; and directed Finn's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Other Broadway credits include his play based on Moss Hart's memoir Act One (also LCT), Amour, The Diary of Anne Frank, Golden Child, and Dirty Blonde. He has written the plays Table Settings, Twelve Dreams, The Moment When, Fran's Bed and Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing. Lapine has been nominated for eleven Tony Awards, winning on three occasions. He has also been the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, SDC's Mr. Abbott Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater, and inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame.

Director | STEPHEN THORNE

Stephen Thorne has been a Resident Acting Company Member at Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, RI since 2000. Selected roles at Trinity include: Morgan/Walter, The Inheritance; Judge Turpin, Sweeney Todd; Jimbo, Fairview; Orin, Little Shop of Horrors; Iago, Othello; Tom Joad, The Grapes of Wrath; Homer Wells, The Cider House Rules. Stephen played Jimmy Carter in Camp David at the Alley Theatre in Houston. He has also worked at The Long Wharf Theatre, Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, Riverside Theater, and was in Twelfth Night for the Riverside Shakespeare Festival in 2000. Last fall, Stephen adapted and directed A Christmas Carol at Trinity Rep. Film/Television: The Holdovers, Boston Strangler, Don’t Look Up, Mother/Android. Stephen has been a member of the Breadloaf School of English Acting Ensemble since 1999. MFA University of Iowa 1997. 

Music Director | MARK BRUCKNER

Mark Bruckner (Music Director, Conductor, Sound Designer, Keyboard Programmer) is a New York Innovative Theater, Audelco Award-winning composer, and Henry Hewes American Theatre Wing design nominee. Recent work: Original Music and Sound Design for Men on Boats (Thayer Theatre, Fall 2023) and Ugly Lies the Bone (Mabie Theatre, Spr 2023) both directed by Mary Beth Easley; Music Direction, Conductor, and Arranger for Something Rotten! (directed by Jonathan Hadley, Spr 2023, Mabie Theatre); Original music and music director for The Bacchae (directed by Sarah Gazdowicz, Thayer Theatre, Fall 2022); Original music and sound design for The Marriage of Alice B. Toklas by Gertrude Stein by Edward Einhorn (Jermyn Street Theatre, West End London, UK, March 2022); Original music and ambisonic sound design for Body Concert by Kevin Augustine of Lone Wolf Tribe which recently received the Grand Prize for Best production at the 17th International Lalka Też Człowiek festival in Warsaw, Poland. Visit www.markbruckner.net

Choreographer/Assistant Director | MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER FLORES

Michael Christopher Flores is a director/choreographer & current MFA Directing Candidate at UIowa. Michael holds a B.A in Theatre Arts with an Emphasis in Musical Theatre Performance from San Diego State University. A few director/choreographer credits include Head Over Heels, Heathers: The Musical, 35MM: A Musical Exhibition, & CABARET. Part of Michael’s directorial focus is central to his experience with Dance-Theatre; he has written, directed & choreographed two dance-theatre pieces titled LITTLE BOY BLUE (2018/2023) & MEMORY (2022) www.michaelcflores.com for more info.    

Fight Director | PAUL KALINA

Dramaturg | BO-HUA LIN

Stage Manager | JORDAN "J.J." JONES

Jordan “J.J.” Jones is incredibly thankful to have had the opportunity to work on this production of Into the Woods. This is her final project as a graduate student in the Stage Management program, and she couldn’t be more grateful for the collaboration and artistry of everyone involved to bring such a wonderful show to these audiences. She sends immense gratitude to everyone in the Iowa community for these past three years and hopes that you all enjoy the show! 

Scenic Designer | CHLOE COBB

Chloe is a second-year M.F.A. Theatre Arts student with a focus in scenic design. They received their B.A. in Theatre (Design and Production) from Arizona State University in 2022. Previous scenic design work includes University of Iowa’s Men on Boats in Fall 2023, Ugly Lies the Bone in Spring 2023, and Fathers and Sons as part of New Play Festival in 2023. See their full portfolio at www.chloecobbdesign.com. 

 Costume/Makeup Designer | ALASTAIR SIGALA RAMIREZ 

Alastair Sigala Ramirez was born and raised in Amarillo, Texas. He received his Associates in Theatre from Amarillo College, his B.A. from Texas Wesleyan University, and his M.F.A. in Theatre from the University of Iowa Department of Theatre Arts with a focus on costume and lighting design. Previous costume design work includes The Bacchae: A Tragedy in One Act, Our Lady of 121st Street, Abyssinia, Mirette, and most recently A Trip to Bountiful with Riverside Theater. 

Lighting Designer ​| VICTOR MALDONADO

 Puppet Designer ​| JEFFERY OAKLEY

Intimacy Director ​| OWEN BRIGHTMAN

Violin 1 | LUIS ENRIQUE INFANTE HERNANDEZ

Violin 2 | ANDREA ALLEN*

Viola 1 | BRYNN GARNER-PROUTY*

Cello | MADISON BRADY*

Madison Brady is an undergraduate studying to get her Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance with a minor in Cinema. Brady has a lot of pit experience, from playing in the University of Iowa’s Something Rotten! (Spring 2023), The Bacchae (Fall 2022), String (Spring 2022), as well as her high school’s musical Carrie (Fall 2019). Brady also enjoys playing in various symphonies, such as the Des Moines Gamer Symphony, the University of Iowa Symphony, and the Quad City Youth Symphony while she was in high school. You can also find Brady playing various gigs across Iowa.  

String Bass | XAVIER VONGPHAKDY*

Flute/Piccolo | RYAN MACDONALD

Clarinet | SAYYOD MIRZOMURODOV

Bassoon | CARLOS LOPEZ-SORIA

Horn 1 | JONATHAN HUGHES*

Horn 2 | ANNA CULLINAN*

Trumpet |JOANNA LESTON*

Trumpet (sub) | HENRY LEADERS* 

Percussion | McKenna Blenk

McKenna Blenk is a percussionist from Rockwall, Texas pursuing a Doctoral degree in Percussion Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Iowa. She holds a Music Education degree from Appalachian State and a Master of Arts in Percussion Performance degree from Truman State. She actively performs in various types of ensembles, ranging from orchestra and opera to steel band and percussion ensemble, and strives to promote diversity in her music.  She was previously seen as the percussionist for the University of Iowa's production of Something Rotten! (2023) and is excited for this year's production with the UI Theatre Department. 

Rehearsal Accompanist/Piano | KYLE COLEMAN

Rehearsal Accompanist ​| HENRIQUE PEIXOTO RABELO

Assistant Stage Manager ​| MAGGIE MCCLELLAN

Maggie McClellan is a first-year Stage Management MFA candidate. She was recently Assistant Stage Manager for UIowa’s opera L’amico Fritz. Professional credits include Stage Manager for Riverside Theatre (Everybody, The Roommate, A Walk in the Woods, The Weir, The Niceties), Interlochen Center for the Arts (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane), and Willow Creek Theatre Company. Maggie would like to thank her family for their endless support.

Assistant Stage Manager ​| SOPHIE YOUNG*

Sophie Young is a third-year undergraduate student studying Theatre, Cinema, and Public Digital Arts with a focus on Stage Management. Previous University of Iowa Stage Management credits include Brother-Brother, The Lazaretto, and Stars and Stones. Previous University of Iowa Assistant Stage Management credits include Ugly Lies The Bone, Rockabye, and I Saw You/New Person. She sends her gratitude to the entire team on this production—especially J.J. for all her guidance over the years.  

Assistant Costume Designer | I.M FORTUNADO

Assistant Makeup Designer ​| ABBY GARRATY