High School Celebrates 10 Years Of Musicals With 'Into The Woods'

MATTITUCK, NY — Students at Mattituck High School are celebrating 10 years of musical theater with "Into the Woods," which debuts Thursday night.

The show, presented by the Mattituck Musical Theater Company, will run Thursday through Saturday at the Mattituck High School Auditorium. Tickets cost $12 for adults and $8 for seniors; students are free. Tickets are available at the door.

"Into the Woods," with lyrics and music by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine was originally directed on Broadway by Lapine, with orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick.

According to Music Theatre International, "Into the Woods" is about 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."

For all involved, the show carries great meaning, as this year's production marks 10 years since the Board of Education reinstated the option for young thespians to perform musicals at the high school after a group of students fought passionately to make that happen.

"Jacob Fowle, my co-director and I, are very honored to present our tenth show as the Mattituck Musical Theater Company," said director Anne Gilvarry. "I have been looking back at photos of the last nine years' shows to prepare some memorabilia to show audiences for the 10th anniversary and it's amazing to see how these students have grown in this program, and how our program has grown in size and complexity."

To celebrate the milestone, she and others have reached out to former cast and crew, inviting them to come to Saturday's show to be acknowledged as a permanent and well-loved part of the MMTC family.

"We are excited to see so many faces from the past and take a family photo," she said.

And, said Gilvarry: "'Into the Woods' is one of the most challenging shows we have done, and we are so proud of this cast that has risen to that challenge. It is a show Mr. Fowle and I both hold dear, having performed in it in our youth (separately). The show combines the best of musical theater: beautiful music, witty dialogue, rich characterization, and tender moments about humanity."

She added: "We are so grateful for all the support we receive from our school and larger community. It means so much to these students, who are truly remarkable. They inspire us every time they go 'into the woods.'"

Gilvarry posted on social media asking former cast and crew members to attend Saturday's show.

"Can you believe that it's been 10 years since we started this wild ride with the Class of 2011 performing 'You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown?' Much love, and thank you for so many great memories," she said.

Marissa Russo, a Mattituck High School graduate who was instrumental in bringing musicals back to the stage there, said in a past interview that she was thrilled to see the dream realized."I'm overjoyed to see musicals happening at Mattituck; it's still surreal to me," Russo said. "The thing I love about the Mattituck Musical Theater Company is that so many students have gotten involved — many who had never set foot in the theater before."

This year, Russo also asked her fellow alumni to attend the show on Saturday. "This is such a huge milestone," Russo said. "I don’t know how it’s the 10th show already, but I am filled with pride of what the program has grown to be and gratitude to the district, Board of Education, and the community for supporting the arts with young people."