Opening night always brings an extra buzz or burst of energy and this is truly the case for cast and crew of a show at Rhinebeck High School. The Rhinebeck Drama Club’s production of “Into the Woods” just completed four shows over three days in the high school auditorium.
“Opening night is always special, no matter how many productions you’re a part of,” said Tiffany McGehee, play director. “There’s a certain magic that happens when the makeup and costumes are on, the lights accentuate the set pieces and the actors have an energy that exchanges with the live audience in a way that is only felt in the theater.”
McGehee added, “There are so many other players who make sure everything is ready, too. There are adult supervisors in costume, sound, lighting and stage management. Parents help in the lobby to get everyone seated or fed during intermission. For every single body on stage, there are usually three behind the scenes.”
The Rhinebeck Drama Club started preparing for its spring musical after completing its fall play, Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town.”
“Into the Woods, based on James Lapine’s book with music and lyrics from Stephen Sondheim, won numerous Tony Awards after premiering on Broadway in 1987 and hit the movie screens in 2014 with Meryl Streep and Johnny Depp leading the cast.
In the play, a couple goes into the woods and meets characters from fairytales such as “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Cinderella.”
“It’s really energetic and great,” said senior Caswell LaRose, who played the narrator and mysterious man, of opening night. “It’s the culmination of something you’ve been working on for so long. It is just so much fun to perform it with these people, who are great.
“You will feel a buzz on opening night. The first time you perform in front of a full audience is a different feeling than when you’re in rehearsal, but it’s still the same show.”
Joslyn Carter, who played Cinderella, said there is a buzz on each night because the actors are performing before a different audience.
“Every audience is different, so it’s really fun to see what line is going to have them laugh on Friday versus Saturday. It’s always a different experience,” she said.