Into the Woods Program

2024-2025 SEASON

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CONGRATULATIONS AND BREAK A LEG TO THE CAST OF INTO THE WOODS!

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Gateway Center for Performing Arts' Youth Theatre Company Production Of

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Book by James Lapine

CREATIVE AND CREW Music Director Lori Barrett-Pagano

Director Paul Pagano

Choreographer Stephanie Fox

Stage Manager Lawrence Jacquan

Assistant Director Brady Joy

Assistant Stage Managers Joe Guzon & Amelia Pozzo

Assistant Music Director Chloe Jennings

Set Design Patrice Nelms

Lighting Design Tanner Douglas

Costume Design Andrea Robb

Sound Design Jake Tillman

Hair & Makeup Caidyn Crouch

Scenic Artist Tobias Reynolds

Props Design Laura Skroska

Scenic Artist Assistants Lily Griner, Adele Plank, Delaney Plank Hair & Makeup Assistant Abby Rosenfeld

Costume Assistant Echo Pentz

Marketing Susannah Egley & Mike De Pope

Dramaturg Faith McGillivary

Marketing Assistant Lily Griner

Production Photographer Lisa Teadt Photography

Artistic Director Stephanie Fox

Stage Crew Katie Balinkski, Mike Berube, Jeanine Davis, Nobily Forder, Miles McGee, Mackenzie Michel, Gabriella Ryan, Mary Kay Schmitt, Atticus Zeilstra

BAND Keys 1 Michael Frazier Violin Amie Tripodi

Keys 2 Tim Clark

Cello Marie Brown

Reeds 1 Kaylin Knost Bass Alerica Anderson

Conductor Lori Barrett-Pagano

Reeds 2 JD Tolman Percussion Adam Kopff

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CAST

BAKER BAKER Juno Mayer Juno Mayer

BAKER’S WIFE BAKER’S WIFE Bella Crank Bella Crank

THE WITCH THE WITCH AnnaKait Peters-Bahkou AnnaKait Peters-Bahkou

CINDERELLA CINDERELLA Kalia Pagano^ Kalia Pagano^

JACK JACK Chris Dickmann Chris Dickmann

LITTLE RED LITTLE RED Kate Schuler Kate Schuler

WOLF WOLF CINDERELLA’S PRINCE CINDERELLA’S PRINCE Tyler Bugg Tyler Bugg

NARRATOR NARRATOR MYSTERIOUS MAN MYSTERIOUS MAN Andrew Lambson Andrew Lambson

RAPUNZEL’S PRINCE RAPUNZEL’S PRINCE Derek Crisp Derek Crisp JACK’S MOTHER JACK’S MOTHER Keira Hoisington Keira Hoisington

STEPMOTHER STEPMOTHER Audrey Schulz^ Audrey Schulz^

RAPUNZEL RAPUNZEL Lily Wymore Lily Wymore

FLORINDA FLORINDA Finley Mohr^ Finley Mohr^

LUCINDA LUCINDA Kaydence Creech Kaydence Creech

CINDERELL’A MOTHER CINDERELL’A MOTHER // GRANNY GRANNY // GIANT GIANT Danielle Singleton Danielle Singleton STEWARD STEWARD Makai McClerking Makai McClerking

SNOW WHITE SNOW WHITE Marchesa Dolton^ Marchesa Dolton^

CINDERELLA’S FATHER CINDERELLA’S FATHER Christian Gray Christian Gray

SLEEPING BEAUTY SLEEPING BEAUTY Chloe Jennings^ Chloe Jennings^

MILKY WHITE MILKY WHITE Chris Lowery^ Chris Lowery^

UNDERSTUDIES UNDERSTUDIES BAKER Derek BAKER Derek Crisp Crisp || THE THE WITCH WITCH Keira Keira Hoisington Hoisington || CINDERELLA CINDERELLA Audrey Audrey Schulz Schulz JACK Makai JACK Makai McClerking McClerking || LITTLE LITTLE RED RED Finley Finley Mohr Mohr || RAPUNZEL RAPUNZEL Kaydence Kaydence Creech Creech NARRATOR // MYSTERIOUS NARRATOR MYSTERIOUS MAN MAN // RAPUNZEL’S RAPUNZEL’S PRINCE PRINCE Christian Christian Gray Gray JACK’S MOTHER JACK’S MOTHER // STEPMOTHER STEPMOTHER Danielle Danielle Singleton Singleton LUCINDA // FLORINDA LUCINDA FLORINDA Chloe Chloe Jennings Jennings CINDERELLA’S MOTHER CINDERELLA’S MOTHER // GRANNY/GIANT GRANNY/GIANT || Marchesa Marchesa Dolton Dolton

^Denotes GCPA CrAFT Member

Artistic Director’s Note Welcome to the GCPA Youth Theatre Company’s monumental 10th season! As we celebrate this milestone, our commitment to delivering challenging, thoughtprovoking and “out-of-the-box” youth theatre experiences remains unwavering. We are ready to embark on a season filled with laughter, gorgeous music, epic dances, and transformative stories, inviting you to be immersed in the magic of live theater.

In this season’s Mainstage productions, we invite you to rock out with School of Rock, a high-energy adaptation of the Jack Black film that showcases the power of music to inspire and uplift. Following this, we delve into the rich tapestry of Ragtime, a poignant exploration of diverse lives interwoven by the threads of history and music.

Two distinct narratives, united by the universal language of melody, promise to captivate your senses and leave you humming tunes long after the curtain falls.

This summer, our theatrical voyage takes a plunge—first into the depths of the ocean with Finding Nemo. This registration-based show caters to all young enthusiasts, offering a KIDS version for ages 6-11 and a JUNIOR version for ages 11-14. Dive into the enchanting world of GCPA magic without the pressure of formal auditions.

Performers learn and practice the process of preparing and skill building, auditioning, casting, rehearsing and performing, all as part of the program! They will experience full GCPA production value, bringing to life the heartwarming tale of Nemo’s underwater escapades.

Our middle school audition-based production gets some underwater fun as well, with SpongeBob the Musical: Youth Edition. Join SpongeBob and your beloved Bikini Bottom residents on a spirited mission to save their home. Through catchy tunes collaborated from some of the most celebrated pop, rock and musical theatre artists of the last few decades, combined with the endearing, hilarious and iconic characters of the SpongeBob universe, this production promises a sea of laughter and lessons on friendship that will resonate with audiences of all ages.

Concluding our subterranean adventures, we proudly present Alice by Heart. Set against the backdrop of World War II, this poignant story follows two young friends seeking refuge in an underground bunker. To ease the pain of her dying friend, our protagonist recounts the timeless tale of Alice in Wonderland - “by heart” - infusing magic and whimsy into their confined and difficult world as they merge through imagination into Wonderland. The power of friendship through a journey of grief take center stage in this evocative production, reminding us of the enduring impact of storytelling even in the darkest times. Alice By Heart is open by audition to actors ages 14-19.

As we embark on this celebratory season, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our patrons, supporters, and the talented casts and crews who make GCPA a beacon of creativity. Here’s to a season filled with unforgettable moments, laughter that echoes through the halls, and the experience only live theater can provide. Welcome to a decade of dreams, drama, and dazzling performances at GCPA! If you like what you see, please consider joining us on our mission to provide quality, challenging, and out-of-the-box theatre for STL youth. See our shows, take our classes, spread the word, volunteer, or donate. We’d love your story with GCPA to begin today.

Stephanie Fox Artistic Director

Director's Note The first show I ever saw was the first national tour of Into The Woods. At the time, I wasn’t quite sure what I was witnessing. I sat there for two and a half hours in awe. The brilliance of Stephen Sondheim can’t be overstated. After years of study and two degrees in the performing arts, I understand why I was in such awe all those years ago.

Sondheim’s attention to storytelling detail is inside every syllable and musical accent. He gives artists clear instruction on how he sees moments playing out through musical underscore or pace of speech while also giving room for artistic interpretation. And his work is so dense, it takes many listens/reads to dig into all he wants to tell in the story. As I did that work, one of the things I noticed about some of the characters is their resemblance to characters of commedia dell’arte - a foundational form of acting work which guides actors into deeper and more intuitive physicalization and expression. The princes have nods of Capitano. The Mysterious Man has nods of Arlecchino. The Stepmother has nods of Dottore. And with the Witch’s transformation from ugly hag to her original beauty, I used that opportunity to pull in another element of commedia… the mask. Our costume designer, Andrea Robb, then added to that idea by suggesting we put the wolf in a mask as well. That conversation opened the door to pull in more of the darkness from the original Grimm’s fairy tales, as well as some of my own artistic interpretation (but I’m not going to give that away here so watch closely).

One of the things I like most about the way Sondheim wrote this story is how the complexity of the score mirrors the complexity of life. While we traverse the current situation in our lives, several others are forming at the same time and we’re forced to deal with multiple things at one time.

That’s the mess of life. Fairy tales, at least the Disneyfied versions of them, find characters dealing with one challenge at a time and they always have a happy ending. Life is not that simple. We’re never really “out of the woods.” There’s always something new coming at us, thus having us constantly going “into the woods.” And even at the end of this story, Sondheim and James Lapine (the librettist) have the characters still facing new challenges ahead, continuing to have to find their way and grow through the struggle, never truly reaching “the end.”

It’s been a fun journey telling the first story I ever saw on stage. And it provided a lot of learning for the cast and crew on the focus needed to tell a story written by Stephen Sondheim. I hope you enjoy the story as much as we enjoy telling it.

Paul Pagano Director

SONG BREAKDOWN

ACT 1 Prologue: Into the Woods............................................................................................Company Cinderella at The Grave...............................................Cinderella, Cinderella’s Mother Hello, Little Girl..........................................................................Wolf, Little Red Ridinghood I Guess This Is Goodbye..............................................................................................................Jack Maybe They’re Magic................................................................................................Baker’s Wife Baker’s Reprise...............................................................................................................................Baker I Know Things Now.............................................................................Little Red Ridinghood A Very Nice Prince..........................................................................Cinderella, Baker’s Wife First Midnight........................................................................................................................Company Giants in the Sky...............................................................................................................................Jack Agony.......................................................................Cinderella’s Prince, Rapunzel’s Prince A Very Nice Prince (Reprise).....................................................Cinderella, Baker’s Wife It Takes Two.....................................................................................................Baker, Baker’s Wife Second Midnight................................................................................................................Company Stay With Me...................................................................................................................................Witch On the Steps of the Palace.........................................................................................Cinderella Finale: “Ever After”.......................................................................................Narrator, Company ACT 2 Prologue: “So Happy”.......................................................................................................Company “Agony” (Reprise)............................................Cinderella’s Prince, Rapunzel’s Prince Witch’s Lament.............................................................................................................................Witch Any Moment....................................................................Cinderella’s Prince, Baker’s Wife Moments in the Woods..........................................................................................Baker’s Wife Your Fault.........................Jack, Baker, Witch, Cinderella, Little Red Ridinghood Last Midnight..................................................................................................................................Witch No More......................................................................................................Baker, Mysterious Man No One Is Alone............................Cinderella, Little Red Ridinghood, Baker, Jack Finale: Children Will Listen.........................................................................................Company

Who's Who

Tyler Bugg

Bella Crank

Kaydence Creech

Derek Crisp

Chris Dickmann

Marchesa Dolton

Christian Gray

Keira Hoisington

Chloe Jennings

Andrew Lambson

Chris Lowery

Juno Mayer

Makai McClerking

Finley Mohr

Kalia Pagano

AnnaKait Peters-Bahkou

Kate Schuler

Audrey Schulz

Danielle Singleton

Lily Wymore

Who's Who Youth Creative Team

Lily Griner

Joe Guzon

Chloe Jennings

Brady Joy

Faith McGillivary

Echo Pentz

Amelia Pozzo

Abby Rosenfeld

Band

Alerica Anderson

Marie Brown

Tim Clark

Michael Frazier

Kaylin Knost

Adam Kopff

JDTolman

Amie Tripodi

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Who's Who Tyler Bugg (Wolf / Cinderella’s Prince), is beyond thrilled to be making his GCPA debut! His summer has been filled with theater from filming college auditions to representing St. Louis at the 2025 Jimmy Awards in New York. His recent credits include Orpheus in Liberty High School's Hadestown Teen Edition, Sweeney Todd in Dayspring’s Production of Sweeney Todd and Jesse Tuck in Tuck Everlasting. He extends thanks to the creative and production team at GCPA, and is excited to take you on a journey Into the Woods!

Bella Crank (Baker’s Wife) is so excited and grateful to be performing in Into the Woods, her final show at GCPA! Her favorite credits include Nancy (Oliver!), the Baker’s Wife (Into the Woods with another theatre - she loves playing this role!), and Martha (The Secret Garden). She will be attending Millikin University in the fall to pursue a BFA in Acting. She would like to thank her wonderful family, friends, and the Lord above for this amazing experience.

Kaydence Creech (Lucinda, u/s Rapunzel), is thrilled to step Into the Woods as one of Cinderella’s infamous stepsisters!

Previously, she starred as Anastasia in Anastasia, Cady Heron in Mean Girls, and Aurora in Dreamland. She is excited to take on the energetic and mischievous role of Lucinda! Kaydence would like to thank the cast, crew, and creative team for this opportunity, and she can’t wait to share this magical journey with everyone.

Derek Crisp (Rapunzel’s Prince, u/s Baker) is very excited to be in his first production at GCPA. Some of his previous favorite roles include Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd and Juror #3 in Twelve Angry Men. He also served as Music Director for Legally Blonde and Willy Wonka Jr. Offstage, Derek enjoys card games, piano, and soccer. He would like to thank his family and friends for their support. Enjoy the show!

Chris Dickmann (Jack ) is so grateful to be in his second show with GCPA! Jack has been a dream role of his since the first time he watched Into the Woods, and he’s incredibly thankful to the directors for trusting him with this character. Recent credits include Alfred in Alice by Heart (GCPA) and Youth Ensemble in The Little Mermaid (The MUNY). Chris would

like to thank his family and friends for their constant support, as well as the cast and crew of Into the Woods for their continued encouragement.

Romans 8:38–39 Marchesa Dolton (Snow White, u/s Cinderella’s Mother / Granny / Giant), a rising junior, is thrilled to be a part of this amazing production! Her credits include Kaylee in The Prom (GCPA), Ariel in Footloose Youth Edition (GCPA), and various other roles with GCPA, Arch City Theatre Troupe, Shooting Star Productions, and Shrewsbury Youth Theatre. Marchesa was a three-year member of GCPA’s Show Starter performance troupe and is currently a member of GCPA’s CrAFT program. She studies voice with Katie Kopff and dance and acting at GCPA. Many thanks to the directors, production team, cast, family, and friends!

Christian Gray (Cinderella’s Father, u/s Narrator / Mysterious Man / Rapunzel’s Prince) (he/him) is thrilled to be a part of Into the Woods! Christian has recently appeared as Sergeant Michael Kelly in The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Ensemble in Little Women, and Arvide Abernathy in Guys and Dolls. He studies voice with Jenny Rea. In his spare time, he enjoys practicing piano. Love to his mom, dad, and family for always supporting his passion.

Kiera Hoisington (Jack’s Mother, u/s Witch) is a rising senior at Clayton High School and is excited to be performing in Into the Woods, her third production with GCPA. She previously appeared in Newsies Jr. and Footloose Youth Edition, and was also part of the crew for Finding Nemo Jr. Into the Woods marks Keira’s 10th production as a performer and her 14th overall. She is incredibly grateful to be part of this show and deeply thankful to the directors and the entire creative team for their support throughout the process. Keira would also like to thank her fellow cast members for an unforgettable experience and the chance to work alongside such passionate and inspiring performers. She hopes that you enjoy the show. Go to the wood!

Who's Who Andrew Lambson (Narrator / Mysterious Man) (he/him) is excited to be returning to GCPA in Into The Woods! Credits Include: Fagin in Oliver! (GCPA), Ensemble in The Prom (GCPA), JP Morgan in Ragtime (GCPA), Mr. Krabs/Spongebob u/s in The SpongeBob Musical Youth Edition (GCPA), Ensemble/Gleb u/s in Anastasia (Stages), and Aaron in Mean Girls (COCA).

Chris Lowery (Milky White) is delighted to be part of Into the Woods! His favorite recent credits include Trent in The Prom (GCPA), Marius in Les Misérables (CHS), Nigel/Dormouse in Alice by Heart (GCPA), Willie Conklin/Stanford White in Ragtime (GCPA), Kyle in Legally Blonde (Nerinx Hall), Evan in 13 (GCPA), and children’s chorus in Joseph…Dreamcoat (MUNY). Over the holidays, he will be performing his eighth (!!) season on The Polar Express at Union Station. Chris takes voice lessons from the fantastic Katie Kopff and is a member of GCPA’s CrAFT program. He dances at GCPA and COCA and studies tap with Lara Teeter. Thank you to everyone at GCPA for their continued kindness and support.

Juno Mayer (Baker) is so excited to present such a deeply classic and memorable story.

Juno has been involved in every show this season, in one way or another, and cannot wait to close it out with this amazing production. He is so proud of the work that his fellow cast members and crew have put in, and he knows you will love it. Juno will be pursuing his BFA in Musical Theatre at Webster University's Sargent Conservatory this fall. He would like to thank Paul, Lori, Stephanie, and Lawrence for their amazing guidance throughout the whole process.

He would also like to thank his parents and, most importantly, Alison for the immense support and love they have given. #stephanieslays Makai McClerking (Steward, u/s Jack), a rising junior is honored to be a part of this amazing cast! He has been In the ensemble of Chicken and Biscuit and Twelfth Night at Grand Center Arts Academy and is looking forward to being in The Wizard of Oz in December. Thank you to Stephanie for being the literal best.

Finley Mohr (Florinda, u/s Little Red), (she/her) has loved being a part of this production of Into the Woods. Her memorable credits include The Prom (GCPA), Peter and the Starcatcher (Parkway South High School), Ruthless!

(Stray Dog Theater), Ragtime (GCPA), and Newsies Jr. (Southwest Middle School). She would like to thank the cast, crew, and creative team for making this show such a wonderful experience!

Kalia Pagano (Cinderella), is a recent high school graduate and will be attending Millikin University in the fall for her BFA in Musical Theatre. This is her 23rd show with GCPA! GCPA favorites include Alice by Heart (Alice), The Prom (Angie), Ragtime (Evelyn), School of Rock (Patty), 13 (Patrice), 9 to 5 (Ensemble, u/s Violet), Something Rotten (Chef / Ensemble), and Titanic.

Outside of GCPA some of her favorite roles have been Small Allison in Take Two Production's Fun Home, Young Cosette in Les Misérables at Chaminade, and Young Julia in St. Louis University Theatre's production of James Joyce's The Dead. At The Muny she has performed in Beauty & the Beast, Chess and Joseph...Dreamcoat.

She has been taking dance and musical theatre classes since she was 4 and has been singing since before she could speak.

She would like to thank GCPA and all of her amazing instructors over the years - she wouldn’t be where she is without them. So much love to Mom, Dad & Xavier!

AnnaKait Peters-Bahkou (The Witch) is a graduate of Lutheran South, heading to Belmont University in the fall. She is so excited to present her last GCPA show!

AnnaKait has been a part of over 50 productions in her career, 14 of which have been with GCPA. Some of her credits include Come From Away and Fiddler on the Roof at the Muny, Mother in Ragtime (GCPA, AFL BPA Best Actress winner), Jo March in Little Women (Lutheran South, STL High School Musical Theatre Awards Outstanding Actress nominee). She would like to thank the cast, crew and artists team of Into the Woods for all of their hard work with this production, her family and friends for the car rides, support, and laughter through this process, and God for my talents and salvation. Enjoy the show!

Who's Who Kate Schuler (Little Red) is thrilled to be returning to GCPA in Into the Woods. Kate is a rising junior at Cor Jesu Academy.

Credits include: Dorothy in Wizard of Oz (Cor Jesu Academy), Clarissa in Alice by Heart (GCPA), and many other shows in the St. Louis area. Kate would like to thank her voice teacher, Lisa Fahey, and her family for all their support. Kate is very grateful for this incredible team and cast who have brought this show to life, and she hopes you enjoy the show!

Audrey Schulz (Stepmother, u/s Cinderella) (she/her) is honored to be in her 20th show at GCPA! Recent performance credits include Violet in 9 to 5 (Southeastern Summer Theatre Intensive), Shelby in The Prom (GCPA), and Cosette in Les Miserables (Clayton High School). Audrey is a member of the GCPA CrAFT program, takes voice with Lisa Campbell-Albert, and takes acting and dance at GCPA. Little Audrey would be amazed at this incredible company!

Danielle Singleton (Cinderella’s Mother / Granny / Giant, u/s Jack’s Mother / Stepmother) a 12th grader, is very honored and excited to be making her GCPA debut in this production of Into The Woods!

Credits include: Mother in A Christmas Story (Starling Com.), and she has participated in the Ensemble in several high-school productions. She is also a proud student of OTSL's Artist In Training Program, and is also hoping to start taking dance lessons in the fall! She also has a profound passion for songwriting, and playing video games! Thank you to the cast and team for making this production an memorable and exciting experience!

Lily Wymore (Rapunzel) (she/her) is honored to be a part of GCPA’s Into the Woods! This show has been her entire life since auditions, and she hopes that the audience will admire it just as much as she does! This is Lily’s 6th production with GCPA, and she is delighted to be working with such talented cast members. Thank you to the incredible creative team for bringing this story to life!

YOUTH CREATIVE TEAM Brady Joy (Assistant Director) has loved his time working with this cast and crew for his second GCPA show. His first show was The Prom where he played the role of Kevin. He would like to thank his friends and family for all their support, as well as director Paul Pagano for allowing him this opportunity to work beside him! Enjoy the show!

Chloe Jennings (Assistant Music Director / Sleeping Beauty / u/s Lucinda & Florinda) (she/her) is so excited for everyone to see Into the Woods! Select credits include: Youth Ensemble in Come From Away (The MUNY), Emma Nolan in The Prom (GCPA), Assistant Stage Manager for Oliver! (GCPA), and Stage Management Intern for Alice by Heart (GCPA). Chloe is a member of GCPA’s CrAFT College (Creating Artists Through Focused Training) program and studies voice with the incredible Lori BarrettPagano, Music Director of Into the Woods.

She would like to thank the cast, crew, and creative team behind this beautiful show!

Instagram: @chloe._.jenningsss Joe Guzon (Assistant Stage Manager) is thrilled to be back with GCPA for Into the Woods as an Assistant Stage Manager! Joe is a GCPA alum and is entering his second year at the University of Michigan, where he is pursuing a Bachelor of Theatre Arts with a Performing Arts Management concentration and an Education minor with a Performing Arts emphasis. Joe has taken on many roles in theatre, including designer, performer, dramaturg, and more.

Some of his favorite credits include: Titanic: The Musical (Assistant Dramaturg, UofM), Jesus Christ Superstar (Props Designer, Crew, MUSKET, UofM), The Wolves (Props Designer, Basement Arts, UofM), Alice by Heart (Dramaturg, Marketing Assistant, Crew, GCPA), and Ragtime (Ensemble, GCPA). Joe extends a massive thank you to GCPA for inviting him back for this amazing show, and to the cast, crew, and creative team for being such an incredible group to spend the last month with! Go Blue!

Amelia Pozzo (Assistant Stage Manager) is so excited to be a part of Into the Woods this summer! She is a rising junior at Cor Jesu Academy and she loves singing and acting. She had so much fun as a Production Assistant for Finding Nemo Jr. last year and is so grateful for the opportunity to be on the production side of a show once again. Break a leg to the cast and crew!

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congratulations to the cast and crew of Into The Woods!

Who's Who Echo Pentz (Costume Assistant) (they/them) is a rising high school sophomore and is excited to be a part of the Into the Woods creative team! This is Echo's third experience as a Costume Assistant and their tenth as part of the stage crew. They have been working with GCPA since 2017 and are thrilled to help create tons of unique fantasy pieces ready to be lost in the Woods. Echo wishes everyone fun, the best of luck, and an enjoyable show!

Lily Griner (Marketing Assistant) is ecstatic to be the Marketing Assistant for Into the Woods! She has performed with GCPA in shows such as Alice by Heart, Ragtime, 9 to 5, and many more. She has also contributed to the Youth Creative Team for productions of School of Rock and bare: A Pop Opera, and stage-managed The Prom. Currently, she attends Washington University in St. Louis and has appeared in Cast n’ Crew’s productions of Urinetown, Escape, and The Game’s Afoot. Lily would love to thank her friends and family for their support, and GCPA for this opportunity!

Abby Rosenfeld (Hair and Make-Up Assistant) is a rising college sophomore, and is very thrilled to return to GCPA as a YCT Member! Previous YCT experiences include Bare: A Pop Opera (Marketing/Costume assistant) and School of Rock (Dramaturg). Other favorite GCPA credits include 9 to 5 (Ensemble), Ragtime (Ensemble) and Anne of Green Gables (Young Ruby). She loves participating in shows, whether it's on stage or off and most recently was the Spot Opp for University of Denver's Production of the Great Expectations. Many thanks to everyone at GCPA - especially Stephanie for all the support over the years!

Faith McGillivary (Dramaturgy) will be an 11th grader this fall. This is her first crew role at GCPA, but she has done various crew roles at Stages and her school. She has also been on stage recently in Elf at CBC and The Little Mermaid at Kirkwood Youth Theater. Her hobbies include Girl Scouts, softball, working at various camps, baking, and various activities at her church.

CREATIVE TEAM Paul Pagano (Director and Executive Director) (he/him), a native of St. Louis, received his BA in Drama from Washington University and Masters in Theatre Education from Fontbonne University. As a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association since 2001, Paul has had the opportunity to work with the Guthrie Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Children’s Theatre Company, Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, Hey City Theatre, the MUNY, STAGES St. Louis, HotCity Theatre, and many others. As a director and fight choreographer, in addition to 30+ productions at GCPA, credits include the MUNY, Washington University, Fontbonne University, Missouri All-State Theatre, and Kirkwood Theatre Guild. As an instructor, Paul has taught at GCPA, COCA, St. Louis University High School, and STAGES Performing Arts Academy. Love to wife, Lori, and kids, Xavier and Kalia!

Lori Barrett-Pagano (Music Director & Managing Director) (she/her) is a CoFounder of GCPA. She earned her Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Washington University in St. Louis. She has been teaching voice for over 25 years – currently as an adjunct voice faculty at St. Louis University, as well as voice and classes at GCPA. She is a proud member of Actors’ Equity. Professionally, Lori has performed with The MUNY, STAGES St. Louis, Union Avenue Opera, Echo Theatre, Spotlight Theatre, MainStage Musicals and SIUE Summer Showbiz. Regional credits include The Minnesota Opera, North Star Opera, Minneapolis Musical Theatre, Theatre in the Round, and The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company. Lori is proud of the hard work and dedication of this amazing cast!

Thanks to my wonderful band members!

Love to husband Paul, and children Xavier and Kalia. Kalia, you will always be my princess, and I couldn’t be prouder of how you put your heart, soul, and beautiful talent into this show! I Love you!

Stephanie Fox (Choreographer and Artistic Director) (she/her) is originally from Oklahoma and graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Music: Music Theatre and continued her studies independently in New York. As a proud member of Actors’ Equity (Stephanie Long) she has performed regionally, on National tour and in New York. In St. Louis, Stephanie has taught at

Congratulations to all of the amazing GCPA camps and productions this summer!

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Who's Who COCA, STAGES, and choreographed for 8 years at Chaminade College Prep along with numerous professional choreography credits. This cast is exactly watchu you want when working on such a fun piece. She Is also ecstatic for Love is Blind casting coming to St. Louis.

Lawrence Jacquan (Stage Manager) (he/she/they) is a St. Louis native and multidisciplinary artist, now residing in Chicago. Lawrence's experience in theatre & dance has varied in scope, serving as Stage Manager for 8 musicals with Gateway Center for Performing Arts, Assistant Stage Manager for Rebels & Misfits' Macbeth, Teaching Artist in Dance at Yes Honey Studio, St. Louis Dancing Classrooms, & Bella Body & Co. Lawrence has also been Frank & Dance Captain for Stray Dog Theatre's Dreamgirls, and is also the recipient of an Arts for Life Best Achievement in Choreography award for their work on bare: A Pop Opera.

Andrea Robb (Costume Designer) is a lifelong learner and theatre artist with a B.A. in Psychology, a B.A. in Theatre, an M.A. in Theatre, and is currently a PhD student working towards a Doctoral Degree in Performance Psychology. She is an Instructor of Theatre and Health & Sports Sciences at Missouri Baptist University.

She has participated in over fifty productions over the last ten years, ranging from community to collegiate to professional. Some of her favorite roles include The Sour Kangaroo (Seussical the Musical TYA), Lisa (Falling), and Cinderella (Into the Woods). Her favorite design and directing credits include Newsies! (costume design), Anything Goes (costume design), The Drowning Girls (direction; KCACTF Region V commendation for Best Directing), and, obviously, Into the Woods (costume design) with GCPA. Caidyn Crouch (Hair and Makeup Design) is excited to work hair and makeup for her second GCPA show, having designed for GCPA’s Shrek Jr. earlier this summer. She has been in theatre for eight years and recently graduated with her Associate’s Degree in Arts.

Jake Tillmann (Sound Design) is a sound designer, percussionist, audio engineer, and technician from the Cincinnati area. He has performed in and designed many productions over his twelve year career including Godspell, The Producers, Next to Normal, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Tick Tick Boom, Ride the Cyclone, and more. Jake found theater during his studies at Valparaiso University, where he obtained a degree in Music Industry. Jake has consulted and designed for many theatres, venues, studios and other organizations all across the country. He is excited to design his second GCPA show after making his GCPA design debut earlier this summer with Shrek Jr. Outside of music and theater, Jake can often be found traveling with his wife, Ashley, and Goldendoodle, Charlie.

Patrice Nelms (Set Designer, Technical Director) is a freelance theatrical designer, technician, + interdisciplinary artist who is deeply interested in the way that people experience color, space, texture, + the world around them. A St Louis native, they have served as the technical director at Union Avenue Opera, Winter Opera St Louis, + assisted at the New Jewish Theatre. Patrice has designed scenery at Thunder Bay Theatre in Alpena, MI; Buck’s Rock Creative + Performing Arts Camp in New Milford, CT; the Professional Training Company at Actors Theatre of Louisville in KY; Mustard Seed Theatre in St Louis, MO; + most recently, Union Avenue Opera. They served as the scenic apprentice at Actors Theatre of Louisville after earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Design + Technology from the Dobbins Conservatory of Theatre + Dance in 2019. Patrice is deeply excited to be back with GCPA for the summer season before pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Scenic Design at the University of Memphis.

Who's Who

BAND Alerica L. Anderson (Bass) is a singer, songwriter, composer, producer and creative director. He has been Music Director/ Keyboardist / Bassist for several productions including The Tap Dance Kid, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Mary Poppins, Shrek, Hairspray, In The Heights, Violet, Carrie, Matilda, Annie, Spring Awakening, Something Rotten, A Chorus Line, Aida, and the PreBroadway Premiere of The Karate Kid. As an actor, Alerica’s performance credits include Big Moe (Five Guys Named Moe / The Black Rep). He has also written and produced songs for several performing artists.

Marie Brown (Cello) is a native of the Metro East area and known for her specialization in string pedagogy and cello performance. She has collaborated and performed with artists in the past such as Michael Bublé, Disturbed, Christine Brewer and the Eagles. Marie graduated in Spring 2015 with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Cello performance from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Marie also has a large private studio that spans the Greater St. Louis area as well as teaching for Halpin Music Company She is a musician with Diamond Empire Band, a founding member of the Eads String Quartet, and Rosewood Ensemble. Ms. Brown has collaborated with several theater companies in the area including Tesseract Theater Company and Webster Conservatory as well as being a regular pit musician at the Muny. Marie also performs with several orchestras in the area including Metropolitan Orchestra STL and Salem Chamber Orchestra.

Currently Ms. Brown teaches 5th-8th grade orchestra for Pattonville School District.Theater Company and Webster Conservatory as well as being a regular pit musician at the Muny. Marie also performs with several orchestras in the area including Metropolitan Orchestra STL and Salem Chamber Orchestra. Currently Ms. Brown teaches 5th-8th grade orchestra for Pattonville School District.

Tim Clark (Keys) has done over 100 productions in the past 15 years (This is his 104th!) He has performed with the Alpha Players, Young Peoples Theatre, Kirkwood Theatre Guild, Overdue Theatre, GCPA, Ignite, and many others. He served as Music Director for SPOTLIGHT from 2017-2022 and Music Director for the musicals at Nerinx HS from 2023-2025. He served as Director of Music / Organist at Church of The Master,

UCC from 2011-2023, as well as Organist at Holy Infant RC Church since 2017. He currently is the Minister of Music at First Congregational Church of St. Louis.

Michael Frazier (Keys) a native of the St. Louis area, received his Bachelor of Arts in Music from Cedarville University and Master of Music from SIUE. Michael has been working as a musician and music director in the St. Louis area for over 25 years. He currently works for the Alton School District and freelances for various theaters and schools in the area. When not playing the piano, Michael enjoys photography and playing with his new granddaughter Remi!

Kaylin Knost (Reeds) is a STL based woodwind musician and educator. She is the lead Band Director at Rockwood Valley Middle School. Kaylin has played for pits over the years with Act Two Theatre, COCA, Spotlight, Hawthorne Players, and Vivre Theatre. In addition to playing, she has led the Pit Orchestra at Marquette High School for the past 4 years where their 2025 production of Drowsy Chaperone was nominated for 11 SLHSMTA/Ken Page Awards including best Pit Orchestra. Thank you for coming to support local theater!

Adam J. Kopff (Percussion) has been a freelance percussionist in St. Louis for over 40 years. In this time, he has performed as a timpanist for Pope John Paul II, Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. Bush, and thousands of people at Riverport when he performed with the Moody Blues Orchestra.

Adam is an accomplished Pit Dummer/ Percussionist, and has performed in thousands of musical theatre productions with companies such as: The Muny, Webster University Conservatory, Washington University, St. Louis University, Missouri Baptist University, Citilites, New Line Theatre, and various private high schools. Adam studied for over a decade with Joseph Geraghty, whose students included Rich O’Donnell (SLSO) and Al Payson (Chicago Symphony), and even Fred Pierce (of Drum Shop fame).

Instead of garnering a degree in Music, Adam chose to earn a BA in Economics, and later an MBA. During the day, Adam is the Secretary/Treasurer of AFM Local 2-197, where he helps musicians with all kinds of matters.

Adam is a member of the Percussive Arts Society and the AFM, local 2-197. This is Adam’s 13th production of “ITW.”

Who's Who J.D. Tolman (Reeds) fled his home state of Utah in 1998 and made a new home in St. Louis. His college sampler pack included Utah State University, SIU Edwardsville, and UMSL studying music theory and composition. In addition to performing with theaters around town for the last 20 years, he has also performed professionally with Perseverance Theater and Orpheus Project Opera Company in Juneau Alaska. J.D. also works as a woodwind repair technician. He would like to thank his husband Eric for the generous gift of patience putting up with the expense of a woodwind doubler who also dabbles in brass and virtual instruments. J.D. has been playing with GCPA since 2015.

Amy Tripodi (Violin) is a viola/violin teacher and performer who is thrilled to be performing again with GCPA. She is passionate about youth educational opportunities in the arts. Currently she serves as an orchestra director in the Ferguson-Florissant School District and teaches violin and viola privately around the St. Louis area. Amie received her bachelor’s degree in music from UMSL where she was principal viola of the UMSL Symphony Orchestra. Amie performs with the St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra and around the St. Louis area in the orchestra for various musicals.

Acknowledgments Thank you to all of our donors:

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Rebecca Schulz President

Jason Battaglia

Elaine Goldman

Treasurer

Secretary

Karen Bland Binh Gant Dave Gant Lauren Knickman Beth Schartner Into The Woods is presented through special arrangement with Musical Theater International. https://www.mtishows.com.

The use of cameras or other recording devices is strictly prohibited.

Thank you and enjoy the show!

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