The Sheffield University Performing Arts Society (SUPAS) will be completing their 2024/25 season with Into the Woods.
The 1986 musical, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, emerged victorious from a vote of members to determine their semester two musical, due to play in week nine, shortly after the spring break.
In an announcement on the group’s social media page yesterday, the musical theatre society revealed the winning show, as well as opening applications to join the show’s production team, open until January 3rd.
Into the Woods, with book by James Lapine, explores several characters from the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, but in a world where their stories intertwine and intersect with one another.
Featuring characters such as Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Jack (from Jack and the Beanstalk), the musical premiered on Broadway in 1987, before touring the U.S. It then saw a revival in 2002, and 2022, as well as several adaptations in London’s West End.
The musical was last performed by SUPAS in 2018, in their large-scale semester one slot, featuring Sam Ross as Narrator/Mysterious Man, Katie Kelson as Cinderella and Harry Reeves as Jack.
Into the Woods triumphed over its competition, including High School Musical and Seussical in a vote by society members to claim the society’s semester two show slot.
Whilst it was another musical, Legally Blonde, which won the public vote, due to issues with the availability of show rights, the victory was deferred to the second-placed production, seeing Into the Woods secure the slot.
As well as revealing the successful production, SUPAS have also opened applications for the production team of the show, seeking a Director, Musical Director, Choreographer and Production Manager for their last show of the year.
Tasked with overseeing the entire production, the show’s director often focuses on cast, scene blocking and rehearsals, as well as overall direction of the musical, whilst Musical Director focuses primarily on the band and vocal rehearsals.
The show’s choreographer will be responsible for movement and dance numbers, whilst all technical and backstage elements of the show fall under the remit of the Production Manager.
Each role will work collaboratively with each other and the SUPAS society committee to deliver the production, with auditions and tech and band calls expected to be opened in the new year, once the production team are in place.
SUPAS are a musical theatre society which platforms three shows during each academic year.
Alongside the Sheffield University Theatre Company (SUTCo) and University of Sheffield Light Entertainment Society (USLES), SUPAS forms one of the three major theatre societies at our university.
Platforming both new and classic musicals, this semester saw the group stage Be More Chill and Amélie for their semester one programme, with Into the Woods primed to complete the 2024/25 season in April.
Mere days before the winter break, SUPAS’ announcement of their final musical of the year has generated much excitement among the SUPAS and wider performing arts communities alike, with many already looking to putting themselves forward for the various available roles.
With two weeks until applications to join the production team close, now is a prime opportunity to join the latest SUPAS production and be a part of the final SUPAS show before the next academic year.
Applications to join the production team for Into the Woods is open until January 3rd. Information and application packs are available here
