‘Into the Woods’, GPA Community Theater Brings Magic to the Stage

The allure of fairy tale classics is timeless and draws in both young and old to a realm of imagination and wonder where wishes do come true.

In this local production of “Into the Woods” the creative team at Grand Performing Arts (GPA) based in Livermore, brought to life a tale of bliss and woe, highs and lows, darkness and light where both the yin and yang of human nature are explored and the paths that life takes the characters through, unfold and help them to reveal their true natures while grappling with their morals and values.

This is community theater driven by passion, heart and a love of the stage and encompasses the rich diversity of people in the Bay Area. As GPA Advisory Board Member, Lodi Jackson, stated, “Acting is one activity that lends itself to the inclusion of a range of ages and is something that families can do together.” Besides the adult performers, children representing several school districts appeared including Danville, Dublin, Livermore, Mountain House, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Tracy and Union City.

Everyone that registers for a GPA Production is automatically placed into the performance ensemble and eligible to audition for a lead role. Two casts were selected for the production namely the “Red” and “Gold” casts who performed at different times. With the unique personalities and interpretations of the roles brought by each actor and actress, each performance had its own special ambience and connected with the audiences in endearing and often unexpected ways.

The audience engagement with the characters was evident when one young audience member called out a resounding “No!” after The Baker asked whether anyone had seen his cow. In another instance where a key character unexpectedly met her demise and a dramatic flash of red light and crashing sound emanated from the stage a child shouted “Oh my goodness, what just happened to her?”

The captivating portrayal of the well-known characters in this musical fairytale mashup led to many chuckles, exclamations and spontaneous bouts of clapping. In particular the group of young children who were part of the ensemble as little critters were very endearing and the littlest one delighted all as she spread her tiny wings from one scene to another.

The narrators were ensconced in a delightfully comfortable looking bed ideal for telling a bedtime story and capturing the essence of being engrossed in a magical tale where the adventures of the characters lead you on an emotional rollercoaster.

The woods are symbolic of a twilight zone where nothing is predictable or straightforward, a place of well-trodden paths which lead to known destinations, where sprites, elves and spirits move in the shadows and where strange and unsettling experiences occur off the beaten track.

Co-owner, Musical Director and Show Operations Manager, Trenton Torain immerses his audience in the experience through sound and also plays the role of The Baker in the Red cast. When asked about juggling his various responsibilities in the show Trenton acknowledges the skill, commitment and hard work of the GPA team without which pulling the show together would not be possible. “We have each other’s back and I know when I am on stage that the team has got it handled” he said. This allows him to sink into his role. The camaraderie and sense of belonging and community with the staff and volunteers was palpable as loud cheers of encouragement erupted after each performance.

Trenton was introduced to the theatrical environment by his mother, show Artistic Director and Choreographer Kristi Grand, at a very early age and started performing as a senior in high school. He currently is completing his AA (Associate of Arts) in both Musical Education and Musical Theater. “Music feeds the soul,” he says and aims to build something dynamic while continuing to grow and learn.

GPA prides itself on being focused on the development of its performers in all facets of their lives. They seek to empower individuals from the inside and grow their self-esteem and confidence. There is a youth empowerment program run by Randy Fortes, who also played The Wolf, where they have open discussions around particular topics allowing performers to express themselves and grapple with various topics. It is this sense of community upliftment and connectedness that allows them to flourish in community theater and make them well rounded individuals. Even the props designed by Set Director, Ryanne Joslin, were built by parents of the performers who also served as ushers and served at the snack bar.

To maximize the use of available funding, costumes are recycled or repurposed for various shows but special elements like the cape for Little Red Riding Hood and the wedding gown for Cinderella, were custom made. Other familiar costumes were those of Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The creative use of shadows, light and sound even brought a giant to life. The two Princes played by Caedon Perriman and Trevor Lind had a wonderful synergy and rapport on stage as they performed the song “Agony”. The core villain, the Witch, convincingly played by Nicole King, had significant commentary on parents and child rearing which at times was both touching and disturbing and her solo of “The Last Midnight” was both moving and mournful.

Supporters of the performers had the opportunity to write notes of encouragement to their favorites making the environment a positive and family oriented experience. The GPA team plays the role of teachers and educators but also grow through the process. “Some children have amazing skills and when cultivated to have confidence in their abilities and faith in their talent it is extremely rewarding to see the results,” says Trenton.

One of these talented individuals is 12-year-old Cady Kung who is in the ensemble as an elf in the Red cast and plays the role of Granny in the Gold cast. Her interest in acting was sparked when as a toddler visiting Disneyland with her parents she was invited to talk to Nemo on stage and she was bold enough to ask him, “What is your favorite food?” She enjoys public speaking and was voted President of the Student Council at Dougherty Elementary School where she performed the lead role in the school play ‘California Missions’ which then led her to join GPA. Her charming and funny interpretation, where she even incorporated her martial arts skills by introducing a fighting stance into a scene, shows her penchant for playing a comedic role.

Cady says that although she gets really nervous when her scene is coming up once she is on stage she becomes the character and it’s not just about regurgitating lines but seeing the words from the characters’ perspective and how they would react. She enjoys Anime and allows the big movements and dramatic poses to influence her acting style. She has a special connection with two of the other cast members, Corinne Bray aka Red Riding Hood in the Gold Cast and Miranda Duarte who plays Rapunzel in the Gold Cast. Cady and her friends were delighted that teachers from Dougherty Elementary, Ms Lettau, Ms Molzen and Ms Young were at the show to demonstrate their support.

Sadly, Cady’s father passed away and was not there to see the humorous and energetic performance but a touching message in the show’s program reads “Cady – I’m always with you my little bumble bee. You just have to look around! Love, Daddy”

With the successful completion of “Into the Woods” Trenton was asked about plans for the future. The next show, planned for Spring of this year, will be Willy Wonka which is based on Roald Dahl’s book Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and they will also be holding a Black Box Summer Camp.

We are looking forward to seeing the GPA team in action again.

Photo Credits: Armando Nieto and Conner Jackson