This year, the award-winning Columbia High School Musical program will be putting on Into the Woods, the critically acclaimed musical written by Steven Sondheim and James Lapine that explores what happens at the end of fairy tales, beyond the “happily ever after.”
“It’s widely regarded as a Broadway masterpiece,” said senior Owen Shubart, who is looking forward to his senior year production, double-cast as the Baker with one of his close friends.
For the first time in recent years, Columbia and directors Bethany Pettigrew and Britt Keshner are producing a heavily double-cast show. In prior years, a handful of leads have been double cast, but this year’s production features two heavily different casts, with eight roles being shared between actors. “It’s sometimes an advantage when you have that other person there to be a partner through the entire process,” said Shubart.
“It doesn’t feel competitive, it feels collaborative,” said senior Zoe Zaslow-Braverman. “I think, personally, it really bonds us together more.”
Into the Woods explores what actually happens in the “happily ever after” of fairy tales. (Photo by Aidan Heindl)
“It’s really fun, and it’s challenging, and it’s a good challenge,” said senior Benji Josefsberg, who is cast as the Narrator and the Mysterious Man on March 7, 13 and 15. “It’s going to be a great show for everybody to come see, and it’s going to be really fun.”
Into the Woods is the first show to be performed in the CHS auditorium since 2023, because the rigging was deemed unsafe in 2024 and had to be replaced. In replacing the rigging, crews discovered more issues that had to be dealt with before CHS could use the stage again.
The show will open at 7 p.m. on March, 6, featuring a cast containing Henry Cramer ’26 as the Narrator, Liora Weiss ’26 as the Witch, Oliver Gould ’27 as the Baker, Charlie Ramsburg ’27 as the Baker’s Wife, Brooklyn Ajjan ’26 as Cinderella, Will Davenport ’28 as Jack, Genevieve Stefens ‘26 as Jack’s Mother, and Marlo Goodrich ’28 as Little Red. This cast will also be performing on March 8 and March 14.
On March 7, 13, and 15, the cast will feature Benji Josefsberg ‘26 as the Narrator, Maddie Weisbach ’26 as the Witch, Owen Shubart ‘26 as the Baker, Scarlet Strogov ’27 as the Baker’s Wife, Zoe Zaslow-Braverman ’26 as Cinderella, Rohan Brezenoff ’28 as Jack, Joey Kushner ’26 as Jack’s Mother, and Eve Johnson ’26 as Little Red. Both nights will feature Nate Adams ’26 as Cinderella’s Prince, Lanah Differt ’26 as Rapunzel, and Dylan Graham ’27 as Rapunzel’s Prince.
Into the Woods runs March 6, 7, 13, 14 at 7 p.m. and March 8 and 15 at 2 p.m. All shows are at Columbia High School. Tickets are on sale now and range from $15-$25. Purchase tickets online here.
Many of the parts are double-cast. (Photo by Aidan Heindl)
Working on choreography with directors Bethany Pettigrew and Britt Keshner. (Photo by Aidan Heindl)
Into the Woods is considered a classic by Steven Sondheim and James Lapine. (Photo by Aidan Heindl)
Senior Owen Shubart is cast as The Baker on March 7, 13 and 15. (Photo by Aidan Heindl)
Senior Benji Josefsberg cast as the Narrator and the Mysterious Man on March 7, 13, 15. (Photo by Aidan Heindl)
Senior Maddie Weisbach is cast as the Witch on March 7, 13 and 15. (Photo by Aidan Heindl)
Senior Jonathan Cook plays The Steward in every show. (Photo by Aidan Heindl)
Rehearsing a musical number. (Photo by Aidan Heindl)
Taking a break. (Photo by Aidan Heindl)
Writer and photographer Aidan Heindl is a 12th grade student at Columbia High School and is working with Village Green as part of a grant from the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium.
