Taking a shorter trip into Sondheim's woods
The Ursuline School presents 'Into the Woods Jr.'
She’s the youngest member of the cast of “Into the Woods Jr.” at The Ursuline School this week, but sixth-grader Ellie Vivacharawongse is not a newcomer to the stage.
She has performed at The Chapel School in Bronxville and at White Plains Performing Arts Center, appearing in the ensemble of summer camp productions of “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Matilda.”
But this week she's stepping into the spotlight as Little Red in the shortened version of the Stephen Sondheim musical. The “junior” version runs about 75 minutes, with an intermission.
Little Red is a girl with an appetite and an attitude.
Auditioning as a sixth-grader in a sea of high-schoolers was exciting. Ellie confessed to feeling nervous, “but they were very kind.”
The role she got is the one she auditioned for. When I asked what attracted her to Little Red, Ellie said: “I don’t know. I just felt like she was so like me.”
“She’s feisty,” I said. “Are you feisty?”
“Nah, not like that,” she said with a laugh. “She loves sweets, though, and she’s persistent.”
The shortened Sondheim classic is the first act of the musical, up until “they lived happily ever after” and before things take a dark turn in Act 2. That makes it a great option for parents looking for something to occupy their little ones, as things don’t too dark. Director Sylvain Falipou-Karkari said the musical made sense given the appetite for shorter shows.
Still — spoiler alert — it does include that particularly dark moment when Little Red and her Grandmother are consumed by The Wolf, only to be rescued by The Baker. After that experience, Little Red is not the innocent she once was, as she relates in the song, “I Know Things Now.”
“And I know things now
Many valuable things
That I hadn’t known before.
Do not put your faith
In a cape and a hood
They will not protect you
The way that they should.
And take extra care with strangers
Even flowers have their dangers
And though scary is exciting
Nice is different than good.”
“Its very fun to play her,” Ellie said. “She’s such a brave character. I mean, she’s very naive, but it’s such a great character.”
This is Ellie’s second show at Ursuline, in what could be a long line of roles over the coming years. Is there a dream role out there, one that — if she landed it — would make her live happily ever after?
“Christine in ‘Phantom of the Opera,’” she said without hesitation. “But I don’t think that will ever happen.”
Hey, if she can survive being swallowed alive by a wolf, anything’s possible.
The Ursuline School presents “Into the Woods Jr.” at 4:30 p.m., March 26, 4 and 6:30 p.m., March 27, and at 2:30 p.m., March 28. $10, $5 for students, at the door.
Subscribe now for the full experience
Paid subscribers can continue below to unlock so much more from my visit to The Ursuline School: interviews, photos and videos.
+ What I saw at rehearsal:
+ “Senior Moment” videos: Emily Trezza on a ‘Newsies’ memory; Mya Joseph on a cabaret cause; Mia Brown on leaving stress at the stage door
+ Photo gallery: “Into the Woods Jr.” in 26 photos
+ Video: Watch a bit of the finale
+ On stages this week
If this coverage matters to you
This substack exists because readers choose to support it.
💛 $7/month: Support the coverage month-to-month, including the “Lights Up” podcast.
🔥 $70/year (Best Value): Full access + helps sustain this work long-term.
🌟 Pedro’s Angels ($200+): Leadership tier for high school theater fans who want to actively champion this work. Includes recognition, occasional swag, and early access to special projects.
🌟 Underwriter/Sponsor: If you and your company want to partner with Pete to sponsor positive, affirming coverage that celebrates collaboration, creativity and where we live, email Pete at petekramermedia@gmail.com.
Thanks for believing that high school theater deserves this level of attention, and doing your part to see it continues. — Pete