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Students loose in the woods for musical production
Into the Woods musical
Arya Rabbitt stockpiles pastries for her grandmother, while Emily Luedtke, paying the Baker’s Wife, looks on. - photo by Steve Van Kooten

Prairie du Chien students jerked the curtain on four performances of Into the Woods this past week, thrilling audiences with song, dance and opulent set production design.

In the Director’s Notes, Jill Ahrens wrote, “When we first stepped ‘into the woods,’ none of us could have known exactly where the path would lead. Into the Woods is a story about wishes, choices and the journeys that shape us — and, in many ways, it mirrors the adventure of putting on a show.”

And put on a show is what the students did.


Into the Woods 2
Adalyn Blackburn (right), as Cinderella, is told she cannot go out like her devious stepsisters and must stay back to complete her chores. - photo by Steve Van Kooten

The cast featured middle and high school students, including Amory Blackburn (Narrator), Adalyn Blackburn (Cinderella), Nicholas Mezera (Jack), Chloe Wright-Cipra (Jack’s Mother), Cory Pazour (Baker), Emily Luedtke (Baker’s Wife), Nevaeh Nonn (Cinderella’s Stepmother), Brianna Perkins (Florinda), Gospel Udelhoven (Lucinda), Azarel Blackburn (Cinderella’s Father/Mysterious Man), Arya Rabbitt (Little Red Riding Hood), Nora Udelhoven (Witch), Shaelynne Brunning (Cinderella’s Mother), John Hying (Wolf), Saphira Thies (Granny/Giant), Jazmine Klais (Rapunzel), Westly Finn (Rapunzel’s Prince), Brecken Toberman (Cinderella’s Prince), Landon Wachter (Steward), Gwen Martin (Snow White), Anya Meyer (Sleeping Beauty) and Irys Powell as an understudy.

The production team included Rob Ahrens (set construction/stage manager/props), Levi Blackburn (set piece magic/set construction/props), Adreinne Udelhoven (costume designer/props), Matt Lenz (lighting design), Hope Walker (lighting design), Savannah Hagen (spotlights), James Ross (sound wizard), Chase Marshall (sound assistant), Emilee Heal (stage manager), Cory Mezera (scene painting), Irys Powell (backstage manager) and Jill Ahrens (director/scene painting/choreography/props).

“This show reminds us that while the story may be filled with twists, challenges and unexpected endings, we are never truly alone in the woods. Theater, like life, is about connection — about listening to each other, growing together and finding courage in community.

“Every rehearsal, every note and every laugh backstage has been a step toward something magical that we created together,” wrote Jill Ahrens.

The PdC production of Into the Woods played this past Wednesday (Bluff View only), Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.