Bryan Wallingford making Wilmington College-Community Summer Theatre directing debut with ‘Into the Woods’

The Wilmington College-Community Summer Theatre’s upcoming production of "Into the Woods" in mid-July holds a special place in Bryan Wallingford’s career in theatre. This year’s show marks his directorial debut with the summer institution, and the last time it was produced on Wilmington College’s stage, it proved pivotal in determining his future.

In 1991, Wallingford was a boy enthralled with theatre who had acted in local children’s productions. His voice teacher, Cyndi Amen, was cast in Summer Theatre’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s "Into the Woods,” directed by the late founding director Steven Haines. The script had Amen’s character going into the house and asking an audience member to help boost her back onto the stage. Uncertain a randomly selected audience member would assist her, she asked Wallingford to strategically plant himself in the audience and be ready if needed.

“I ushered and got to see the show over and over,” he said, noting his assisting Amen was needed once or twice during the run. “This show made me realize the theatre bug had really bitten me. It solidified that I wanted to be a part of this big, beautiful thing called Wilmington College-Community Summer Theatre.”

Haines cast Wallingford when he brought The Music Man to the WCCST stage the next year. This summer marks Wallingford’s 30th year involved with a summer show — “I haven’t missed one since ushering that night!” he added. Until now, his involvement has been acting, often holding memorable leading roles.

As an assistant professor of theatre and the College’s theatre production coordinator, Wallingford has directed many WC Theatre productions in addition to his directing work with the local Bare Boards Theatre, but summer has been a refuge for practicing his love for acting.

“I realized it was time for me to step up and direct a summer show,” he said about "Into the Woods.” “It feels like quite a responsibility because the institution of Summer Theatre has become such a special place for me. Being part of its legacy and tradition is something no one takes for granted. It’s different not being part of the group playing on stage. This has been an interesting change for me to help create the show as director — and then step back from it.”

Rehearsals are going well as the troupe readies for the July 18-21 run (7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday with a 2:30 p.m. matinee on Sunday). Tickets can be ordered exclusively through wc.booktix.com.

Wallingford believes "Into the Woods" will captivate and entertain audiences as it did for him some 33 years ago. The show looks at community and life through “fairy tales we know and love,” he said, noting it features such familiar characters as Little Red Ridinghood, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. It deals with such often-vexing topics as relationships between children and parents, how we process grief and how we handle our wants and desires.

“In Act I, they all want individual things,” Wallingford says. “In Act II, they realize they need to make decisions for the good of the entire community and not just for themselves. The characters have to come together to achieve a goal.”

Wallingford says, “There’s something in this show for everyone — choose your own adventure!”

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