Giants in the sky...

Meet the Artistic Team...

Kikau Alvaro
...Choreographer/Associate Director

In addition to playing Cinderella's Prince, the Wolf, and the voice of the Giant, you are also serving as the Choreographer and Associate Director on this production of Into the Woods. Are either of these roles new for you?
No, these are not. I co-directed/choreographed The Great American Trailer Park Musical last Spring [at SDSU], so it is a very familiar role. Into the Woods has been on my bucket list of musicals that I have wanted to work on.

Is it a challenge to be in the show and also be part of the artistic team?

This is not the first time that I have done this. I was once in the ensemble in a production of Chicago and worked as the Associate Director/Choreographer for it. It is a bit of a challenge, but I have to compartmentalize my jobs and wear different hats. First thing first is to learn my show as a performer, and then my second obligation is to doing what I can to help the director tell the story. Sometimes this means performing in a number myself and then giving notes.

Is this something you'd like to pursue in the future?

Absolutely. For as long as I can I plan on doing it all. Above all else, I am a lover of musical theatre and I love sharing that love with an audience. 

Taylor Pilevsky

...Sound Designer

Can you briefly describe your journey to SDSU?

I was a University of Pittsburgh student, who came home to San Diego for the summer of 2013. Due to some medical conditions that arose over the course of the summer, I was unable to return to school. Eventually I started taking SDSU classes through open university and I am applying to transfer for next fall.

What story are you telling in this production of Into the Woods with your design?

I am telling the story of the hazards of the woods - great big giant steps, loud thuds, houses collapsing, and people getting "splatted" to death.

What was the greatest design challenge in this show and how did you solve it?

The greatest challenge in this show for me is yet to come. I have never used SFX (I have extensive experience with Qlab) and will have to learn that program quickly and effectively. 

Do you have a particular process to get your ideas flowing at the beginning of designing for a production?

At the beginning of designing on a production, I read the script three or four times just to read it and be familiar. On the fifth read through I allow myself to take notes. Then from my notes I start to put together a "needs list" of all the sounds I need to make, find, or purchase. I work off of this needs list until the time comes to make a cue sheet for myself and the stage manager.

Do you have a favorite part of the design process?

My favorite part of the design process is editing sounds.

What would be your "dream show" to design for and why?

My dream show to design would be Titus Andronicus because I could write great music for a show like that and there are lots of fun sound effects/moments that can be created by sound.

What is Into the Woods about, to you?

To me, Into the Woods is about who you can and can't trust. It's about finding what you deserve instead of what you wish, and the price you pay for chasing your dreams when you trust the wrong person. It is a metaphor for the AIDS epidemic. 

Danita Lee
...Costume Designer

Can you briefly describe your journey to SDSU?
After having explored various aspects of Theatre at UCSD, I was more drawn to the hands-on nature of costume design. Upon graduating, I was lucky enough to have made some connections that led to my assisting in costume design in the San Diego theatre community. Quickly, I realized I needed more technical skills - sewing, patterning, textile knowledge, etc. A variety of sources mentioned SDSU independently of one another, which piqued my curiosity. I looked into the MFA program in Costume Design, met with Dents, and that was that.

What story are you telling in this production of Into the Woods with your area of design?
In terms of costumes, this is the story of the realities that exist in fairytales. Our characters run the spectrum of humanity - ridiculous and over-the-top to mindful and down-to-earth. Each of them possesses aspects of humanity. Human traits, logic, and desires lead our characters into the woods. Those same qualities cause them to interact and eventually lead them out.

What was the greatest design challenge in this show and how did you solve it?
One of the greatest design challenges in this show was figuring out how to keep the fairytale essences of each of the stories. We stripped away the unnecessary frills and flourishes and incorporated contemporary elements in the costumes to make the characters within the stories more accessible to the audience. But then we had to go back in and see which characters and/or moments are most poignant and imbue it with "fairytale magic" again.

Do you have a particular process to get your ideas flowing at the beginning of designing for a production?
It all starts with the script. For this production, I started off by reading the play. Maybe twice or three times. Then I researched, researched, researched, listened to and communicated with the director, was inspired by what the other designers bring to the table, and did more research. Somewhere in there, designs started to form. Then those designs started to evolve once the director and I looked at what did and didn't work for her artistic vision.

Do you have a favorite part of the design process?
My favorite part of the design process is inspiring my collaborators - actors standing a little taller when they get into costumes in a fitting, the director getting excited about ideas I've brought to the table, fellow designers having "aha!" moments when we talk, etc.

What would be your "dream show" to design for and why?
My dream show to design now is Chicago. The history involved is fascinating, the happenings of the piece are nuanced. The characters are never quite what they seem. What fun it would be to find the little details to make things that much more interesting!

What is Into the Woods about, to you?
To me, Into the Woods is about dealing with circumstances Life throws at us. We may not choose tone in certain situations, but we have the capacity to handle them with unrelenting vigor and enthusiasm. Consequences are merely obstacles.