On May 12, 2026, the Florida College System Activities Association Theatre Division awarded a Superior ranking to Eastern Florida State College’s production of Into the Woods, which was presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).
A Superior is the highest honor a production can receive. This special recognition, based on a 100-point rubric, evaluates theatrical productions based on a comprehensive overview of acting, directing, ensemble, costumes, lighting, sound, scenic design, and other key categories.
“This remarkable achievement is a testament to the extraordinary talent and dedication of our Theatre Department,” said College President Dr. Jim Richey. “Earning a ‘Superior’ rating with a near-perfect score from the Florida College System Activities Association reflects a true commitment to excellence and highlights not only the artistic skill of our students, but also their passion and teamwork. We are incredibly proud of everyone involved in bringing this outstanding production to life and honored to see their hard work recognized at such a high level.”
EFSC’s production of Into the Woods, which ran from April 10–12, received a 96/100 from the FCSAA’s attending theatre professional, Althea Wilson, who noted, “Even among Sondheim musicals, this is a particularly difficult one. Every actor on stage put their all into the production. They created a wonderful world that the audience wanted to inhabit. Perhaps most importantly, I believed them. They found a way to inhabit the show’s world as both fairytale characters and everyday human beings, a challenge even for more experienced actors.”
Bringing a Classic to Life
Into the Woods follows a collection of iconic fairy‑tale characters who set out to fulfill their deepest wishes, unaware that their paths will collide in unexpected ways. When their stories entwine, they confront the unforeseen fallout of getting exactly what they asked for.
Revered as the greatest American musical theatre composer of all time,Stephen Sondheim weaves unconventional harmonies, counterintuitive downbeats, and fast-paced lyrics throughout Into the Woods’ musical numbers. EFSC’s Theatre Department rose to the challenge, producing the three-hour musical with 18 on-stage performers, over 350 lighting cues (double that of a typical play), and a live 22-piece orchestral accompaniment led by EFSC’s Director of Instrumental Activity Jon Oxford.
“Early on, there was a possibility of us using professionally recorded tracks,” said Selena Ambush, Director of Theatre Arts. “But Professor Oxford was so enthusiastic about this opportunity to collaborate. He elevated the whole production. The experience of collegiate musical theatre performers getting to work with a collegiate live orchestra and vice versa is unique unto itself.”
Growing in Their Roles
Behind the scenes, students went on journeys of physical and emotional growth, not too dissimilar to the characters they played on stage. Some had no prior experience, making Into the Woods their first theatrical production; others had experience acting but had never sung on stage—an intimidating new challenge.
“When I announced last fall that we were going to be doing a musical, one of the theatre students—a talented young actor—visibly scowled,” said Ambush, who later cast him in a lead role. “He worked so hard on nailing his notes and developing a singing voice.”
By the final curtain call, this young actor had “developed real skill,” to the point that both Ambush and EFSC’s Director of Choral Activities, Dr. Robert Lamb, encouraged him to pursue formal voice lessons.
“For him to be able to add singing to his cache of skills is a real boon,” said Ambush, who noted that a single performance or production can change the trajectory of a young actors’ life. “That’s kind of the dream: for students to look back and say, ‘That was a pivotal moment in my career.’”
Collaborating across Departments
Ambush credits the production’s impact to the students’ enthusiasm and collaboration, as they met early in the morning to rehearse together outside of scheduled practice times. When a lead performer needed to withdraw from the production several weeks in, another student stepped into the role at a critical moment.
“She had been learning the role on the side, without me ever asking her,” said Ambush. “And she was phenomenal. By the second run, she had nailed 85% of her part.”
This camaraderie permeated the performance, as noted by reviewing professional Althea Wilson.
“There was an intimacy and warmth to this production that is not always captured in this musical,” she said. “The actors’ comfort with each other on stage allowed the audience to go on a journey with them. When it was over, I didn’t want to leave the characters.”
For Ambush, Into the Woods succeeded not only as “a dream production” but also as an experience that brought students across EFSC’s Performing and Visual Arts department together.
“A couple of weeks after the production, I watched six theatre students have an impromptu pizza party with four orchestra students in the lobby,” said Ambush. “They knew each other, were happy to see each other. It showed the connection they had built. That’s the dream—that students support each other like that.”
It was a fitting finale for a production that brought people together and moved audiences to tears.
“I smiled, laughed, cried,” said Wilson. “It doesn’t get much better than that.”
