By all accounts, “Into the Woods,” the high school spring musical, was a hit. This was due in large part to two of the talented leading performers: junior Brendan Angiello as the baker and senior Amaia Biggan as the baker’s wife.
“I love this role, and I’ve fallen in love with her,” Biggan said of playing the baker’s wife. “At first, I was like, I don’t even get her, but I love how stubborn and determined she is.”
Angiello also found his character, the baker, to be inspiring. “He undergoes a lot of change, and he’s very vulnerable and moving,” he said.
The actors’ love of the characters they played was matched by their love of Stephen Sondheim’s enchanting musical, which was a long-awaited production at RHS, especially for the junior and senior actors involved. “The one thing for all of us was the music; the music in the show is so good,” Biggan said.
Off stage, Angiello and Biggan continue to share their talents as active members of the RHS community. Angiello is a member of Speech & Debate, National Honor Society, National Social Studies Honors Society and Math Honor Society. His talent as a performer isn’t limited to acting, however; he also plays the double base, which resembles a super-sized cello. Off campus, Angiello is a youth leader for Citizens’ Climate Lobby in Morristown.
Is acting in Angiello’s future? “I want to do political science and philosophy; musical theater is just for fun,” he said. Angiello added that not taking himself too seriously helps him make great acting choices in plays and musicals and be himself on stage.
In addition to acting, Biggan has a great love for teaching and playing music. She is currently the student music director, and she also plays guitar. “I was seriously considering being a music teacher for two years,” she said, “but I realized I’m really good at math and applied to schools as a math major and one with an engineering major.” Outside of music, Biggan enjoys crocheting.
Angiello and Biggan deserve kudos, both as actors who are dedicated to their craft and as valuable members of the RHS community.
