TCU Opera’s production of “Into the Woods” is proving to be a hit and the cast has yet to take their first bows.

Plans for two performances grew to three, March 1-3, after overwhelming demand. All three shows already sold out.

The popularity has left some students disappointed that their friends won’t be able to see the comedically-twisted, fairytale-mashup musical about breaking a witch’s curse. Tickets went faster than expected. 

Corey Trahan, the director of TCU Opera, said he anticipated that “Into the Woods” would be a hot ticket, so he sent a ticketing link to cast-specified friends and family members before tickets were open to the public.

That ticket link went public—though not intentionally. 

“Somehow word got out and members of the community began purchasing tickets via the link and our performances were sold out within 48 hours,” Trahan wrote in an email. “It’s a great problem to have.”

Sean Atkinson, the director of the TCU School of Music, agreed.

“We were all very pleased that ‘Into the Woods’ sold out as quickly as it did,” Atkinson said.

While many of the opera studio’s recent productions have sold out, there were often still tickets available the week leading up to the show. For “Into the Woods,” many students were unable to get tickets.

“My family was able to get tickets before it sold out, but there were a lot of other seniors who weren’t able to get tickets, so a lot of my friends aren’t able to come unless they can come to a dress rehearsal,” said Madilynn Gomez, a senior vocal performance major.

Gomez, who plays the Baker’s Wife, said she is glad to see how much TCU Opera has grown. 

Plans are in place to expand the TCU Opera program beyond the 75-seat black box theater at the Secrest-Wible building.

“It is very small,” Atkinson said. “It sells out quickly because there are not enough seats in that facility.” 

Atkinson said plans called for a larger space in a majorly renovated Ed Landreth Hall and Auditorium. 

Renovations relevant to the opera program will include updated technology and a bigger space to accommodate the growth of students and audience members. 

“I am thrilled with the growth of TCU Opera,” Trahan wrote. “Since last year, enrollment in the program’s increased 30%.”

Trahan, who became the opera director in 2022, attributed the increased student interest to the variety of shows programmed, rehearsals being run in a professional manner and the fact that TCU Opera invites students from any major and class.

Now, the TCU Opera Studio has around 30 people at their casting disposal.  

“I think the biggest growth is once Dr. Trahan took over as opera director,” Gomez said. “He just hit the ground running and has always had very high expectations for us.”

She also said “Into the Woods” is the first show that she’s been a part of with TCU Opera that is a fully undergraduate cast, and it is not a small cast.  

“I am looking forward to watching our students meet the singing and acting demands of the Sondheim masterpiece,” Trahan said. “This show has a large quantity of dialogue, complex music, and intricate plot twists that are challenging to perform and direct.”

Due to prior commitments of many of the members in the large cast, TCU Opera was unable to add another weekend of shows, Trahan said.

On Tuesday, Feb. 27, however, the cast performed an open dress rehearsal for invited TCU friends and community members that were unable to purchase tickets. In addition, the cast will perform Act I on Thursday for some local school children.

The cast is excited to perform all of the scheduled shows, official and unofficial, for full audiences.