A musical fairy tale opens at BPA.

It’s less than a week before opening night of “Into the Woods” at the Playhouse.

The Baker still has both broken wrists in splints – the result of a trampoline altercation – yet he comes rushing in from hanging posters with a smile on his face and a gleam in his eyes, ready for rehearsal.

The two halves of Milky White the Cow cavort in partial costume, causing the musical director to shoo them off stage, admonishing, “Take the cow off!”

At the call “place yourselves, please,” the actors find their marks. The director stands in the back of the theater and, as the scene progresses, repeats “WORDS” to remind the actors to speak up.

After a few minutes, all action halts. Little Red Ridinghood huddles with the choreographer over whether her swirling cloak obscures her footwork as she skips along, while her nemesis, the Wolf, scampers on and off a nearby rock uttering his melodious greeting, “Good day, young lady.”

When the music comes up, it’s time to try the scene again.

Although there’s still work to be done for this razzle-dazzle Sondheim musical, the co-directors are calm and the BPA’s Camp Teen Broadway cast undaunted by their ambitious undertaking.

With the magic of all theater, the parts will come together in time for the first performance tonight at 7:30 p.m.

“We have an incredible cast. They are talented singers and actors and really eager,” said co-director/musical director Karen Harp-Reed, an actress, singer and teacher and member of the Bainbridge Performing Arts education staff. “They eat up all the direction and pull it out again.”

Harp-Reed shares directorial duties with her husband, Gary Reed, a dance educator, choreographer and actor. They already had signed on as musical director and choreographer, respectively, for “In the Woods” when they were asked to assume the directorial responsibilities.

“Steven Fogell (BPA’s Theater School director) told us 15 minutes before the first rehearsal,” Harp-Reed said, “so we sort of fell into it.”

This is the couple’s first directorial collaboration. Away from the theater, they rely on Post-its to help them remember details about the production.

More than 100 students from Bainbridge and all over the peninsula auditioned for the 18 parts. In addition to their acting roles, the teens are involved in every aspect of the production.

“We try to make it more professional…a more produced performance, with the sets, the lighting, the costumes,” Reed said. “The kids are involved in the design of the sets and (give) input…in the producing aspects of the show.”

Written by James Lapine, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, “Into the Woods” challenges actors with its intricate choreography and syncopated speech.

The musical intertwines four Brothers Grimm tales, with Little Red Ridinghood, Jack of beanstalk fame, Rapunzel and Cinderella, into an original story about wishes, witches and curses.

The play, which made its Broadway debut in 1987, garnered Tony awards for Best Score, Best Book and Best Actress.

“All the stories weave together,” Harp-Reed said. “We do just the first act. It’s only one-hour long, but it’s a nonstop hour. We leave it at ‘happily ever after.’”

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Places, everyone

“Into the Woods” opens tonight at the Playhouse and runs through July 31. Performances are 7:30 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday and 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $12 per person and available at the box office, or order by phone at 842-8569 or online at www.theplayhouse.org.