FSU Theatre professor to direct sold-out production of “Into the Woods” in the Philippines

Chari Arespacochaga, Florida State University School of Theatre associate professor and director of the MFA Directing Program, will return to her hometown of Manila in the Philippines in August to direct a production of “Into the Woods” for Theatre Group Asia.

Theatre Group Asia is an international theater group under the artistic direction of Tony Award-winner Clint Ramos and focuses on producing works led by Filipino creatives and performed by artists of Filipino heritage. The group holds a commitment to engaging Filipino audiences and fostering connections within the international theatre community.

Arespacochaga is a world-renowned director known for her work in theater, film, multimedia, special events and concerts. Her directing credits include “Rent” (which won Musical of the Year in Columbus, Ohio in 2023), “Kinky Boots,” “Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812,” which was performed at FSU in 2024, among many others. Arespacochaga holds a BFA in film and audiovisual communication from the University of the Philippines and an MFA in theater directing from the University of Victoria in British Columbia. She has been at FSU since 2018.

This will be Arespacochaga’s first time in the Philippines in 10 years.

“It’s really exciting to be going back,” she said. “Some of the cast members are very dear friends and colleagues whom I worked with before I left Manila. Some of them are former students of mine who are currently enjoying their own fields of success and are creating their own paths in this artistic world. I am in a great company and we all cannot wait to create this world for everyone.”

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