Lost in woods with company

Ben Trustman paced his living room for a large portion of Thursday evening. He said he was mellow throughout the morning, but once 3 p.m. rolled around, he couldn’t sit still.

Trustman’s butterflies were completely understandable, however, because just a few hours later he would play a leading role as the Baker in the USC School of Theatre production of Into The Woods, a musical by Stephen Sondheim.

Trustman plays opposite Emily Goglia, who plays the part of the Baker’s Wife on stage and is Trustman’s best friend and roommate in real life.

The two met fall of their freshman year and have been best friends ever since.

Both have been acting since age five and have participated in multiple other performances at USC, so it couldn’t be more fitting that now, in what could be their last production as students, they were cast opposite each other.

The casting coincidence was completely unplanned — the two hadn’t even tried out together. Trustman said he is extremely thankful, though.

“It’s a blessing to be cast opposite somebody you have just as much faith and trust in as yourself,” Trustman said. “Acting to me is about reacting to the person you are opposite, and who better to do that with than my best friend?”

Trustman and Goglia plan on using their real-life chemistry to their advantage. Although the two are not romantically linked, they believe their friendship will definitely benefit their performance.

“It’s a romantic role on stage, but really the Baker and the Baker’s Wife are companions,” Goglia said. “They need each other, and we already have this strong base as friends.”

Performance is in Goglia’s blood. Her grandfather, Mike Stokey, was the host of Stump the Stars, one of the first television game shows. Her mother and grandmother were also actresses, and she says that her family is very supportive of her.

Although Goglia isn’t graduating until next semester, she is unsure if she will be able to participate in another musical this fall because of time constraints. Into The Woods could possibly be her last USC performance, which she said is bittersweet.

“I’m sad. I mean, it’s like mixed feelings … I’ve been under the bubble of USC, so it’s exciting I get to do this in the real world,” said Goglia. “I’ve gotten some really incredible experience here, so I’m ready and I’m prepared. It’s just a weird feeling and so different from doing it two years ago.”

Trustman also has mixed emotions on his USC acting career coming to a close.

“It’s bittersweet,” Trustman said. “I feel like I’ve learned so much over the past four years, and in a way it’s culminating with this show. We have such a great cast and such a great story to tell, and I’m just really excited to share it with everybody.”

Trustman plans to stay in Los Angeles and continue acting upon his graduation this spring.

“I’m hesitant to make any plans because it’s unpredictable,” Trustman said. “It’s been a long road, and it’s always been what I wanted to do since I was little.”

As if it was not enough to share the stage with your best friend in what could be your last college performance ever, it’s also worth mentioning that the USC School of Theatre production of the lesser-known Sondheim show is being directed by Tony-winner John Rubinstein, the man who originated the title role in the Broadway production of Pippin.

“He is one of the best directors I have ever worked with,” Goglia said. “He is so fun and so funny; it’s been such a treat to be working with him. He’s pretty awesome.”

Trustman agrees.

“It’s been an incredible process. John has been truly inspiring,” Trustman said. “He’s been so enlightening; he’s such a great human being.”

The show opened Thursday at 7 p.m. at Bing Theatre. It will play the remainder of this week and throughout next week.