Into the Woods

Into the Woods, by Stephen Sondheim, blends various familiar fairy tales into an original story of a childless Baker and his Wife, who catalyze the action of the story by attempting to reverse a curse on their family in order to have a child. In the first act, the characters set out to achieve their goal of living "Happily Ever After" through familiar routes and at the end of Act I, all characters seem poised to live "Happily Ever After". Act Two, however, deals with the consequences that traditional fairy tales conveniently ignore. As they face a genuine threat to their community, they realize that all actions have consequences, and their lives are inescapably interdependent, but also that that interdependence is their greatest strength.

Act one begins with an introduction of the main characters, many of whom need little or no introduction. Henry Austin Bragg and Emily Gatesman are comically wonderful as the Baker and the Baker's Wife, which are the two central characters, and Wendy Fox plays the Wicked Witch, who splendidly portrays the motherly side of a witch. Erin Sauter plays Cinderella, who is terribly confused about what she wants, Kevin Quillon plays Jack, whose greed starts to take over what little common sense he

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Also, the conflict between the Baker and his Wife and the Witch is resolved when they collect all the items and the spell is broken. All the conflict in the first act is charmingly resolved and everyone lives "happily ever after" or at least so we assume. I was very impressed with how the use of colors and lighting dramatically changed the feel of the set from the first act to the second act. has and Tina Ghandchilar plays Little Red Riding Hood, whose hunger for food turns into a hunger for blood. Once again the play ends "happily ever after". The play was performed in a proscenium theatre and the set was of the woods, which the majority of the play took place.

The casting of the characters was very impressive and believable.

I had the opportunity to see the set from both the actor's and the audience's perspectives and I was very impressed in how they took full advantage of the space. The conflict between the Baker and the Baker's Wife is resolved when the Baker realizes that they need to work together as a team in order to break the curse, because "it does take two to make!

a child". The main conflict is between the Baker and his Wife who desperately want to have a child and the Wicked Witch who sends them on a journey into the woods to break the spell she has placed upon their family. I was awed with the musical numbers as well, and could tell that Sonya Baker, the vocal director, worked very intimately with the cast in preparation for the strenuous vocal production.

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. In addition, Cinderella's Prince, played by Michael Handry and Rapunzel's Prince, played by Brian Laylock face conflict in finding the ladies they so desperately desire. This conflict is resolved!

when the remaining four characters: Jack, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and the Baker, concoct a plan to successfully kill the giant. The other costume I really enjoyed belonged to Jack, because it told us so much about him.

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