Witches and bakers and beanstalks ... oh my!
Stephen Sondheim's "Into the Woods" tells the story of the struggle of a baker and his wife to reverse a curse placed on them by the witch next door, which prevents them from having a child. They must go into the woods to get the materials the witch needs to end the spell, and while on their journey they come in contact with various fairy tale characters. The play focuses on the lessons of the stories that are told and what happens after "happily ever after."
Although it has comedic moments, "Into the Woods" is in no way a parody of traditional fairy tales. It is a dark, moving story that is dependent on the strength of its cast. Without a strong group of actors the complex show would have been extremely difficult to produce.
Fortunately, this was not a problem at AU. The cast worked as a solid ensemble, each member contributing to the overall performance and delivering shining moments in the play. Paul Michael Valley, an untraditional senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, finishing a degree he began in 1984, is a seasoned actor with experience on stage and screen. Valley plays three different roles in this production: the Narrator, the Mysterious Man and the Wolf. He is able to convey diverse and convincing personalities for each of these characters and though he merely dons an extra costume piece for each, he is able to transform himself.
In an emotional scene, the Mysterious Man and the Baker (Josh Sticklin, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs), sing the stirring duet "No More." Sticklin's depiction of the Baker is in turns both comedic and touching. His character grows throughout the show, largely due to influence of his wife (Margo Seibert, a senior in the School of International Service).
The stories of the fairy tale characters intertwine in this musical. Cinderella (Danielle Giusto, a junior in CAS) comes to care for Little Red Ridinghood (Emily Formica, a junior in CAS) in the second act. Giusto and Formica make the relationship between the characters realistic and genuine. Cinderella's Prince (Elijah Hartman, a junior in SPA) is a charming cad, as is his brother (Benjamin Gibson, a senior in CAS). The scene between Cinderella's Prince and the Baker's Wife is one of the most hilarious of the show.
Jack (Ryan Nealy, a senior in CAS) is a good-natured and na?ve boy whose closest friendship is with his cow, Milky White (Anne Veal, a junior in CAS). She delivers an amazingly humorous performance. It is through the interactions of these actors that the bond between the boy and the cow becomes believable. In the scene where Jack is told he must sell Milky White, his heartbreak is evident, as is his mother's (Jacqueline Caruso, a junior in CAS) frustration with her son.
Each of the characters has an effect on the other's lives, generally indirectly. The one character whose influence seems to be constant and direct is the Witch (Lauren Wesolowski, a junior in the School of Communication), who tries to manipulate the others for her own purposes.
The woods themselves are a character in this production and help to further the story; The actors used the trees to move the plot along. Set pieces were used creatively, transitioning from trees and logs to the frame of the Baker's house. The scenery, combined with the lighting, gave the stage the dark and moody intensity of a forest or the festive brightness of the character's homes.
Each costume had roots in the traditional fairy tales, but had been made more realistic. There were many contrasts. Cinderella's gowns and the princes' suits were beautiful and shining. Meanwhile, the costumes of Jack and his mother were more appropriate for peasantry. Each costume complimented the actor wearing it.
This production did not depend on special effects. Cinderella's birds and the scene at Little Red's Grandmother's house relied more on the storytelling skills of the Narrator than on elaborate props. The usage of light and shadow to create the Giant was very effective. By not showing the physical form of the Giant, at any time, this production included the audience in the character's feelings of uncertainty.
As it is with all things, no show is perfect. There were the occasional slip-ups. These, however, can largely be explained by the fact it was the first performance in front of an audience, and none of the offenses were major. It was a truly impressive production that did not disappoint the sold out audiences for its first weekend. It seems that the only advice for readers is to buy tickets for the second weekend before they've completely disappeared.
