“Into the Woods,” a popular hit movie starring Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt in 2014, is coming to the Waterworks Players Community Theatre during the first two weeks of April.
Written by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine in 1987, “Into the Woods” has stood the test of time making its way on Broadway, the big screen and community theatres all over the country.
The musical is a modern take on the Brothers Grimm fairytales, featuring characters such as Jack in the Bean Stock, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Rapunzel. Each character is tied together into the large plot of the production, which centers around a baker and his wife who wish for something they cannot have – a child. Soon the pair find out that there is a curse over their family that is preventing them from having a child, and they must find multiple items such as a cap, hair, cow and a slipper for The Witch, who cursed them in beginning.
In an epic and exciting adventure, the baker and his wife go into the woods to retrieve the items for The Witch, meeting fairytale characters that transform their journey along the way.
Senior music education major Jared Dowdy plays The Baker said, “The show goes through many different stages. In the first half of the show you see all the characters learn and grow, and in the second half we all go into the woods and see and meet all sort of things there.
Coming to the Waterworks players on Apr. 1-2 and 8-10 at various times, the stars of “Into the Woods” include Longwood student, faculty and staff, along with actors from the community and university alumni.
Directed by Dudley Suave, the two and a half hour musical will use a moving set thrust stage, allowing the characters to break the third wall and allow the audience to see everything no matter where they are sitting in the relatively small community theater.
Junior communication studies major Miriam Loya, who plays Jack’s mother, said, “The moving pieces for the set are what transform you into the different places we are at. We have to fit a big set and a big cast into the small theatre.”
For people who loved the movie but have not seen the Broadway musical or any production of it off the big screen, they should expect similarities to the film.
Sophomore communication studies major Alex Woods plays the Baker’s Wife said, “I think that the movie does a very good job representing the story and the musical adaptation. You will see more songs and music from each character that you did not see in the film in our production.”
Being a musical, a lot of the show is dependent on music, and the show has many talented musical performers.
The cast has been rehearsing about five days a week for over a month, and they are ready to showcase the musical and all the hard work they have put into it.
Junior music education major Roxanne Cook plays The Witch said, “There are a lot of characters that really make you think. The show is about growth and learning about yourself. There is really no right or wrong in the end. It’s really what you want to decide.”
