A Unique Fairytale Journey Into The Woods
On Sunday afternoon, I made the trek to the Wood Theater from Common Roots for the Glens Falls Community Theatre’s production of Into the Woods, as snow fell from the sky creating a wintry wonderland. Earlier that afternoon, the local chapter of the activist group, Indivisible, were having their year-end celebration at the Common Roots Bierhall. It was an uplifting and crowded event, especially given the tumultuous year of the second Trump administration, seeing a hundred people still fighting for justice for all.
When I arrived at the Wood Theater, I retrieved my ticket from the box office and chatted with Emily Murphy about hers and Cam Cardinale’s fantastic dual photo from the Light and Len’s Photo Food Drive last week. I headed to my seat in the front, chatting with the two people next to me, Jodi and Chris, who are music teachers in the Schuylerville school district. Jodi is directing a high school production of Into the Woods next March, with some of her students seated behind them and one of them starring in this production. I appreciated her historical knowledge of the Stephen Sondheim musical, where she explained that it began in 1987 on Broadway, with a London adaptation in 1991.
I had heard of the production, recalling a movie adaptation by Disney in 2014, though I never experienced the story. All I knew is that it involved parodied depictions of classic fairytale figures, like Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Cinderella. On stage, prior to the start of the show, there were dozens of chairs facing the curtain. When the lights dimmed, a man and child moved to the center, looking at the curtain as people dressed in black walked by. Once everyone was seated, the boy sat on the ground and pulled out a large book, with its cover stating, “Into the Woods”. The rest of the cast turn around to look at him as the boy started to read, and the curtain unfurled to reveal the incredible set.
The stage, conceptualized by Francesco Carlo Archina, designed by Marc Christopher, and constructed by John Beaulac, imbued the majestic wonder of a forest. Two balconies on either side of the stage, with a bridge connecting them, cultivated a grand presence for a small, community theatre. Flowers and other fauna were flowing along the edges of the structures, with a green-colored duct strung under the bridge to create the illusion of vines. A large depiction of a forested hedge connected the ground with the bridge, allowing the actors to walk up hidden steps during the production. In the background, a large clock with roman numerals overlooked the stage, with the hands indicating just before midnight. Everyone in the production crew did a superb job setting the stage for this musical.
As the boy reads out loud, “once upon a time in a far-off kingdom…”, the characters are introduced. Cinderella wishes to attend the King’s festival despite her stepmother’s disapproval, while Jack wishes that his cow, named Milky White, would produce milk for their farm as his mother instructs him to sell the cow at the market. A baker and his wife wish they could bear a child, while Little Red Riding Hood procures bread from their bakery for her sick grandmother. A witch strides onto the stage to inform the baker, played by Don Ferlazzo, that she cursed his family after his father stole vegetables from her garden. She offers a chance to release the curse by procuring a list of items, a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, a hair as yellow as corn, and a slipper as pure as gold, within three days. And so, the adventure into the woods begins for the cast of characters, each embarking on a journey that will soon entangle their stories.
The play cleverly weaves together these fairytale characters, ending the first act on a delightful note of “happily ever after”. But as I found out, the story continues past the happy ending, creating a somber tale of despair, perseverance, and the human condition. The actors, from the young narrator played by Charlie Palmer, the hysterical steward of the princes played by Brandon Reisner, to the witch played by Tetyana Denford, were incredible. Their vocal talents shined on stage, invoking an emotional range that transcended community theatre. The facial expressions of actress Vivienne Hays, playing the cow named Milky White, were delightfully funny, as she was pulled across the stage by Jack and other characters. Actress Katherine Beaulac, playing Little Red Riding Hood, was one of Mrs. Jodi Ogburn’s students, and her performance was stellar. And the actresses playing Cinderella’s stepsisters, Hannah Martinez and Meayla Humphrey, were playfully cruel with humorous slapstick antics.
When the finale concluded and the cast bowed on stage to a cheering audience, I hastily scribbled in my notebook a poignant quote from the musical that encapsulates a beautiful message, “No one is alone. Truly, no one is alone.” The interconnectedness of all of these characters illustrates this profound human experience that can be lost in our individualistic society. As the audience gathers their belongings and walks toward the exit, I step toward the stage, eager to get a closer look at the details abound. The crew was starting to deconstruct the stage as I ascended the hidden staircase to the balcony and help someone remove the large clock. It was awe-inspiring to look out into the theatre from this vantage point, as my inner nerves quieted and thoughts arose of potentially finding the confidence to be on stage. Perhaps someday.
The Glens Falls Community Theatre’s production of Into the Woods was superb, and I am surely not the only person who had not seen this Stephen Sondheim musical. While this production may be finished, as I learned, Schuylerville High School will have their own performance on the first weekend of March next year. As this musical beautifully reminds us, even in fairytales, we are not alone. Moments in the woods, or anywhere in the world, affect others in many ways. Be sure to always be kind, as you may never know how your actions affect others.
