The cast rehearses "First Midnight" for their upcoming performance of "Into the Woods". Photo by Liam Chavez
The cast and crew assemble during a rehearsal of Into the Woods. Photo by Liam Chavez
By Liam Chavez
With all the fairytales that we read as kids, we are familiar with the protagonists “Happily Ever After.” As we grew up, we never really questioned the outcome of the happy ending, whether it was bad or good. Have wishes really come true? Where they truly happy with what had been played out? What if there was a musical that follows our favorite characters after Ever After? Into the Woods is that musical. Into the Woods first debuted in San Diego in 1986 before premiering on Broadway a year later. It also has a Disney film adaptation which received three nominations at both the Academy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards.
The musical will be performed at Norwalk Community College from April 20 to 30 in the courtyard outside the Music Room, so just in case, bring a sweater. Christine Mangone, a professor here at NCC, is the stage and musical director. According to Mangone, Into the Woods is a play about different well-known fairytales that have been intertwined with one another. She said, “The message of the play is that many times we want things and we think that those things will make our lives perfect but then in the end, once we get those things sometimes life isn’t perfect as we thought it would be, but in the final result what happens is the characters all work together to sort of survive and help one another, so really, it’s a play about working together to achieve happiness.”
Anthony Laslow, who plays the Baker said he loves the Grimm version of the fairytales that Playwright James Laine and Composer Stephen Sondheim brought to this musical, stating, "The darker, deeper, more evil version of Cinderella’s stepsisters, to explore those sides, was very cool.” Laslow, when asked who the villain in this show is, answered, “I think everyone in the show could be the villain. It's everyone's ego and everyone thinking about themselves that creates turmoil… the circumstances become much harder because no one is thinking about anyone else, only themselves and their wish. So, I think any individual could somehow become a bad guy at some point.”
Laslow discussed the process of the performance saying, “It has been a wonderful environment staging this show, so positive and fun. Everyone is excited to do a fairytale in a musical because of the sense of whimsicalness even though there are parts that are dark. Overall, the vibe of the show is positive energy. We are excited to be doing theater again. The show is beautiful, and the music draws you in. If you are skeptical, roll with it and you will enjoy the show with very cool characters. It is also outside which is awesome.” Laslow concluded, “We work really hard, and we are beautiful singers, I think you are really going to enjoy it.”
For more information about Into The Woods performances from April 20 to 30 outside in the Music room courtyard email cmangone@norwalk.edu
Liam Chavez is a writer for The Voice.