Bradley’s “Into the Woods” garnered a good deal of excitement when it opened last weekend.
Tickets flew as the community anticipated the university’s first musical production in eight years to be a milestone worth witnessing.
And it was.
The production was full of heart – not perfect – but an enchanting and powerful showcase of the array of talent on this campus.
If you haven’t seen the show yet, this weekend is your last chance. I encourage you to pick up tickets for Thursday, Friday or Saturday night or Sunday afternoon. Here’s what you can expect if you do.
Show-stopping student performances
Stephen Sondheim’s music is notoriously difficult to learn, full of irregular rhythms, tongue-twisting lyrics and intricate harmonies. But if the composer’s reputation isn’t known, it doesn’t show. The cast of students made Sondheim’s music sound natural.
Rapunzel, played by freshman psychology major Becca Smith, sang like an angel from her tower, hitting high notes with ease. Junior psychology and sociology major Diamanda Vavilis, playing Cinderella, didn’t just master challenging notes and rhythms; she sang them with emotion that felt real and raw, pulling audiences into the story.
Other performers showed that acting is just as important as singing in a musical production like “Into the Woods.” Senior English major Kyle Rencel plays Prince Charming with impeccable comedic timing. I found myself entertained by his performance before I could even identify who the character was.
Meanwhile, the Witch demands arguably the most diverse range of emotions in the show, and senior theatre performance major Queen Adams doesn’t shy away from the intensity required of the role.
Immersive scenic design
Another element sure to pull audiences in is the utilization of the stage and the enchanting world built upon it.
Theatre Arts Department Chair Chad Lowell designed a set that beautifully depicts a fairytale world. The centerpiece, a giant tree placed on the department’s newly installed turntable, allows characters to move from fictional place to place without clunky scene changes.
Additionally, there is rarely empty space on the stage. At times, Al Oltmann’s direction sends characters from one side of the stage to the other in seconds. Actors are consistently placed at varying levels in a scene, from Rapunzel in her tower to the Mysterious Man in the tree’s branches, adding more dimensions to the world.
Junior theatre performance major Gabe Nye, playing both the Mysterious Man and the Narrator, surprisingly does the most traveling, literally jumping and leaping between each of his marks.
All of this is to the show’s advantage. Nothing is more dull than a musical that does not move.
Fairytales with a twist
Finally, you can expect the unexpected with “Into the Woods.” Many classic fairytale plotlines are embedded within the story, to be sure, but their tales turn in treacherous directions.
Most of these turns take place in the second act. Quite a lengthy show at almost three hours, you’ll feel as if it should be ending after Act One, but that’s not “Into the Woods.”
Bradley’s version of the show adds another twist. In the director’s words, they are telling the story as a “cautionary tale from the near future.”
This telling is meant to address modern issues. The attempt to do so is most noticeable through certain costuming decisions.
They are the show’s greatest flaw.
After all, only a few characters are given modern designs, clashing with others in the show.
The Narrator wears a distressed jean jacket with the words “The system has failed us” on the back. Little Red Riding Hood wears a hoodie displaying the text, “Problem solved.” Prince Charming walks around carrying a biker’s helmet. In contrast, the character meant to be his brother wears an outfit you would expect to find in a classic fairytale. It is hard to believe that they are from the same world, let alone related.
Perhaps even more confusing is Cinderella’s costuming. She spends most of the first act in a ball gown. This costume is beautiful; it helps tell the story and makes the character seem like she belongs in “Into the Woods.” But she spends most of Act Two in a gray hoodie and leggings. While this is meant to be a disguise, it is hard to believe that these clothes would even be found in most other characters’ closets.
A show worth seeing
When all is said and done, I spent more time laughing than eyebrow-raising. Costume design discrepancies are easy to overlook when considering the production as a whole.
With strong performances, beautiful set pieces and a simply infectious energy filling the theatre, Bradley’s “Into the Woods” is a worthwhile experience.
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