What a dream come true for me to direct a show I hold so close to my heart, with a once-in-a lifetime cast & team!
Into the Woods may be about fairytale characters, but at the center of it, it truly is a story about all of us- and how fickle the human heart can be. How we struggle to pursue what we think we “wish”, only to find that once obtained, there is a new “wish”, a new want… Can the desire for more ever be fully satisfied? Or is “contentment” only a fleeting fantasy? Do you know what you wish? Are you certain what you wish is what you want? I love the way Sondheim makes us laugh at these characters, while simultaneously forcing us to look at our own lives and our own motives as we navigate through our own “woods”.
In our version of Into the Woods, we made a creative choice to add an entirely new character- the Woods themselves. The Woods Ensemble is one of my favorite parts about our show because we see that the Woods can have a mind of their own; they are enticing, tempting, wooing, and sometimes they will turn on you. The Woods represents the “world” and our main characters go out into the world to find themselves, to take a risk, to achieve their dreams. We’re never quite prepared for what we're going to encounter there, and this journey is what shapes who we are. The choices we make along the way- are what define us, and the example we set for those who follow.
My hope is that this show will allow every one of us to pause, to reflect on our own choices and remember that children WILL listen… (however, as a mother and teacher, I can testify that they DON’T always listen when we want them to,) BUT they are always watching, learning, absorbing and they are looking to us to guide them and lead them by example through these Woods… that is a great responsibility to bear, and my hope is that we wouldn’t take it lightly. No one is perfect, we WILL make mistakes. But what we learn and how we grow from our mistakes are what build true character.
Guide them along the way,
Children will glisten
Children will look to you for which way to turn
To learn what to be
Careful before you say, listen to me.
Children will listen.
Logan Carter
Director
