In the realm of Musical Theatre, there’s no figure more respected, and more towering, than Stephen Sondheim. He is considered as perhaps the foremost musical “auteur,” creating timeless music and lyrics for such instant classics as West Side Story, Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music and Assassins.
His work is daring (and daunting), and there are few musical productions with such complex plotting, music, lyrics, and themes as Into the Woods, his 1986 collaboration with avant garde playwright James Lapine. Into the Woods functions as many things: a deconstruction of fairy tale morality, a delightfully absurd follow-through on the logic of Grimm stories, a cautionary tale about the dangers of self-centeredness, and an allegorical study of the forces of chaos. Above all, though, it is an exemplary musical, with some of the most well-rounded and empathetic characters in the musical theatre canon.
The thought of putting on a play this broad in scope and this densely intricate with high school students was a daunting one. When our Assistant Director, Clare Cumberland, suggested it as a possibility for this year’s musical, I voiced my concerns with a single word: “Sondheim?!?” Now that we’re at production time, I can say wholeheartedly that the cast and crew has pulled it off. Whether it’s the completely student-designed technical elements or the deep understanding of these fearsomely difficult characters brought by our extraordinary acting company, the amount of hard work and dedication that these students have brought has been nothing short of inspiring.
Special thanks must go to our grade 12 actors, some of whom have been part of J. Percy Page’s Musical Theatre program since its infancy. “Sometimes people leave you halfway through the woods, but do not let it grieve you: no one leaves for good.”
Please enjoy the show!
Matthew Blackwell
