|
Volume CXXXII, Number 16 |
 |
Once upon a time in Pickard Theater...
MATT LAJOIE
STAFF WRITER
 |
| Luke Wilson '06 brings new life to children's fairy tales as he performs in this year's musical Into the Woods. Directed by Sarah Ramey '03, the musical lights up the stage in Pickard Theater. (Karsten Moran, Bowdoin Orient) |
What exactly does "happily ever after" mean? We all know that Cinderella got her prince, Jack killed the Giant, and Little Red Riding Hood survived the Wolf's appetite for little girls and grandmothers. But then what?
For those who have always been a bit skeptical about fairy tales, the musical Into The Woods seeks to satisfy the inquiring mind . . . sort of. The play enacts four well-known fairy tales-Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel-and throws them together into a plot that revolves around a childless baker and his wife. In order to reverse the infertility curse put upon the couple by an evil witch, the baker and his wife must gather items from each of the four title characters of the fairy tales.
Though the story seems to have reached a happy ending at the end of act one, it is only an illusion, as act two picks up where the fairy tales left off, and the stories become increasingly twisted. The musical is performed with fantastic irreverent comedy-both physical and lyrical-that displays the comedic talents of the actors and actresses. Superior acting and vocal skills shine through the performance, backed by a magnificent score that is performed flawlessly by a live band conducted by Colin Thibadeau '03.
Into the Woods is directed by Sarah Ramey '03, who was first introduced to the musical when she played the role of Granny in her high school production. She returned to the musical last year when she directed one scene for a class project and was encouraged to direct Into the Woods in its entirety this year. "I had never directed anything before," she says. "It sounds like a great idea [directing the entire musical] but it's a lot of responsibility. Even so, it's just been a lot of fun, and the cast is so good. All the hard parts are sort of cancelled out."
It is clear that the musical was extremely well cast. Ramey said that when she decided to direct Into the Woods, she "knew that there were some people on campus who would be perfect for the roles." Senior Andy Keshner is one of these perfect fits, playing the dual role of Narrator and the Mysterious Man. "I really am confident about this show," he said, "excluding my performance, of course." Dana Kramer '03, remarkable in her role as the Witch, also commented on having "such a great cast" for the musical.
Ramey, however, was quick to point out that the talent lies not only within the cast, but within other members of the production team as well. "Everybody does their job really, really well," she said about those in charge of costumes, lighting, tech, and production managing. The way the production all comes together is really quite impressive, and it is certainly not a show to be missed. Into the Woods is playing in Pickard Theater on Friday at 8:00 p.m. and on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
|
FastCounter by bCentral |