Once upon a time in a high school auditorium, a group of students set out to tell a story of witches, giants, wishes, and fairytale stories one rehearsal at a time. Rehearsals may still be underway, but already the cast and crew of Washington Liberty’s (W-L) “Into the Woods” are casting a spell. The production, which is scheduled to open in late November, combines the stories of well-known fairy tales in Stephen Sondheim’s Tony-award winning musical.
Led by theater director Danny Issa, the show follows familiar storybook characters such as Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, the Big Bad Wolf, and more, as their separate stories overlap in a forest where consequences unfold. What starts as individual quests for happily ever after becomes something messier. The musical asks a question most fairy tales avoid: what happens after the happy ending?
Known for its humor and surprisingly dark second act, “Into the Woods” is no easy task for even professional performers, let alone a high school cast. Sondheim’s score is famously intricate, with difficult and fast songs that require the actors to sing, act and think simultaneously. But the students are rising to the challenge, spending hours after school in rehearsals.
“Some of the songs are confusing and hard to sing,” Senior Colby Chase said. “It’s different from any other show we’ve done.”
Specifically, the song “Ever After” is a real challenge.
“Ever After is the hardest [song] to sing,” Senior Siobhan Jacobs said. “The words are similar to other songs but they are also slightly different. There’s a lot of different pieces that have to be put together.”
However, other songs are more fun to perform.
“I really like [the song] ‘Your Fault’ because it’s fast paced and keeps the energy up,” Chase said.
The production features a mix of both long-time theater veterans and first-time performers. For some, this is their final show at W-L. For others, it’s the beginning of what they hope will be a lasting relationship with theater. Seniors Sidney Schweighart and Lulu Mueller, portraying Cinderella’s wicked stepsisters, are both new to the theater department this year. Despite their inexperience, they are enthusiastic to be bringing their characters to life.
“I really love theater, and I’ve always wanted to be a part of a musical or play, I just never had time,” Mueller said. “This year I decided to just go for it.”
Both have found the W-L theater community welcoming, even as newcomers stepping into a group that has been working together for years. The learning curve has been steep; memorizing blocking, choreography and lines. But they are learning day-by-day.
“I was a little intimidated at first because I’ve never really done a professional theater production like this,” Schweighart said. “But it’s all very welcoming. I’m having a lot of fun.”
Helping bring the show to life is choreographer Ben Bogen, who’s back at W-L after working on last year’s production of “Hadestown.” Bogen brings Broadway experience to the auditorium, having spent years performing and choreographing across the country. Now he travels nationwide offering what he calls Broadway Education Experiences, teaching high school students the same techniques used with professionals.
The technical challenges of “Into the Woods” are significant. The show requires multiple scene changes, with characters appearing and disappearing into the forest, and multiple quick costume changes.
“We just got our costumes and I love them,” Schweighart said. “We have a quick change so we’ll see how that goes.”
As opening night approaches, anticipation in the community is growing. Posters have gone up around school, and the cast has been actively posting on the department’s Instagram for information on the show, “@wltheatre.” For the cast and crew, the final weeks of rehearsal feel both exhausting and exhilarating, the culmination of months of work about to be shared with an audience.
“Rehearsals have been a lot [of commitment], but I’m having a lot of fun,” Mueller said.
The school’s “Into the Woods” opens on Nov. 20 at the W-L theater. Tickets are available now at https://www.wltheater.com/.
