As spring quickly approaches, Xavier is set to present its production of “Into the Woods” with a creative twist.
When Xavier first staged this production eight years ago, it followed a “very basic storybook” style, said fine arts teacher and director Sarah White.
This time, the creative team wanted to add a twist by drawing inspiration from the Post-Impressionist art movement.
“It is almost as if the fairytale is being told through a painting,” White said.
To organize this vision, White developed a digital “lookbook” that outlines how the aesthetic of the show will be based specifically on Post-Impressionist art.The lookbook features inspirations from world-renowned artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cezanne and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.
White explains that her ultimate goal is to tie the essence of the Post-Impressionist art pieces into the set design.
The production team “took the ‘painted look’ and ran with it,” said Abigail Corderman ‘26, a set designer.
“Color and visual appearance are an essential aspect when considering how an audience will understand the message,” Corderman said.
She also collaborated with a student from Brophy College Preparatory to create the art for the production. The two students delegated design tasks and shared drawings to make sure their ideas combined seamlessly.
“It was a very enjoyable process as the Brophy student is a good friend. We often had similar ideas for what set pieces would look like,” Corderman added.
Assistant director Nina Ricci ‘26, who works with the ensemble, said the actors are like beings in a painting rather than a storybook.
“They create a different feel that builds ‘the woods’ and adds to the almost whimsy feeling a painting would have over a book,” Ricci said.
“Seeing it all come together through all the rehearsals does feel like a beautiful painting coming to life,” she added.
By incorporating the set design into the actors’ performances, Xavier’s production will bring the classic musical to life
