Xavier College Preparatory’s Theatre Department came back last week with a spring musical production of the Grimm Brothers fairy tale, “Into The Woods.”

“Into The Woods” brings several fairy tales into one tale, complete with heroes and heroines, evil characters and a very interesting ending! We all wish we could live happily ever after, but life is rarely black and white. The characters travel an amazing journey filled with obstacles, but they learn to depend on each other in order to overcome adversity. We find the characters are unique individuals who wish for goodness in the future and learn “to mind the wolf, to heed the witch, to honor the giant, to find, to think, to teach, to join, to go to the festival, into the woods, then out of the woods – and happily ever after!”

Going into Act 1 of “Into The Woods,” all main characters were introduced: Cinderella, Jack, the Baker, the Baker’s wife and Little Red Riding Hood. The stage was split into three sections to describe the three different stories altogether. While transitioning between each story, the cast was frozen on stage to focus on one story at a time.

The first solo song was sung by junior Tatum Dial, who played the role of the witch. Dial, who played Ursula in the fall musical last year, didn’t let the crowd down with her amazing vocals. Following this, the Baker and Baker’s Wife, played by Brophy senior Keegan Kalkman and Xavier junior Lily Castle, sang the duet of “After Hello, Little Girl.” The vocals from both actors surely did surprise the audience with their great chemistry on stage. And now who could forget, Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk, Brophy freshman Andy Wissink, definitely made the audience smile at his young, vibrant enthusiasm. Junior Kristen Chua acted in the role of Little Red Riding Hood, who is off to see her grandmother, but faces some strange encounters.

One of the most famous classics from the soundtrack would have to be, “Agony,” sung by juniors Johnny Robiana and Brendan Alcott, who both share their powerful voices to deliver the true agony of finding love. Towards the end of Act 1, Xavier sophomore Sara Watson soothed the audience with her soft delicate voice that seemed to surround the entire audience from the top of her tower.

Act 2 continued with the entire cast as they enjoy what seems like their happy ever after, until they are faced off with the giant, who seeks revenge for her husband’s death. The entire cast is set up against the giant for a final battle with many loses along the way. The Baker’s Wife (Lily Castle), Jack’s Mother (senior Lauren Kessler), Rapunzel (Sara Watson), etc.. The ending of the play was a sentimental scene as the remaining people start to begin their new lives with the loss of their loved ones. A song that needs to be mentioned would be “No One is Alone,” the entire cast emotions could be felt within the room and made the audience to fall in love with the production.

Exciting many in the Xavier community, the cast didn’t disappoint the audience with wonderful medleys and powerful actors and singers. Until next time.