BROOKE THAMES
A&E Writer
The Pacific Lutheran University Theatre Department will wave goodbye to the 2014-2015 school year May 8 with its rendition of the acclaimed Broadway musical “Into the Woods.”
“Into the Woods”
7:30 p.m. May 8
Eastvold Auditorium
$8 General Admission
$5 Senior Citizens/Alumni
$3 Students
Based on the tragic tales of the Brothers Grimm, “Into the Woods” follows an array of fairy-tale characters as they cross paths while searching for their happy endings.
Driven by their personal desires, characters such as Cinderella, Jack (of Jack and the Beanstalk), Rapunzel and Little Red
Riding Hood embark on journeys in the woods to secure their greatest wishes, but at great expense.
Cinderella, for example, enters the woods to catch a prince but finds uncertainty instead.
“She’s not the typical picture of Cinderella,” said junior Tasha Smith who plays Cinderella. “She thinks she knows what she wants, and then she goes to get what she wants, and then she starts questioning what she wants.”
Other characters such as the Baker and his wife also enter the woods to make their wish come true, only to discover themselves caught in a whirlwind of chaos.
“[The characters] all go into the woods to search for something, and it just so happens that the Baker and the wife are searching for these items that the rest of the story revolves around,” senior Brandon Hell, who plays the Baker, said.
“Into the Woods” is a show that emphasizes the age-old saying: “Be careful what you wish for.” For many of the musical’s characters, what they wish turns out to be the opposite of what they want – and that realization is crucial to their true happiness.
“There’s one point where [the Baker’s wife] has a more luxurious experience in the woods, but she realizes that she has both luxury and comfort with her baker,” senior Emily Stenson (“Baker’s Wife”) said.
Although many of the “Into the Woods” characters become engulfed in turmoil, others provide comedic relief in the midst of the tension.
“All [Little Red] kind of does is eat,” sophomore Molly Parce (“Little Red Riding Hood”) said.
Equipped with a robust set of characters and a talented student cast, PLU’s production of “Into the Woods” hopes to serve as an excellent theatre event to round out the 2014-2015 school year.
