2008 Year in Review

Into The Woods at MHS May 9 and 10

by Sarah Thorndike

Into the Woods will be presented at Morrison High School on this Friday, May 9, and Saturday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m. The Stephen Sondheim musical features a cast of 22 students, ranging from freshman to seniors.

The play revolves around many favorite fairy tales, including Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel and Little Red Riding Hood. While many of the characters' wishes come true, it turns out they may have been better off before.

"I love singing and dancing and acting...I love being on stage," said Nora Beswick, who plays Little Red Riding Hood.

Ellie Ligons, a sophomore in her first high school play, said, "I like being an evil stepsister." She has the role of Florinda, one of Cinderella's stepsisters. Cinderella's stepmother, Rachael Barry wanted to be in the play because, "it sounded like fun."

Cinderella, played by Maggie Slavin, does find her prince in the woods, but he isn't quite what she expected. After all, according to Nick Vargas, Cinderella's Prince, “he was raised to be charming, not sincere."

Jack, played by Nick Workman, does sell his cow for magic beans and that still upsets his mother, played by Jessica Richardson. Only in this version, a baker buys the pure white cow, which he needs for some sort of spell. Katie Sedig, as the Witch, will work a potion, so the baker and his wife, Curtis Fuller and Jennifer Thorndike, can have a child.

The students have been working on this play for two months, learning lines and music almost every day after school. The past several weeks have seen the growth of the Woods on the MHS stage, complete with trees and a castle in the distance.

Director Darlene Palmer chose this musical because, "like many of the Disney movies, “it can be viewed at many different levels. It has things that appeal to kids, but there are many that only the adults in the audience will understand,” she explained.

Tickets for Into the Woods can be purchased at Fitzgerald’s Drug Store, reserved seating or at the door. The price for all ages and all seats is just $5.

by  Editor, theCity1.com
May 8, 2008