Into The Woods

Over the last two nights the school performed it's annual spring musical. This year, the students performed "Into the Woods Junior." Since I have been teaching drama this year, I was automatically elected to Assistant Director for the production. I've never been a part of a musical before, but thankfully the director Arlene was a veteran, and knew how to handle the project. Her leadership, and a boat-load of work from the cast, delivered a top-notch school musical that made Glee look like ... well, Glee. 


Here is a brief introduction to the show that was read to the audience at the beginning of the program by the Assistant Director:

Good evening and welcome to Hong Kong Adventist College. Before we begin, I’d like to say a few things about this year’s musical production. 

This evening’s performance is the result of thousands of hours of work. This work includes the time put into each actor’s performance, the set design, the lighting and sound, and even the neatly organized chairs you’re sitting on. Since auditions in late January, students have been memorizing, practicing, painting, paper macheting, practicing, prepping costumes, preparing pamphlets, and practicing some more. This year’s exquisite set design was creatively crafted by several members of the cast. As you will soon see, it is authentic, and ecologically minded, constructed with the right amount of vision and a lot of recycled newspaper. The students here at our school, from primary, through secondary, to college, have rallied behind this production to create something fresh, funny, and inspiring for you this evening. 

The musical our students will be preforming tonight is “Into the Woods Junior,” a shortened version of the award winning Broadway musical “Into the Woods,” written by James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim. The story carefully, and at times playfully, examines what it really means to live “Happy Ever After.” Using notable characters from famous Western fairytales such as Jack, from Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapanzul, Cinderalla, and of course, a crusty old witch, the musical invites us to consider what we really need in order to be happy: a child, family, youth, beauty, money, friends, honor? 

Wishing for these things and more, our characters soon realize that the only path to their ‘happy ever after’ takes them on “a dangerous endeavor” into the woods. That dark uncertain place where “witches wolves and ghosts appear,” where trees are more than just wood and the boundaries between life and death are blurred. 

Some of the elements of this production involve spirits and ghosts, which are not in exact harmony with what Seventh-day Adventist Christians believe and teach. Although these things don’t accurately represent our understanding of reality, they act as important plot devices within the musical. And even though some of the elements are not in agreement with our beliefs, there is a strong underlying principle of faith throughout the musical. Even when the wolf is on the prowl, and the obstacles seem impassible, our characters continue on their journey with the trust that somehow, working together, in the end, all things will be ‘happy ever after.’ 

It is this faith that carries the cast, and us, into a life and death adventure. So without further ado, I ask you to turn off, or silence, any electronic devices and toddlers you have with you, ready yourself in your chair and join us as we venture Into the Woods. 

____________________

To see the students work together in order to produce something magical was really exciting, like watching Paddy McCoy get ordained, but with more singing and dancing.

After the show everyone scrambles to take photographs.

The set, stage right. 

"I want a picture too,"she said as she ran up the risers.