'Into the Woods' at Chase Collegiate - My Review

The Highlander Theatre Company presented their spring musical at the Fulkerson Arts Center at Chase Collegiate School this weekend. Robert Cutrofello has guided the company for the past twelve years and is not one to shy away from a challenge. Last year the students performed the musical The Scarlet Pimpernel and earlier this school year the students performed two plays, A Lesson Before Dying and Harvey. This year's choice, Into the Woods, presents both musical and technical challenges, but the talented students at Chase once again rose to all of them.

The director writes that the musical is based on "small miracles and the other side each of them harbors. Like the Grimm stories that bore them, Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine respect the original source but build upon it to create a fairy tale with warnings." While there are some strong comic moments, much of the tale is dark.

The active HTC Parent Group raise funds so that "our production values can match our children's talents" and they have allowed them to purchase a new sound board. One clever fundraiser is a raffle of a poster signed by the cast. Also for sale were personalized glass bottles of very colorful sodas and bags of popcorn. These were a hit with my youngest son, who caught a few references to another Sondheim show, Wicked, that I missed.

The second act began with a meeting of parenthetical fairy tale characters. It was a cute way to allow more students to have a role in the show and their costumes, like all of the ones in this production, were very well done.

Many of the students in lead roles were seniors and had appeared in Pimpernel. Christian Lewis did a fine job as the Narrator. Theron Johnson III, who has performed at the Warner, the Palace and the Thomaston Opera House, was a strong actor and tenor as the Baker and Monica Lesczynski used her beautiful singing voice often as the Baker's Wife. Audrey Hickox was a nasty Cinderella's Stepmother. Kendrik Lechner wowed us as the Mysterious Man and Olivia Ohanesian was a classic Snow White, with presumably staff members as her seven dwarfs, to the delight of the audience.

Kristin Scheuermann was quite wonderful as the Witch; a very strong actress and great singer, this young lady is a commanding force. Her post transformation gown was an iridescent green and red number that was perfect for her character. My complimentary tickets were found by graduating senior and House Manager Ryan Shiel.

Other cast members of note were Maren Burling as Cinderella, Hayden Hall and Emily Grimes as Jack and Jack's mother, and Lauren McDonald in her first HTC production as the doomed Rapunzel. Two wolves were played both big and bad by Dan Smyth-Temple and John Bracken in fierce makeup.

The role of a feisty Little Red Riding Hood was played expertly by Talia Marino in a long "red as blood" cape; the tantrum she threw when the Baker took her cape was priceless. Ms. Marino has appeared at Seven Angels and the Thomaston Opera House.  Conor Bronsdon was charming as Rapunzel's Prince, while Nico de Groot never broke character as Cinderella's not so charming prince.

The highly degreed Music Director Michael Ferrari led a fine group of musicians that sat on the floor to the right of the stage. The percussion player was kept very busy with this score, especially on bells.

The effective set was beautifully lit by the Halo Award winning Lighting Designer Matthew Szczygiel and executed by Christian Johnson. The costumes, designed by Alexa Consiglio and Kathy Conway, set and makeup credit goes to the very busy Robert Aviles. And yes, Jack carried a live white hen (who laid the golden eggs) onstage!

Overall, this was another fine production of the HTC. This performance lasted over three and a half hours, due to an extended intermission because of a video camera malfunction. Yet at the very cleverly staged curtain call, the audience was on their feet.

The cast will peform their final performance today. A children's 2pm show on April 28th will also feature a meet and greet with the famous characters from 1:15 to 1:45pm. Jack, Cinderella and her family, Prince Charming, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, the Baker and his Wife, and all the rest will be availble for pictures and hugs.

Please upload any photos of the cast to this post, as I could not find a single one online.