Out of Tigerville and Into the Woods
Emily Artus, Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of North Greenville University.
Be careful what you wish for—unless you’re wishing for tickets to see North Greenville University’s production of “Into the Woods.”
Directed by Amy Dunlap, the Stephen Sondheim musical plays April 14-16 and 21-23 and wraps up the NGU Theatre season with an orchestrated, choral bang.
Combining multiple fairytales, “Into the Woods” highlights each character’s wish for a happy ending and shows how the characters cross paths in the woods as they try to achieve their wishes.
“The real focus is what happens after you get your wish,” said Leah Meahl, a interdisciplinary major who plays the Baker’s Wife. “Act two centers around after everybody gets their wish, and how you have to be careful what you wish for.”
The musical’s message is a powerful one, emphasizing the consequences of the characters’ actions.
On the technical side, the musical includes a live orchestra and a set as intriguing as the story’s plot.
Using an alley-style stage similar to Shadowlands, “Into the Woods” pulls the audience right into the action.
“How we’ve staged it, the audience is very much a part of the woods,” said Meahl. “So the audience is going to be very close to us.”
The set is designed around the idea of books, following the classic fairytales theme, explained Paulina Ray-Zorick, a vocal education major who plays Rapunzel.
“Everything is grayscale and paper-looking,” said Ray-Zorick. “And [there’s] a lot of trees, of course.”
With beautiful sets and an interesting story, “Into the Woods” provides an opportunity for cultural event credit and a night out with friends and family.
“I feel like you’ll be leaving with some very beautiful moments,” said Meahl. “And some fun songs that are just stuck in your head.”
Buy tickets now or pick up your student ticket on Monday, April 11.
