Into the Woods
at Irvine

Reviewed on March 9, 2018

Brianna Blashill
San Clemente
Submitted for publication to Orange County Register

Be careful what you wish for, Irvine's 'Into The Woods' warns

There is a notorious maxim that cautions, "Be careful what you wish for." Irvine High School's rendition of the musical "Into the Woods," urges us to be wary of what we desire because our wishes have unforeseen consequences. In this classic amalgam of fairy tales, all of the characters possess a wish: Cinderella longs to go to the King's festival, a Witch lusts for her lost beauty, a cursed Baker and his Wife dream of a child, Little Red Ridinghood wants to bring her sick grandmother some bread, and Jack yearns for his best friend, the cow Milky White, to make some milk. After they're granted these wishes, however, they quickly discover that they've received more than they bargained for.

Ryan Chen's more serious portrayal of the Baker accentuates the Baker's desire to prove himself a strong head of the household. In contrast the Baker's Wife, played by Grace Simmons, is lighthearted and wants her husband to realize that they must work together to break their curse and have a child. Jake Akita shines as Jack, eluding both boyish charm and vulnerability, especially in moments where he interacts with his mother or Milky White.

The musical was full of humorous moments from Jack's Mother's (Shirley Nguyen-Taylor) fluctuating attitude, from angry to content, or Rapunzel's (Sarah Heil) over-the-top sobbing. The comedy acted as relief from the pain of the characters' situations, and was heightened by the technical aspects of the production.

The set design created the feeling of being in a forest, though there was little use of props to create the "Woods." The towering trees framing each wing enhanced the sensation of truly journeying through a vast forest.

The costumes were beautifully designed, subtly revealing the emotional progression of the characters throughout the musical. For instance, the Witch (Haley Ainsworth) begins by wearing the earthy colors of the woods, shifting to a dark green and purple dress after regaining her beauty, to symbolize her existing malicious nature.

IHS' "Into the Woods" reminds us to never stop dreaming, but to understand that our dreams don't always work out the way we expect.

Kennedy Kemmerer
Santa Margarita Catholic
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Irvine High School Gets Deeper Into the Woods

Irvine High School combines marvelous tech and acting to construct their production of "Into the Woods." All are transported to a world of fairy tales where Little Red Ridinghood is eaten by a wolf and Princes fawn over beautiful maidens. But all is not as it seems to be when happily ever after does not last forever. The multitude of fairy tale characters must find love within each other and fight through a world of terror to achieve a peaceful present.

Jack (Jake Akita) weaves his way into the story as a boy who finds Giants in the Sky with the help of some magical beans. Emerging from the top of the theater, Jack's undeniable excitement for new found adventure is released through his dazzling vocals. Through his eyes, a world of giants, treasure, and exploration are projected onto every inch of the theater.

The princes are in painstaking agony for their beautiful maidens, as they are "just out of reach." Cinderalla's Prince (Jimmy Leys) and Rapunzel's Prince (Brandon Alvidres) put on the charm during their performance of "Agony." The lifted eyebrows and smolder look project an exuberantly charismatic performance. Both princes present themselves as ladies' men and have voices as smooth as butter to complement their charming nature.

The atmosphere of the lively production is enhanced by acting trees. This ensemble created an interactive environment for characters to explore throughout the show. Their ability to soar over the cast, with the use of stilts, created the picture of a large and capturing wood. This ensemble of trees moves with pure elegance and reacts to the environment created on stage as a tree would do in the wind.

The set design and construction are beautifully executed by the scenic artists, construction crew, and design crew. The houses for the Baker, Cinderella, and Jack are all distinctly different and follow the status of the characters. In addition, the clever construction of a convertible house for Granny displayed a seamless transition between Little Red being eaten by the wolf and being cut out. The trees on all fronts of the stage truly captured the essence of the woods with precise shading and sculpting, which enhanced the atmosphere for the actors to develop their characters.

Irvine High School brought life and new-found excitement to the dynamic production of Into the Woods.

Sasha Anand
Northwood
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

"Into the Woods" is Granting Wishes at Irvine High School

A cow. A shoe. A cape. Yellow hair. All essential tools to a fairytale ending. In "Into the Woods," this is all the characters need in order to get their wish. Or so they thought. The musical by James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim follows beloved fairy tale characters such as Cinderella, Jack and the beanstalk, and Little Red Riding Hood as they venture through woods in search of their desires. However, what happens after they get it, after the "happily ever after?" This is the question explored in this story of heart, charm, deceit, and supposed happy endings.

Evelyn Pham portrays the optimistic Cinderella. Pham demonstrates a motherly side of the character, making her a safe place for the other characters. Her emotions are genuine when comforting Little Red Ridinghood (Sophia Arellano), holding her close, making sure she feels love despite the turmoil she seems to be in.

Jimmy Leys plays the charismatic, albeit egotistical, Cinderella's Prince. He perfectly embodies his character's pride as he struts across the stage, demanding to be looked at by every character he encounters along the way. The Baker's wife (Grace Simmons), is no exception to his charms. The two share a romantic yet scandalous meeting in the song "Any Moment." By casting anxious glances around to see if anyone is watching and looking deeply into each other's eyes even though they know it's wrong, both play out the interaction with caution and comedy. Leys also steals the scene in his duet with Rapunzel's Prince (Brandon Alvidres) as they sing about their lost loves in "Agony".

Lighting is beautifully designed by David Moise. It adds a deeper level to the production as it pays homage to the dead at the end of the production. The mothers who had lost their lives through their journey in the woods appear in a projection and hover over the actors on stage, shadowed in darkness. This lends an eerily comforting presence in the show as it signifies the legacy that survives one after they have passed away.

Irvine's production of "Into the Woods" teaches of life's many trials and tribulations and highlights the classic adage of being careful what you wish for, because you might just get it.