Into the Woods
at Governor Simcoe S.S.

Reviewed on April 5, 2019

Cameryn Cappellazzo
Ridley College
Submitted for publication to The St. Catharines Standard

With entrancing staccato-like lyrics and a persistent chorus "I wish…I wish…I wish," Governor Simcoe Secondary School's production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's dazzling Into the Woods brings an authentic set of emotions into the land of make-believe.

The story, comprised of interacting sub-plots of beloved fairy tales, is interweaved with characters known and unknown, contending with both giant catastrophes and everyday dilemmas. This joyfully magical intersection in the woods reveals the underlying realities of the familiar cherished iconography.

Lucas Romanelli embodies the Baker in expressive fashion, bringing a touching naturalness to the man plagued with the real-life challenges of betrayal and infidelity in a fairy-tale world. Singing in counterpoint is the headstrong Elisa Davis, as the Baker's Wife. The pair effortlessly display their fluctuating relationship in the powerhouse "It Takes Two," cursed with infertility by the hilarious, yet menacing Witch, as personified by Rachel Sheehan. She executes, with pizzazz, her moment of transformation from wicked witch to magical monarch – signified by a clever costume change.

Mathew Taylor navigates his dual responsibilities as the Narrator and Mysterious Man with ease – portraying the admirable story facilitator and the impish woodman with equal charm. Taylor contrasts the two characters in mannerism and inflection, each individual character remarkably convincing, as he lurks about the woods alongside his princely contrasts. The fine-voiced duo of Noah Bondoc's Cinderella's Prince and Adam McIsaac's Rapunzel's Prince enchants with two spirited deliveries of the sardonic "Agony."

The company gracefully navigated the ambitious musical pieces, carrying the tune into the woods, then out of the woods, and nearly happily ever after. While the extensive use of synchronized ensemble vocals highlighted the make-shift fairy tale family, the choir vocals rarely strayed from 'togetherness'.

The charmingly-boyish Jack, performed by Declan Platakis, is a disarming idealist who is forced to sell his cow, Milky White, for magic beans. Similarly youthful, Emily Boyd glimmers as the mischievous Little Red Ridinghood, gracefully displaying the challenging character transformation that is coupled with her loss of innocence. Brandishing a pocket knife and sporting a wool-fur cloak, Red is no longer as little as she seems. This yields the theme of the performance – a call-and-answer portrayal of the triumphs and consequences of wish-making.

The cast soars with aplomb through the story's coincidental meetings and interconnected misadventures, aided by scene-specific lighting, as operated by Jacob Dillon, carefully illuminating the distinctions between sections of the woods. Spurred along by the impressive orchestra, the use of timely sound effects in conjunction with on-stage movement added another layer of enchantment. Mysterious Man is tossed to the forest floor with the accompanying flick of the witch's wand and a bright roll of the xylophone, and each bean is thrown skyward with a sharp staccato – an ode to the magic that was quick to follow.

The enchanting production puts to music the joy – and outcome – of each fairy tale character's wish, playing off one another wonderfully with a sense of charm and precision. Interweaving voices and precise comedic timing render the musical intrinsically amusing and effortlessly captivating, yielding the lesson: you are not alone in the woods, whether it be friend or foe.

Diana Karapetyan
Eden High School
Submitted for publication to The St. Catharines Standard

Once upon a time, in the faraway kingdom of Governor Simcoe, an ambitious cast and crew journeyed deep into the woods in search of happiness. Little did they know of the dangers lurking behind the trees as song and dance intertwined in an enchanting medley powerful enough to cast a spell upon the entire audience.

Into the Woods follows the story of a baker (Lucas Romanelli) and his wife (Elisa Davis) through an action-packed quest to obtain four magical items that will grant them a child. The beloved stories of Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Little Red Riding Hood all seamlessly tie into one another, extending far past their happily ever after and delving into what comes next.

Designed with an intricate set that was immediately effective in differentiating the three major fairytales, each component was masterfully designed to fit its conditions. Complimenting the set was the phenomenal live execution of lighting by Jacob Dillon and Christian Audette that accentuated each high and low in the storyline with timely transitions of sinister blues and fiery reds.

Complimentary to the lighting was the flawlessly executed sound cues by Hunter Fulton which added depth and a sense of reality to the production. Each time a single bean was dropped into the hands of an actor, the impeccably timed chime of a bell would go off. The sound cues preexisted alongside the orchestra in perfect harmony as sudden crescendos stimulated action scenes, juxtaposing lively tempos that were used to foreshadow the entrance of certain characters.

The actors themselves were trained to deliver an astounding range of vocal expression that was delivered to the best of their abilities. Jennika McIntosh was dazzling as Cinderella with her singsong voice that was able to hit every note with ease. Emily Boyd was equivalently phenomenal as Little Red Ridinghood with an entrancing voice that took on a life of its own in her solo "I Know Things Now".

The strong vocals of the cast was magnified further by their impressive acting skills. In the role of the Witch, Rachel Sheehan's stage presence radiated power mighty enough to challenge those of Meryl Streep herself. In contrast, the "power couple" of the show, Lucas Romanelli (Baker) and Elisa Davis (Baker's Wife) were able to project their astounding chemistry through multiple witty banters and loving gestures.

As the curtains drew to a close, it is noteworthy how a musical about fairy tales was transformed into a Shakespearean tragedy in the second act. Stories may often contain two-dimensional characters that are either portrayed as heroes or villains, but in the words of Cinderella's prince (Noah Bondoc), "I was raised to be charming, not sincere... I'm only human after all."

Simcoe was certainly successful in acquiring all four ingredients for a magical performance: a dedicated cast, hard-working crew, bold choice of a musical, and Jack's hilarious cow Milky White (Jeremiah Bondoc). Combine these ingredients and the audience was indeed granted their wish of viewing an outstanding theatre production. Well done, Governor Simcoe!

Sofia Stadler
Beamsville District Secondary School
Submitted for publication to The St. Catharines Standard

"I wish. More than anything. I wish."

Perhaps a wish to meet a prince, become wealthy or have a child. A wish to get everything you've ever wanted.

For most, this may sound like an ordinary fairy tale, but a trip to Governor Simcoe's production of the Sondheim classic, "Into The Woods" reveals the consequences of getting what you want, and the impact that one wish can have.

Set in a kingdom of fairy tales and fables, "Into The Woods" follows the stories of Cinderella, Little Red Ridinghood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and a Baker and his wife, as they intertwine in conflict and quest.

The Tony-Award winning musical, written by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, debuted on Broadway in 1987 and has remained a staple in Musical Theatre.

Known for its challenging, brimful score, "Into The Woods" can be a difficult set of songs to navigate. Simcoe students rose to the challenge successfully in tunes such as "Your Fault" and "Act I Opening" where they victoriously delivered the fast-paced, concurrent lyrics.

Memorable performances included Lucas Romanelli and Rachel Sheehan, whose portrayals of the "Baker" and "Witch" displayed a great understanding of the emotional complexity within their respective roles.

Declan Platakis' performance as "Jack" effectively captured the curiosity of the character, while Emily Boyd's portrayal of "Little Red Ridinghood" achieved the fierce, yet innocent nature of the role.

Other standout performances were those of Adam McIsaac and Noah Bondoc as the charming, but insincere Princes whose comedic chemistry shined in the competitive number "Agony".

A show is incomplete without the contributions of lighting and sound, which were remarkably done by Jacob Dillon and Christian Audette (Lighting), along with Hunter Fulton (Sound). Lighting effectively directed the eye across the stage, and distinguished events, while working alongside sound to enhance dramatic effect. Music presented by Into The Woodwinds and Co. was impressive in its ability to accompany the actors in a seemingly effortless way.

While effective and harmonious for the majority of the show, sound ran into difficulties that occasionally distracted from the overall performance. Fortunately, these troubles were promptly settled and the actors persisted professionally and unfazed.

Scenic design by Victoria Balyk deserves praise for its outstanding ability to transport you "Into The Woods". The set was versatile and successfully differentiated locations, while the Tree Ensemble doubled as moving set pieces, which heightened the set's intricacy and appeal.

Noteworthy mentions go out to the Hair and Makeup team, as well as the Prop teams, who added essential layers to both the characters and set with their contributions.

Governor Simcoe's enchanting production of "Into The Woods" dove into the dark consequences of getting what you want, and the truth behind gaining a happily ever after. It displayed the harsh outcomes that may result from greed and warns: be careful what you wish for.