Over the past two weekends, the Theatre Department put on the annual spring musical. This year they chose to do the Broadway classic, Into the Woods.
The musical was a combination of several fairytales, creating an intricate storyline with unpredictable plot twists and an entertaining mash-up of familiar tales and a new story. The show had a blend of humor and dark moments that left the audience both laughing and fighting tears.
Senior Justin Schutz, who played The Baker, said, “The best shows are the ones that you can laugh with, but, at the very end, you can see the true heart of it at the same time.”
With the musical being cancelled last year due to COVID-19, cast members have been looking forward to this years’ more than ever before, despite all of the challenges that came along with it.
“The last musical was fully cancelled, which was very hard on everyone. It was a week before the performance,” Schutz said. “We started this process not knowing if we were going to be able to perform what we’ve been learning.”
Stage Manager and junior Ryanna Miles agreed.
“It’s been scary with the uncertainty hanging in the air, but I think it [has] made everyone not take anything for granted,” Miles said. “The whole rehearsal process has been even better because everyone is soaking up every last minute of it, whether we got [to have] a show or not.”
There have been several roadblocks when it came to staying safe amid the pandemic. All of the performers wore masks on stage and were staged further apart than usual.
“Honestly, after a bit, you don’t even notice [the mask]. As far as sound goes, [the masks] adjusted it a little bit, but it doesn’t make as big of a difference as you would think,” freshman and cast member Libby Cosby said. She played Rapunzel.
The director, Matthew McKay, has been teaching and directing theatre for about 12 years. He had to figure out how to get around the struggles of directing a show with a cast that had half of their faces covered.
“[Wearing a mask] takes away their [facial] expressions. Humans naturally look at other peoples’ faces to get clues about how they feel, along with tone of voice, and other body language,” McKay said. “Without the face, actors are forced to be more expressive with their voice and body gestures. That can be challenging, but also rewarding for the actors who were able to practice this important acting skill.”
Even though their faces were half-hidden, the cast thoroughly embodied each of their characters.
“Every single person in this cast is so talented, and they put their heart and soul into it. I am very proud of them,” Miles said.
McKay agreed.
“Each character has a moment, however big or small, that they really shine in,” McKay said. “A line that is spoken with such earnesty, or that the timing is perfect to get the laugh.”
Every character has a complexity that tremendously added to the storyline. They all had characteristics that the audience can sympathize with.
“The Baker, as a character, is all about being a father. It’s what he wants in Act One, it’s what he questions about himself in Act Two,” Schutz said. “You go through that journey of being unsure about yourself and unsure if you’re fit to do what you need to do, but it’s that determination that, at the same time, even if you’re unsure, you have to do it.”
COVID restrictions aside, Into the Woods was a demanding production. Despite the challenges, the cast and crew loved working on and performing the show.
“I watched the Broadway production that Mr. Phillipson gave us, and I loved it. It was hilarious. It doesn’t seem as long as it is,” sophomore Luca Lavis, who played both The Narrator and Mystery Man, said. “Acting in it, it’s a lot longer, it’s difficult, the music is [challenging]. Well, it sounds good, but it’s hard though. It’s really hard.”
The intense choreography and frantic costume changes added to the hardships.
“I have five coat changes. When I was the serious man and died off stage, two people had to rip my clothes off, put on my suit, and rip off my pants, all within 20 seconds, and then I came back on as the narrator,” Lavis said.
The music had intricate harmonies and, according to McKay, lots of overlapping rhythms.
“This year has been hard, but throwing ourselves into a show that was demanding helped us to take our mind off things for a while and put our energies into bringing life to a wonderful story. I think that [made the show] all the more worthwhile because of the challenge,” McKay said.
Despite all of the roadblocks, from COVID to the intricacy of the musical, Into the Woods was an outstanding performance certainly worth more than the $6.00-$10.00 ticket. It was a clear example of the perseverance and passion of the Theatre Department.
Like many programs, the Theatre Department has been hit hard by the pandemic. Support the department and watch for upcoming shows through the theatre Instagram page (@nvhs_theatredept), announcements at school, and on the school website (www.nvps.net).
