A justly dark ‘Into the Woods’

“Happy ever after” is what we all expect from fairy tales, isn’t it? That’s what made Central Academy for Technology and Arts’ production of “Into The Woods” poignant. The story does not have a happy ending, but instead offers the message that what we want can be dangerous.

Because this musical recently became a Disney movie, people assume it’s a kid-friendly show. It has many adult themes and a dark second act. CATA chose to perform the whole show, rather than the first act (as many high schools would). This show was tastefully done and made you want to see how the story progressed.

“Into The Woods” follows the stories of Cinderella, a baker and his wife, and Jack and his mother. Each has a wish to fulfill: Cinderella to go to the ball, Jack to stay with his cow Milky White, and the baker and wife to have a child. A witch says if the baker and wife gather ingredients for a potion within three days, she will help them get their wish.

The stories intertwine, as each person strives for a wish to be granted. They do get what they wish for – but are they really happy?

Morgan Miller, who played the Witch, stole the show with a fantastic voice that made you sympathetic toward her in “Stay with Me” and angry with her in “Last Midnight.” She brought a refreshing look to the role, as people will now be comparing performances to Meryl Streep’s in the film.

Some of the timing on songs was off, and the cast tried to get it back where it needed to be. (It’s hard to time Sondheim just right.) The other drawback was that diction needed to be crisper. I could sometimes understand Cinderella and the other characters, but most of the time, I couldn’t make out what they were singing.

The acting, though, was great. Matthew Howie did a fine job portraying the Baker, giving him the perfect balance of childishness toward the idea of raising a child and a need to take control of everything around him.

The set was an interesting concept. It took on a storybook style: Everything looked as if it were sketched, and storybooks popped open for main characters’ homes. The only problem was that some pieces looked like they were prototypes, not finished products. But in a show that raises expectations as high as this one, CATA put on a great production overall.

This story was originally published May 6, 2015 at 5:29 PM with the headline "A justly dark ‘Into the Woods’."