Into the Woods

At one time or another, every parent admonishes their child with the words, “Be careful what you wish for.”

This dire warning is never more present than Into the Woods, a Brothers Grimm magical mish-mash about wishes, family and the choices we make.

Resurrected by the MacEwan University Faculty of Fine Arts graduating musical theatre class, it runs March 22 to April 1 at the Centre for Arts and Communications.

James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim, the defining musical voice of this generation, borrow all the fairytale characters we grew up with – Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood and a multitude of others – and turns them upside down.

The Narrator introduces the parade of characters, however each one is slightly skewed. The Baker and his wife, desire to have a child, but are barren because of a curse. Jack desperately wishes his cow Milky White would give milk so he doesn’t need to sell her, and Cinderella dreams of marrying a prince and being free from her callous stepsisters and stepmother.

As the Baker and his wife go on a journey to break the curse, the other characters become intertwined in the duo’s adventure. By the mid-point, everyone’s fantasy appears complete.

“The second act has a big twist. It’s basically be careful what you wish for because other things come along you may not have asked for,” said actor Gabriel Gagnon.

The St. Albert actor plays Prince Charming, a cloak and swagger royal who rescues Cinderella from a life of drudgery. Case in point, Prince Charming switches from hero to scoundrel.

“Basically, he’s bored with marriage and needs to conquer another woman. It shows my character is very shallow in contrast to the journeys other people make.”

Gagnon describes Prince Charming as his “dream role.”

“The prince archetype roles have always appealed to me. The comedic side connected with me. He’s very shallow. All he wants to do is conquer women. He has one line in the play that says it all – ‘I’ve been raised to be charming, not sincere.”

While the plot line is decidedly dark and bizarre, Sondheim’s music and barbed lyrics are a total expression of the characters singing them. His angular, off-kilter melodies and scores are meant to challenge rather than soothe the ear.

“There are so many changes, so many rhythms, so many time signatures. You have to be constantly on your toes.”

Despite the formidable songs, Gagnon speaks of Sondheim with reverence describing him as the Mount Everest of musical theatre.”

“He captures the emotions in each song. He does the work for us and shows us what to feel. Although it has a couple of downward spirals, the music is light-hearted. Sondheim manages to pull your heartstrings. I can’t explain it. He’s a genius behind the lyrical writing as well as poetic composing.”

This show lends itself to imaginative costume creations that blend past and present. While several period pieces were borrowed from the University of Alberta for the royal family, costume designer Stephanie Bahniuk also braids the avant-garde into this universe. For instance, Red Riding Hood’s wolf is attired in combat boots, tight leather pants and a fur vest with matching fur hat.

Set and lighting designer Scott Spidell has created a flexible, multi-tiered set with a staircase that travels 10 feet into the air. And hanging branches create a dark forest where dreams can unexpectedly morph into nightmares.

“Everyone who comes to the show will relate to the main characters. The play has edginess and the reality will hit you in the gut by the end.”