A stretch Hummer limousine waits in front of the Lyceum Theatre following the opening night production of "Into the Woods." Producer Society members were treated to a gala celebration at the Iron Horse Inn in Blackwater, complete with red carpet and luxury ride. (Eric Crump/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge]

"Into the Woods," which opened Friday, June 8, at the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre, is a collision of fairy tales as the stories of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel entangle and enchant.

But Disney, it ain't.

In fact, the Stephen Sondheim musical tells these familiar stories as neither Disney nor the brothers Grimm have, with more humor and depth than either traditional or modern sources.

In this version, the familiar characters pursue their familiar dreams -- of marrying a prince, of independence, of achieving wealth and of having a child -- but with a selfish fervor that contributes to the complications that ensue.

Although the opening night production suffered from a few forgivable minor technical glitches, the cast delivered a performance with exquisite comic timing and such powerful voices that the audience may not have noticed the problems at all.

The cast includes a number of Lyceum veterans and they deliver consistently excellent performances, but two newcomers provided stand-out performances opening night.

Marie Casamento plays the witch from Rapunzel's tale who delivers one of the evening's memorable lines, capturing the essence of witchcraft.

"I'm not good. I'm not nice. I'm just right."

As the first character to fully understand the characters' plight and their responsibility for creating their own problems, she is right about being right.

And Sandie Rosa brings not only the right stature but a bright, spunky spirit to the part of Little Red Riding Hood, equally convincing as a selfish little girl with a voracious appetite for sweets and a frightened but brave member of a community rising to meet a deadly challenge.

In addition to the witch and Red Riding Hood, the baker and Jack find they have to learn an important lesson about community in order to survive. And that's what gives the play its depth.

Act I is full of delightful antics that elicited laughs at frequent intervals throughout. But Act II, while still including humorous moments, takes a darker, more interesting turn.

The early humor and fanciful features set up and lure us into a more complicated, dangerous world that requires a different kind of magic than the usual fairy tale fare.

Ultimately the experience is more satisfying than most fairy tales tend to be as the characters learn that following a dream inevitably has consequences, that dealing with the consequences together makes dreams come true in unexpected ways.

Note: Although the play is a great deal of fun to watch, parents should be aware that a number of main characters die and there are a few portrayals of violence.

Contact Eric Crump at

marshalleditor@socket.net