playbill vip

FROM THE DIRECTOR

Well.......It's been a spell..... or a curse. But now our wish has been granted and we return to the stage. Careful what you wish for.

After the loss of our spring production of Legally Blonde in 2020 the musical theatre program has had a tough time. Our lighting system crashed our audiences were gone and our productions put on hold. We worked hard to bring some semblance of normal but it was difficult. Our unaudienced/masked production of "RENT" was amazing but it still did not give the students the connection as previous shows.

We now return to the stage with one of Stephen Sondheim's greatest works, "INTO THE WOODS" .  As fairy tales go it is pretty much what you would expect witches, wolves, towers, curses, love and loss.  But it is the loss that is the centre of this piece.  We grow up with wishes of what our future will hold. But sometimes the woods can be very unforgiving.  

The Baker and his wife simply want to start a family. But they have been cursed because of the generation that came before them. The Baker's father brings about turmoil on his children because of his actions and now we begin the journey.  A young lad is poor and needs to sell his most valuable item to feed is family. A young maiden is trapped as a servant in her father's new family.  A young girl is enticed off the path and lured into danger and another young maiden is imprisoned in a tower. All wish for something greater. But...... wishes do bring problems.

Stephen melds the fairy tales together in a compelling story that sees all the characters entwined in each other's destiny. Fairy tales were ment to teach children lessons about life.  "Don't stray from the path...." and so forth. But after the wish. What happen's next? And what is the price to pay? Our travellers find themselves in a troubling journey with a giant probelm (literally). So they need to work together to save their future only they are filled with conflict about what to do. As humans do they suffer from inaction and blame one another for the situation which brings them all loss. Loss of home, loss of family, and loss of their future.

It is in the beautiful music and compelling storyline that Stephen reminds us that the world isn't what we expect it to be. And we must find ways to work through our greatest tragedies. "Sometimes people leave you, halfway through the woods. Do not let it greive you, no one leaves for good. You are not alone, No one is alone."

What is the moral of this story? Well...its for the adults not the children and we actually find it in the sung as a warning from the Witch.

"Careful the things you say, children will listen.

  Careful the things you do, children will see.... and learn.

 Children may not obey, but children will listen.

 Children will look to you, for which way to turn, to learn what to be.

I was fortunate to produce this musical 5 years ago. My father had already passed away and my mother was unable to see it because of her ailments. She would pass away a year later before our production of West Side Story. I am reminded by Sondheim that my parents are always with me. We are never alone. Stephen Sondheim passed away last year at the age of 91 after 69 years of writing musical theatre.  He was a great mentor to many and great communicator of the human spirit.  His musicals will always be here to remind us of what really matters. Stephen say hello to my parents for me.  This one's for you.

We are honoured to produce this great work for our audience here at Gleneagle. 

It is my great pleasure  to share this show with our amazingly talented Musical Theatre and Theatre Production students. You teach me every day how wonderful the world can be. Thank you for your hard work. And for sharing your talent with me.

"Careful the tale you tell, that is the spell.... Children will Listen..