Hello and welcome to the inaugural Purchase Student Thespian Society spring mainstage, Into The Woods! This show is one that has been near and dear to my heart for many years. As a 20-year theatre veteran (legend has it I was doing jazz hands in my nursery!), I've come to grow a deep-seeded love for the work of Stephen Sondheim. It is a part of the American theatre canon that obfuscates the common expectations; the big dance numbers, flashy costumes, the spectacle of live theatre seems to be all but absent in much of Sondheim's works. In the few moments and shows where those things do play a role, the perspective is twisted and somewhat self-parodical (see: Gypsy.)
Into The Woods is a show with a seemingly simple concept on it's face. Fairy tale creatures you know and love sing and dance their way through a wry, darkly whimsical retelling of their escapades. The first act sees our heroes make their way out Into The Woods (roll credits) to fulfill their respective wishes. The second act explores what happens when those wishes come true and we're left only with ourselves and the thing we so desperately wanted. It's this subversion that sets this show apart from other hits of it's time. Beneath the red capes and golden slippers is a stunning and gripping exploration of consequences, loss, and morality. It asks you the question: are you certain what you wish is what you want, and, what happens after "happily ever after"?
To me, the heart of this show lies in the journeying of our characters and watching as their paths intertwine and divert from one another's. Zooming out a bit, it sets forth a secondary theme of storytelling and the nature of fairy and folk tales and their necessity in our culture. Our production imagines the events of the piece in an entirely new setting, one I'm sure will leave you thinking about the necessity of storytelling in a whole new way.
I'd like to thank each and every one of you for joining us on this ride and supporting and engaging with the magic of live theatre. This production and the founding of this organization have been a labor of love by myself and many others along the way. To my amazing team: thank you all for stepping up and into your roles with such dedication, even while also putting your all into your performances. To my cast: you are truly outstanding. Each of you have brought invaluable, irreplacable contributions to the making and execution of this piece that can simply not be understated. You should be extremely proud of yourselves. Have so much fun out there and remember the moments! I can't wait to work with you all again in the future.
So, on behalf of myself, my cast, and my team, we thank you for coming to Into The Woods and we invite you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!
-Ryan Daniels <3
Director/Choreographer, Into The Woods
President, Purchase Student Thespian Society
