The Sacred Heart Greenwich Theatre Department performed Into the Woods  March 5 at 7 p.m. and March 6 at 2 p.m.  As with The Eumenides, the cast and crew welcomed a full audience for the first time since March 2020.  The cast rehearsed for three months under the direction of Miss Michaela Gorman ’05, Upper School Drama Teacher and Director of Drama Productions.  Sophomore Ila David discussed her experience as a cast member in Into the Woods and commended the Theatre Department on its welcoming atmosphere.

Into the Woods presents a twist on the classic Brothers Grimm fairytales.  The musical begins with the Baker and the Baker’s Wife, played by seniors Charlotte Burchetta and Isabel Lehrman, respectively, futilely wishing for a child.  The pair then learns of a curse a witch placed upon their family that prevents them from having a child.  Determined to fulfill their wish of a family, the Baker and the Baker’s Wife embark on a journey to break the curse.

The Baker and his wife encounter several other fairytale characters who are on their own journeys.  These characters include Cinderella, played by senior Isabella Stewart, Little Red Riding Hood, played by senior  Zöe Young, Jack, played by senior Diana McIntire, and Rapunzel, played by sophomore Avery Kim.  As the musical progresses the audience learns that each character has their own desires.  These desires cause their paths to intertwine as each individual tries to fulfill their own wish.

Into the Woods differs from traditional fairytales as the story continues past their “happily ever afters,” revealing the realities of their lives and stories.

Ila David, who portrayed Cinderella’s Prince, reflected on her experience in the musical.  She discussed the welcoming community within the Theatre Department and how the relationships she has formed are an important facet of her life.

“My favorite part of Into the Woods was being onstage again with everyone because I love the cast and the production team.  Everyone brings such good energy to these shows which creates such a positive and uplifting atmosphere,” Ila said.

Ila enjoyed participating in Into the Woods because of how the musical portrayed human existence, which allowed her to really explore her character.

“The best thing about this show was the fact that there are so many different levels of emotion,” Ila said.  “There is comedy, action, drama, sadness, regret, dreaming, and anger.  All of these different things just show a real human experience in these fairytale stories.”

Ila discussed her love for Theatre Department and why she continues to participate in productions.  Ila has an immense amount of respect for the cast and crew for how much dedication they consistently demonstrate for every show.

“The reason why I love to do these Sacred Heart productions is because of the community,” Ila said.  “The environment is so freeing and it really just feels like a great way to get out my energy and show my emotion.  It is really nice that I get to work on something so special with such special people.”

Featured Image by Lili Jordan ’23