Page 22
The Westfield Leader and The Scotch Plains – Fanwood TIMES
Thursday, March 17, 2016
A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION
Westfield High’s Production of
Into the Woods Amazes Audiences
By SUSAN MYRILL DOUGHERTY
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and
The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Times
WESTFIELD – Wistfully articulated words “I wish…” are expressed
by many of the characters in James
Lapine and Stephen Sondheim’s fantasy musical Into the Woods that was
presented to appreciative audiences
in the Westfield High School (WHS)
auditorium last weekend. Although
fairy tales usually end with “happily
ever after,” this one ends with the
poignant, sobering yet hopeful note
that despite catastrophes and tragedy,
“No one is alone.” Through it all,
audience members left the auditorium in astonishment at the Broadway caliber of the production.
Roy Chambers’ sets – simultaneously functional and visually intriguing - place the audience, at first,
in three separate houses that, when
turned, become enormous tree trunks
in the woods. Draping of tinted gauze
translates as Spanish moss, and textured leaves of sepia hues. The lighting (professionally designed by Sharp
Edge Design) suggests mystery but
no real dank, dark danger lurks there
- yet.
The show is based on familiar
Grimm’s Fairy Tales that are intertwined in a story line that places Little
Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Jack in
the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, two princes
and a host of other recognizable characters together in the woods.
Jack (Jack Ritter) wishes for a cow
that will give milk, his mother (Maggie
Bergin) wishes for a son with some
brains, Cinderella (Madeline
Rosenthal) wishes to go to the King’s
Festival and a childless baker (Tony
Peer) and his wife (Jesse Zimmerman)
wish for a child. Rapunzel (Kimmi
Zimmermann) secretly wishes to get
out of a high tower her mother the
Witch has sequestered her.
The narrator (nattily attired Julian
Mazzola) guides the audience through
the night first introducing us to the
baker and his wife who find out the
reason they are childless: a wicked
witch (the amazing Madeline
Hudelson) who lives next door cursed
them. In order to break the spell of
barrenness, they have to travel through
the woods to look for various items
that will cause the curse to be reversed.
Little Red Riding Hood (adorable
Emma Stern) comes to the door of
their hut asking for bread for her
granny. The little gal, decked out in
the requisite red cape, skips off to
the woods munching on croissants
and Danish to see granny (Amanda
DePinto) but is confronted by the
wolf (Frank Guerriero) who has his
own devious plans. In the hilarious
“Hello, Little Girl,” Mr. Guerriero
practically salivates through the full
face mask he wears as he sings there’s
“no way to describe what you feel
when you’re talking to your meal!”
Mr. Guerriero doubles as
Cinderella’s Prince and gets a laugh
from his exaggerated entrance every
time he and Rapunzel’s Prince
(Jonathan Saminski) literally jump
into a scene. Undoubtedly, choreographer/costumer Samantha Simpson
has left her mark also on a number of
other scenes where the actors move
into each other’s arms with quick,
deft steps.
Simultaneously, Cinderella
(Madeleine Rosenthal) is at home
watching her vain step-sisters (Lauren
Triarsi and Abbie Painter) and stepmother (Abigail Connolly) get ready
for the King’s festival. She sneaks off
to the woods to cry at her mother’s
grave and pray for a miracle. Her
invisible mother (velvet voiced
Sydney Stewart) grants her daughter’s
wish and down from the sky falls a
blue sparkly gown. No glass slipper… it is gold, the perfect item
needed by the baker and his wife.
The scavenger hunt proves fruitful
and with all wishes granted, the “happily ever after tag can be put on this
tale by the end of the first act. First
time attendees of Into the Woods
might be tempted to think that it’s a
one - act show and start to pack up to
go home. But wait. There’s more.In
Act II, when Jack’s beanstalk brings
them a visit from an angry female
Giant (the reverberated scary voice
of Catie Barry), the consequences of
their actions come back to bite them
where they sit. The community has to
forge together to save themselves,
but like in reality, painful sacrifices
are made along the way.
Sondheim is difficult music with
syncopation, tight harmonies, multiple layers and levels being sung
simultaneously, so it takes talent and
rehearsal to do this show let alone do
it well. Director Daniel Devlin and
music director/conductor John
Brzozowski bet that their students
had the raw talent, perseverance and
training to tackle such a show. They
hit the jackpot with this production.
Of the 26 members in the pit orchestra, only five are professionals who
augment the student musicians. Music director Brzozowski has that orchestra firmly in sync concerning
tempo and volume nuances.
The voices are spectacular: not
just pretty voices or voices with
great range. We’re talking about
singing that is emotional, tender yet
passionate from actors who immerse
themselves in the characters and
vulnerably expose their hearts.
These are not just great singers who
act, but triple threats who can move
effortlessly, affect a physical being
other than a teenager (Cinderella’s
Prince and Jack especially) and
bring the audience to a quiet hush
with their blockbuster performances
(specifically the Witch, Cinderella,
the Baker’s Wife and the Baker,
Jack’s mother, Rapunzel and the
Princes).
When the community of characters
running from a vengeful giant have to
learn to rely on each other, the show
becomes much more than a spinoff on
a bunch of fairy tales. The characters
learn, as perhaps have the actors in
this production that a Herculean task
is made lighter by teamwork; and just
as Little Red said in her song, “I
Know Things Now,” they, and we,
learn that “No One is Alone” and can
face anything.
Courtesy of Archer Digital
INTO THE WOODS...The cast of Westfield High School’s production of Into the Woods amazed audiences last weekend.
Pictured from left are: Jack Ritter (Jack), Madeleine Rosenthal (Cinderella), Emma Stern (Red Riding Hood), Jesse
Zimmermann (the Baker’s Wife), Tony Peer (the Baker).
Fiddler Celebrates Life at
Cranford High School
By SUSAN MYRILL DOUGHERTY
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and
The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Times
CRANFORD- Fiddler on the Roof
by Sholom Aleichem, Joseph Stein,
Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock, was a
wise choice for the Cranford High
School’s (CHS) 2016 musical. Artistic
director/ choreographer Michelle
Massa and producer/conductor Lynn
C. Berry showcased Cranford’s best
talent in the Broadway blockbuster from
decades ago. Last weekend, audiences
were treated to a professionally presented show with outstanding teen
voices, unique sets, and lively dancing.
The show itself is a celebration of life,
“Tradition” and the perseverance of
people.
The pivotal role on which the entire
story rests is with Tevye, a traditional
Jew living in 1905 just before the Russian revolution. He speaks to God asking for favors and telling him of his
troubles. Dylan Randazzo, a senior at
CHS, uses his impressive vocal talent
and acting gifts to deliver a believable,
mature character with depth and breadth.
His “If I were a Rich Man” humorously
0
spotlights a man who, resignedly, feels
the pinch of poverty.
That mood is changed in “Sabbath
Prayer” sung around a table with Tevye’s
family. Members of his community,
spaced on various levels upstage, are
back-lit with blood red lights silhouetting them. A clever set design by Ms.
Berry and lighting design of Mark Reilly
are used to their fullest. In the tableau,
it’s as if the small family is supported by
their neighbors, friends and even spirits
of their ancestors in this ancient tradition.
Tevye is married to an outspoken
woman named Golde (the versatile
Kelsey Kilpatrick). The couple has five
girls who won’t be married unless they
are fixed up by the town’s professional
matchmaker Yente (the hilarious Sarah
Parlapiano). But this becomes the first
generation in Tevye’s lineage to question that tradition and his older girls
start to think for themselves. In the song
“Matchmaker,” Tzeitel (Natalie
Patsrof), Hodel (Maggie Manhardt) and
Chava (Lauren Costa) deliver an exuberant plea to the unseen matchmaker
to make them a “perfect match.”
The show is a visual, vibrant one with
solid dancing by many in the ensemble.
The dancing is featured in the opening
number, at the pub, at the wedding and
in Tevye’s flashback dream of his little
girl. Ms. Massey’s choreographic expertise, eye for detail and expectation
for perfection is especially evident in
the bottle dance where the specialty
dancers leap, twirl and execute those
spectacular knee-straining moves.
One of the highlights of the first act is
“The Dream” set by a fog machine and
punctuated by frenzied movement.
Fruma – Sarah (Haley Baranowski)
and Grandma Tzeitel (Cristina
Marcotrigiano) get to shine in those
character roles while the strong ensemble partakes in the mayhem. The
necessary ghostly costumes (Maria
Dugan) and make-up design by the
director complete the number.
The audience is taken on a roller
coaster ride of emotions in “Sunrise,
Sunset” where Tevye sings wistfully to
his wife, “I don’t remember growing
older, when did they?” As Tzeitel and
Motel (Tyler McMahon) get married,
CONTINUED ON PAGE 21
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