Take a trip as the PAC transforms Into The Woods

By Vinay Karthik '25

Nick Vargas ‘23 and Naischa Puri ‘23 portray the Baker and the Baker’s Wife in the musical production.

Popularly known for their spectacular and dazzling performances, the W+H Performing Arts Department is excited once again to amaze their audience with their spring musical Into the Woods, a Tony-Award winning musical written by James Lapine with music composed by Stephen Sondheim.

Into the Woods intertwines the stories of several beloved fairy tales, including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel. The musical takes the audience on a journey through a dark and mysterious forest, where the characters’ desires and wishes are tested by the consequences of their actions. It is a timeless and thought-provoking musical that explores the themes of love, loss, and the pursuit of happiness and is known for its powerful storytelling, witty humor, and memorable characters.

Tech crew member Caleb Rothrock Steinfeld ‘25 is excited about the show’s spectacular set and lighting preparations: “I may be a bit biased here, but I really think everyone should look forward to the lighting for Into the Woods. We’ve really kicked it up a notch and it should create an atmosphere that really brings everyone into the show.”

The leading players of the Into the Woods cast include Sarah Alves ’24 as Cinderella, Julia Machado ’25 as Witch, Nick Vargas ’23 as Baker, Naischa Puri ’23 as Baker’s Wife, Giselle Lee ’23 as Little Red Riding Hood, Charlie Silver ’24 as Jack, Sydney Racine ’23 as Jack’s Mother, and Raiya Patel ’24 as Rapunzel.

“Being a lead has been a lot of rewarding and fulfilling hard work. I am extremely proud of how the show has been coming together, and seeing all of the new talents and faces that have joined us this year. Having been in every play and musical since I began at W+H in middle school, it is bittersweet to realize that this will be my final show. It’s just all the more encouraging to give it my all, and take in and appreciate every step and second of the process,” Puri said.

The musical will be directed by Becky Randazzo and produced by Liz Howard, who have worked very hard to make it as entertaining and interesting to the audience as possible, like many other hallmark W+H productions in the past.

From the hard work and productive hours that the cast, production, and tech crews put into their rehearsals every week, Into the Woods will indeed be a scintillating show for the W+H Community. The musical will be performed in the Berry Performing Arts Center on Friday, March 3 and Saturday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m.; and a matinee finale will run on Sunday, March 5 at 3 p.m.