“Into the Woods” Review
April 30, 2015
After leaving the movie theater out of boredom thirty minutes into last year’s Disney version of “Into the Woods,” I admittedly didn’t expect much from the Diamond Bar High School performance. However, the Drama department and their well-designed set proved to be more than capable of holding my attention.
Running a little over two hours and thirty minutes, this interpretation of “Into the Woods” was exciting throughout and its lively cast kept the audience engaged. The musical got off to a quick start with the poised and likeable narrator, played by junior Austin Mooney, introducing the main characters and their dilemmas.
“Into the Woods” intertwines fairytales that we’ve all known and loved as children: Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Jack and the Beanstalk. They all come together during the journey of the Baker and his Wife to reverse a spell put on their family.
Senior Matthew Aquino, in his last major production at DBHS, puts together another wonderful performance and steals the show as both the Wolf and Cinderella’s Prince. He effortlessly keeps the audience laughing at the top of their lungs as he comfortably struts around the stage. If the phrase “this town’s not big enough for the two of us” applies to theater, then it’s no wonder that Aquino is rarely seen on stage at the same time as freshman Amelia Anijielo, who plays the wicked Witch with an unbelievable amount of ease. Her control of the stage makes it hard to believe that this is her first musical, and her stellar performance earned her the loudest applause as she took her bow at the end of the show.
Sophomore Chloe Reyes was absolutely stunning as Cinderella, both in rags and riches. Reyes brings back her powerful voice to her second major role at DBHS, the first being Hermia in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Her wide range makes her sound like she truly is a Disney princess.
Sophomores Riley Mawhorter and Katherine Zambrano were also remarkable in their roles as Jack and Little Red Riding Hood, respectively. They both had youthful dispositions that fit their roles perfectly. Zambrano’s vocals were also impressive, as she hit the high notes easily.
The whole cast delivered an unexpectedly pleasant vocal performance. As the two princes, played by Aquino and senior Will Nazareno, argued through song and overly exaggerated movements, the audience was roaring with laughter. I was unable to decide who to keep my eyes on when they were on opposite ends of the stage, singing their hearts out.
The effort put into the magical set that mimics the mystical woods the musical takes place in certainly does not go unnoticed. The stage is transformed into a three dimensional forest that, with just the right lighting, becomes the mysterious woods. Storybooks customized for each of the main characters made it feel as if the characters were coming right out of their stories. In addition, the costumes, from Cinderella’s dress to the modest clothes of the Baker and his Wife, perfectly captured the enchanting mood. Overall, the set design and costumes had me feeling like a little girl lost in my favorite fairytale. Even the talented DBHS Symphony Orchestra played a huge role in bringing the musical to life. Between Brigitte Pei’s piccolo, which imitated Cinderella’s trusty birds, and Jessica Chu’s drums that acted as the giant’s footsteps, the orchestra became the glue that held the whole musical together.
Director Beatrice Casagran has certainly outdone herself with this production, which not only succeeded in keeping me awake, something the movie failed to do, but also kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next.
