Into the Woods is a show that mixes various fairy tales, from Cinderella to Little Red Ridinghood, into one plot. All of the characters must stray into the woods in order to receive what they really want. Performed on Broadway in 1987, Into the Woods has won several Tony Awards and continues to captivate audiences.

The cast of this show worked well together. Their interactions were believable, and most actors stayed in character throughout the entire show. Although energy was high in Act I, it began to decline in Act II. Even so, strong vocals and good diction made the production amusing and pleasant.

The Witch (Paige Woodley) particularly stood out because of her beautiful singing voice and her ability to portray her character well. Both the Baker (Connor Jenkins) and his wife (Mary Baker) also drew attention when on stage. Their harmonies worked well together, and their chemistry was realistic.

Another standout was the Narrator (Lily Fitzgibbon). She did a superb job of telling the story while also reacting to what was going on around her on stage. Little Red Ridinghood (Tara Willey) stole the show with her comedic delivery and great characterization. Cinderella (Gabriella Mancuso) had a great voice that shined especially in the song “On The Steps of The Palace.” The ensemble made the performance come to life with their dancing and singing. Although facial expressions were sometimes lost, emotions were conveyed well.

The use of colored lights in the background added to the storyline, and for the most part, the stage was well-lit. Although sound had a few troubles, actors were still fairly easy to hear. The beautiful set was utilized wonderfully, and props seemed genuine and were used well. The make-up was fantastic, making each character seem larger than life.

Overall, Marquette’s show made for a very lovely evening. It was easy to believe that the actors were taking the audience out of the theatre and into the woods with them.

by Renee Molner of Notre Dame High School

With an evening full of cool cars, hula hoops, poodle skirts, and Greased Lightning, Grease was the word at Marquette High School last Friday night. Grease, written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, was first performed in 1971 in a small theatre in Chicago. The following year it moved to Broadway, and by the time it left the famous stage, it had gained the reputation as the longest-running show in Broadway’s history so far. Since, it has been adapted into an enormously successful film and two audience-pleasing Broadway revivals.

At the beginning of Grease, it’s the first day of school for the students of Rydell High. Sandra Dumbrowski, the timid new girl, reminisces about her wonderful summer she spent on the beach and the dreamy guy she met there. Soon she finds out that the very same boy she spent her summer with goes to Rydell! She expects him to be surprised and happy to see her, but he (Danny Zuko) just shrugs her off to act cool around his friends, the T-birds. More conflict develops between Danny and Sandy, and other members of the Pink Ladies and the T-birds. To end the show, Sandy eventually decides to truly become a Pink Lady to win Danny over, and everyone exclaims that they’ll always be together although they’re graduating.

Tony Rodriguez made a wonderful Danny, complete with the proper 1950s greaser-style accented voice, T-bird swagger, and melodious singing voice. Opposite of him Gabby Mancuso played Sandy, acted perfectly shy and sweet most of the show, until her surprising transformation at the end, when she really stepped up her singing and dancing, not holding back.

Andrew Larson stood out as Kenickie with his devil-may-care attitude and perfectly deep rock n’ roll voice. Rizzo (Keri Lanemann ) led the Pink Ladies with sassy singing, and Frenchy (Paige Woodley) was always in character, especially likable in “Beauty School Dropout” with swooning looks.

Costumes were spot-on for the time period and each individual outfit fit the character perfectly. The Pink Ladies’ jackets and the T-birds’ jackets were especially notable. Set changes were quick and stage crew was not at all noticeable.

Marquette presented a nice rendition of Grease with a highly energized ensemble, fitting leads and supporting cast, and an excitable finale that left each audience member with a big grin on his/her face.

by Marissa Schrader of Notre Dame High School