Stage Review - Into the Woods (Ovation Performing Arts NW)
Stage Review - Into the Woods
Presented By: Ovation Performing Arts NW - Bainbridge Island, WA
Show Run: January 08 - January 18, 2026
Date Reviewed: Friday, January 16, 2026 (Closing Weekend)
Run Time: 3 Hours (including a 15-minute intermission)
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman
If there is one thing that can be said about fairy tales, at least the ones that are the most told, is that they generally promise simple answers, through allegory or metaphor, but Into the Woods has never been interested in easy resolutions. Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s musical begins with wishes and ends with consequences, weaving familiar stories into something far more reflective and, at times, unsettling. Directed by Steven Fogell, Ovation Performing Arts NW’s production at Bainbridge Island High School, which closed on January 18, embraces that duality, offering a thoughtful staging that allows charm and darkness to exist side by side.
Premiering on Broadway in 1987, Into the Woods intertwines several familiar Grimm fairy tales — Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel — with an original story centered on a Baker and his Wife, whose wish for a child sends them into the woods in search of magical objects. What begins as a playful exploration of “happily ever after” gradually reveals something more complex. Act One delivers the wishes; Act Two examines the consequences. It’s two tales in one, and easily understandable why the Junior version concludes at the end of Act 1, Sondheim and Lapine having used these well-known stories not to comfort, but to interrogate what happens after the ending, when responsibility, loss, and moral ambiguity replace fairy tale certainty.
From the opening moments, the production establishes a sense of confidence and clarity under the direction of Steven Fogell, who also serves as puppet and set designer. The staging is clean and deliberately arranged, making strong use of space and allowing the many intersecting storylines to unfold without confusion. Transitions are fluid, and Steven’s blocking maintains momentum even as characters weave in and out of one another’s journeys.
The production is particularly solid from a technical standpoint, especially in areas where previous Ovation productions at this venue have struggled. In past shows, sound — and more specifically microphone use — has been an issue, with delayed activations and occasional offstage audio bleeding into the house. Here, there are no such problems. Trent Craighead’s sound design is crisp and well-balanced, allowing Sondheim’s intricate score and rapid-fire lyrics to land cleanly. The opening number (“Into the Woods”) immediately establishes confident ensemble harmony, and that clarity holds throughout the performance. Chris Lubitz’s lighting design supports the storytelling effectively, making strong use of upstage backlighting to establish mood and environment, particularly as the story shifts from whimsy into darker emotional territory. The lighting choices reinforce tone without calling attention to themselves, enhancing atmosphere rather than competing with the action.
Meanwhile, Steven’s set design reflects a similar restraint. The physical world of the show provides locations both in the woods and out of the woods without excess, relying on simple risers for movement and rolling scenic elements to define place. A particularly successful visual arrives at the start of both Act One and Act Two, when Cinderella’s home, the Baker’s shop, and Jack’s farm are all visible onstage. It’s a clear and efficient way to introduce the characters, their backstories, and the parallel objectives that will drive each act forward. Like the production itself, the scenic elements favor clarity over ornamentation, serving the story rather than distracting from it.
If there is a standout design element, it has to be the costuming. Into the Woods asks a great deal of its costume designer, mashing together a wide range of fairy tales and visual vocabularies. Dawn Janow meets that challenge with imagination and consistency. Each character is clearly defined within their story world, and when combined with the show’s puppets, the costumes create a vivid tapestry of classic fairy tales — twisted just enough to reflect the show’s darker undercurrents without losing their storybook identity.
Musically, the production is overseen by music director Elizabeth Faye, with assistant music director Kelli McAuley serving as conductor for the performance I attended. While pre-recorded tracks were used in place of a live orchestra, Kelli’s conducting plays a crucial role in keeping performers aligned with Sondheim’s demanding score, especially considering that the cast is used to a live orchestra, which was unavailable for Friday’s performance. That coordination is evident in the ensemble work, which remains rhythmically secure and cohesive. But this is also where the production encounters its most noticeable — though still minor — technical drawback. Because Kelli conducts from offstage and is projected onto a large screen at the rear of the theatre, the backlighting becomes part of the projection and occasionally spills into the audience, creating a brief visual distraction.
Concerning the performance aspect of Into the Woods, this is a show that depends heavily on its ensemble, and the group Steven has assembled rises to the challenge. Ensemble numbers are delivered with full, layered harmonies, and each performer contributes confidently, never getting lost in Sondheim’s dense musical landscape. Among the principals, performances are nuanced and engaging. David Ward brings emotional transparency and physical expressiveness to the Baker, giving the character’s anxiety and longing real texture. Kestrel Rundle’s Baker’s Wife complements him beautifully, their chemistry particularly evident in “It Takes Two,” which is played with warmth and genuine connection. Kestrel is also exceptional in “Moments in the Woods,” one of the production’s most affecting moments, navigating the song’s emotional complexity with clarity and control.
Juniper Phelps’ Little Red Riding Hood is one of the most memorable characters in this production. Her interpretation is inventive, slightly unhinged, and unpredictably dangerous — a creative turn that fits neatly into the show’s darker second act. Jack (of the beanstalk fame) is performed in a noticeably lower vocal register than is often heard, a choice the Gail Corns largely manages, though volume becomes an issue at the bottom of his range, especially in “Giants in the Sky.” Jack’s Mother, played by Margaret Johnston is generally reliable, supporting the early momentum of the story, providing the needed counter to Jack’s enthusiasm, and with a very nice vocal quality. Terry McAuley leaves a strong impression in both of his roles, delivering assured vocals and a sharp sense of humor as the Wolf and Cinderella’s Prince. His interplay with Bryce Bennett’s Rapunzel’s Prince makes “Agony” one of the evening’s most entertaining numbers. Barbi-Jo Smith is particularly well suited to her role as the Narrator, bringing authority, warmth, and narrative clarity — qualities that echo her previous work with Ovation and are put to excellent use here.
Of all the leads, for me the vocal highlight of the production is Harley Lampkin as Cinderella. She is compelling dramatically, but it is her singing that truly distinguishes her performance. “A Very Nice Prince” and “On the Steps of the Palace” are delivered with confidence and musical intelligence, Lampkin navigating Sondheim’s melodies with apparent ease, expertly dancing through the range that is required to make both of these numbers work. Rounding out the lead group is Sarah Taylor, who makes a strong impression as the Witch, offering a heartfelt, aching “Stay With Me”, the most emotional and poignant of the show’s performances, and a commanding turn in “The Last Midnight.”
Ovation Performing Arts NW’s production of Into the Woods is all about people, choices, and the uneasy space between what we want and what we’re willing to live with once we get it. This production embraces both the charm and the cautionary nature of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s work, allowing humor and heart to coexist with consequence and loss. It’s a thoughtful, well-crafted staging that trusts its audience to follow the story beyond the wish and into the aftermath, reminding us that happily ever after is rarely an ending — it’s simply where the real work begins.
The Ovation Performing Arts NW production of Into the Woods has closed at Bainbridge Island High School, but to learn more about the theatre company and upcoming shows and programs, visit https://www.ovationmtb.com/.
Photo credit: Joseph Heckel
