By Beulah F. Vega

Napa Valley College has opened it’s two weekend (02/27- 03/08) run of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods. The almost three-hour-long show tells the story of a baker (Gabriel Logan Reyes) and his wife (Lindsay Stark) who must go into the woods to gather the ingredients needed to lift a curse their next-door neighbor, the Wicked Witch (Christina Howell), has placed on their house. Interwoven are the stories of a girl named Cinderella (Lila Howell) who wants to go to a ball, a girl in a red riding hood (Sophia Passaris) on her way to her grandmother’s (Meredith Passaris) who gets distracted by a wolf (Leonardo Fitzpatrick), a boy named Jack (Giovonni Wilson) looking to sell a cow (Arch-Ivan Cruz), and a damsel with really long hair (Annemarie Eggers) stuck in a tower.

Sondheim’s reimagining of the fairy-tale world is often performed by colleges. The large cast suits academic theater, and NVC’s production, under the direction of Dr. Tia Madison, with music direction by Dr. Christina Howell, took full advantage of the fantasy setting.

Brian Watson’s set is novel. Instead of the usual ‘woods’, the show’s set in a library. The library’s rendered in beautiful detail and offers many interesting staging options. There’s also some fun storytelling in how the set responds to the main crisis. Lighting by Theo Bridant is spectacular, as usual; costumes by Bethany Deal are well-updated versions of traditional fairy-tale costumes; and the orchestra under conductor Duncan Cooper is excellent. 

The performances overall are fairly consistent. Standouts include Kharolynn Pascual Smith as Jack’s mother, Lindsay Stark, and Lila Howell. Howell and Stark have great chemistry onstage, matching each other’s energy. This similarity really helps to sell the ending, especially the scene between the Baker’s Wife and the Prince. 

Unfortunately, there were also some missed opportunities. Fitzpatrick’s wolf was a little disappointing in its lack of menace. Also, Milky White’s very small puppet head limited many of Cruz’s interaction choices. Then there were the mics. 

Much of the draw of a Sondheim piece is his complex and overlapping songs.  When technology doesn’t operate correctly, important information can be lost and not heard.  Sadly, this occurred on opening night, but hopefully that is a problem that will be fixed.

Overall, this is a fun – if long – production. To miss it might just be “Agony”.

‘As You Like It’ runs through March 8 at the Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center, 2277 Napa Vallejo Hwy, Napa. Fri., 7:00pm; Sat & Sun., 2pm. $15–$25. 707.256.7500. performingartsnapavalley.org.

Photos courtesy of Napa Valley College Performing Arts