Feb. 8, 2026
By Farah Afifi
Editor
Fairy tales don’t always end with “happily ever after,” and “Into the Woods” is here to prove it. This year’s musical invites audiences into a world where familiar childhood stories collide in unexpected ways, blending humor and emotion with darker themes of greed and betrayal.
Featuring characters, including Cinderella, Jack from “Jack and the Beanstalk” and Little Red Ridinghood, the production depicts the consequences of what happens after wishes come true.
Tickets for the show, which will take place at Lyndhurst Middle School on Feb. 12-14 at 7 p.m., cost $12. They can be purchased at the door before the show or at the student entrance before school, during lunch and after school in the week leading up to the musical. Tickets can also be purchased for $13.97, including fees, at CUR8.com.
Musical director Mrs. Ruiz said Stephen Sondheim’s 1986 production demands focus and collaboration due to its layered storytelling and the actors’ constant movement on stage.
“Sometimes there isn’t a perfect happy ending, and that’s OK. Things won’t always go according to plan, but you have to see your way through your problems and look on the bright side.”
“Every character has their own story going on, often at the same time as another story,” Ruiz said. “Making it make sense to the actors so they can properly show this is an interesting component to our process.”
Ruiz said she is confident in the cast members and the effort they bring to rehearsal every day.
“This show can only be executed in such a professional manner because of the caliber of actors and humans they are,” Ruiz said.
INFOGRAPHIC BY IZZY CRUZ This infographic reflects the responses of the 42 members of the musical’s cast.
Senior Joseph Brennen, who plays the absent-minded Baker, a character specific to this musical, said he worked hard preparing for the audition and callback by studying the music and learning his lines.
“I really wanted the [role of the] Baker, and when I found out I got it [on Nov. 20, 2025], I was really happy because of the work I put in. It felt like it all paid off,” Brennen said.
Over time, Brennen said he has developed a deeper understanding of what makes “Into the Woods” transcend beyond a collection of fairy tales.
“The woods represent the problems you have to go through to get what you want in life. It’s more about the journey than the destination, ” Brennen said.
Sophomore Alexis Dembowski, who plays Little Red Ridinghood, said she is excited to have been cast in a dark, complex role.
“Her story is oddly disturbing and has a lot to do with the loss of innocence,” Dembowski said. “She [sings] a song called ‘I Know Things Now,’ which is about learning from [a] situation and knowing to be more cautious from that point on.”
Dembowski said the production delivers a meaningful message that will stay with audience members long after the curtain closes.
“Sometimes there isn’t a perfect happy ending, and that’s OK. Things won’t always go according to plan, but you have to see your way through your problems and look on the bright side,” said Dembowski.
Senior Joseph Brennen, who plays the Baker, junior Joseph Romeo, who plays Jack, and senior Isabella Bartlett, who plays the Baker's Wife, receive blocking directions for the opening of Act II: "Prologue: So Happy" in the auditorium at Lyndhurst Middle School on Jan. 14.
PHOTOS BY NATALIA HERNANDEZ AND ALEXANDRA RUIZ
