From the woods to the stage: Stephen Sondheim’s classic musical comes to the middle school

March 16, 2026

By Farah Afifi
Editor

A cast of 42 LHS students took the Lyndhurst Middle School stage on Feb. 12-14 to perform the 1986 fantasy musical “Into the Woods” by Stephen Sondheim, which tells the story of classic fairy-tale characters whose stories intertwine in mysterious and unexpected ways.

The conflict begins when the Baker (senior Joseph Brennen) and his wife (senior Isabella Bartlett) are cursed by the Witch (sophomore Alexa Longo), who casts a spell preventing them from conceiving a child. Therefore, the pair enters the woods to collect items to break the spell. Along the way, they meet characters including Cinderella (senior Rebecca Ruiz) and Prince Charming (junior Samuel Afanador), Little Red Ridinghood (sophomore Alexis Dembowski) and Rapunzel (senior Mariah Allen).

As the characters go on their journeys, they learn that getting what they want comes with unforeseen consequences.

Vocal director Ms. Wise, who played the keyboard in the pit orchestra, said that aside from its fantastic elements, the show’s discordant music sets it apart from other musicals.

“They stood up to the challenge of it and did a fantastic job in the final production.”

“It’s actually very difficult to learn [the score] and sometimes not very pleasing to the ear when it comes to harmony,” Wise said.

She said one creative decision was depicting the Giants from “Jack and the Beanstalk.”

“We couldn’t really put a giant on stage, so we created it with sound, bass drums and effects,” Wise said.

She said the most rewarding aspect of working on the show was watching the students succeed after extensive rehearsals and vocal work.

“They stood up to the challenge of it and did a fantastic job in the final production,” Wise said. “The hard work that they put in, especially with this musical, speaks… to their work ethic,” Wise said.

VIDEO BY DEBRA OGUNBOWALE

Junior Joey Romeo, who plays Jack from “Jack and the Beanstalk,” said that portraying a naive character who matures after facing serious repercussions required both emotional range and self-reflection.

“I’m playing someone who’s [growing up], and he’s held back because he’s clumsy and childlike,” Romeo said.

He said he is especially proud of his opening-night performance of the song “Giants in the Sky,” which is about the thrill and danger of adventure.

“This is the best I’ve probably ever performed it,” Romeo said. “I hit my notes and didn’t feel totally out of breath, which helped my stage performance.”

Romeo said live theater always comes with unexpected on-stage occurrences. He was quick to chuckle as he recalled a scene where he accidentally slapped Little Red Ridinghood with the back of his hand on opening night.

“I gave a quick ‘ooh’ and just kept going because I can’t stop, I’ve got to go [on],” Romeo said.

Senior Lucas Guerrero, who plays Rapunzel’s prince, said his character is meant to be entitled and used to getting everything he wants.

“Rapunzel’s prince is the opposite of a compelling character because he’s someone you can’t help but think, ‘Wow, this guy is so ungrateful,’” Guerrero said.

He said he came to the realization that he could convey humor only when portraying his character with sincerity.

“If you’re going to act foolish and be a total joke, you need to be completely serious about it,” Guerrero said.

Sophomore Alexa Longo, who plays the Witch, representing a combination of fairy-tale witches, also said she enjoyed bringing humor to her antagonistic role.

“When Rapunzel doesn’t recognize me, and I start doing all these moves to show I’m the Witch, the audience always laughs, and I love that,” Longo said.

She said her songs — specifically “Last Midnight,” which is about the consequences of one’s actions — helped her develop new skills.

“It is the most difficult [song] because it’s a lot of belting, and it really challenged my voice, but I had the most fun with it because I was able to showcase [my ability],” Longo said.

She said the role pushed her to portray a multifaceted villain.

“You look at the Witch and think she’s scary or bad, but you realize she has feelings too,” Longo said. “I learned how to show different sides of a character, and overall, I gained a lot of stage experience and personal growth.”

PHOTOS BY NATALIA HERNANDEZ AND BLAKE NEGRON