St. Patrick goes 'Into the Woods' this weekend

Into the Woods, a musical production that intertwines popular fairy tales into one performance hits the stage this weekend starting Thursday night.

The roughly 30-member cast and 10-member crew from St. Patrick School were preparing Wednesday under the direction of Emma Smith for four days over the weekend.

The show, which has been depicted in a 2014 musical fantasy film and in a 1980s Broadway musical, brings together fairy tales like Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Rapunzel. The story focuses on a baker and his wife who are cursed by a witch with infertility. The two must find critical elements of a potion to lift the curse.

Several cast members spoke with Yellowknifer on Wednesday amidst the hustle and bustle of dress rehearsal.

Perhaps most notable was the musical's lead Aidan Richardson a Grade 12 student and first time drama performer who is playing the Baker.

"I am a baker who wants to have a child who is going through with the witch's horrible plan," he explained of his character. "I have to get all the ingredients for the potion and interact with all the fairy tale characters.

"(The character) is also a horrible person who argues with his wife any opportunity he gets. "

Richardson plays opposite Liliane Laureijs, another Grade 12 student, who is the baker's wife. Unlike Richardson, Laureijs has about five years of putting on drama performances with the school. She is quite emotional about it possibly being the last one she does with her schoolmates.

 "Into the Woods is really good and I really like it," she said when asked to compare this show with others she has done. "I am going to be sad when it is over because we have been at it so long.

"I'm not crying because I could be in a forced upgrade next year, meaning I could perform again. But it is still going to be (a situation where) if I come back next year, all of my friends will have graduated and won't be there either."

Other students also had deep sentiments with it being tied to their last year.

Makenna Genge, also a Grade 12, who admits to loving singing and performing, plays the role of Cinderella. She said she has been stressed because she had also been planning for Arctic Winter Games tryouts this weekend and will only be in limited shows.

"It has been a really tough (situation)," she said. "It was either pick volleyball tryouts to represent NWT or do the school play, which we have been working on since the beginning of the year.

"I cried myself many a night just because they are both so pivotal in my life. I get to do both but (the school play will) just be limited."

Rankin Stewart, Grade 12, who plays Rapunzel's prince - who is promised to be a hit feature with his song 'Agony' - said he is looking to make the most of his final year.

"It's a little bitter sweet with final year but you have to enjoy it while it lasts and try to have the time of your life. That's why we're doing it."

The performance opens Thursday night at 7 p.m. and will run until Dec. 14 at the same time.

There will also be a matinee show on Saturday at 1 p.m.