A remarkable all-area production brings Sondheim’s classic to life with standout performances and heartfelt moments.
Photo: Zoelle Blackmon (JC/LISD Academy) and Abigail Lipsitz (Saline High School), operating the puppet for Milky White, are pictured with Aiden Ketola (Adrian High School) as Jack, A.J. Landingham (a homeschool student from Carleton) as the Baker, and Savanah Hernandez (Liberty Center High School) as the Baker’s Wife. Photo by Ashlee Sayles.
The Croswell Opera House in Adrian has been offering arts and music to the community for 158 years. 2025 is no different. On Sunday, 2-2-25, the all-area high school production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Into The Woods” concluded its nine-day run. And it was obvious from the opening number that the cast, crew and orchestra were going to put a big exclamation mark on their show.
Into the Woods mingles several fairy tales together, having characters from those fairy tales interact together in telling a whimsical story.
Sondheim’s productions are complex. The musical numbers often have multiple singers singing different words, different notes, at the same time. That is hard to do well. But the hard work the young cast put in through eight weeks of rehearsals and nine performances showed during their final performance.
And there was something special, poignant almost, about their closing performance. I’m not sure how aware, or affected, this young cast is about the world around them currently. And it is possible that some of their neighbors and friends feel some anxiety. And I wondered if they realized how relevant the words were that they were singing.
The cast sang the closing number of the show, which included these lyrics:
“…Someone is on your side, someone is not. While we’re seeing our side. Maybe we forgot. They are not alone, no one is alone. Someone is on your side, no one is alone.”
Important words to remember during our turbulent times.
Into The Woods was brilliantly directed by Michael Yeun, a veteran of several Croswell productions. Yeun is the director of the musical theatre program at Siena Heights University. Jessica Briggs choreographed the show, with musical direction by Jonathon Sills and vocal direction by Julia Spanja Hoffert.
While Into the Woods featured a strong cast of various high school students, this show belonged, first and foremost, to a young actress named Savanah Hernandes (as the Baker’s Wife), a senior at Liberty Center High School in Ohio. Ms. Hernandez’s presence lit up the stage. She was funny. She was dramatic. She was likeable from the start. And, every time Ms. Hernandez sang, it was extraordinary.
Her vocal range was demonstrated in the song Moments In The Woods, highlighting her confusion over being kissed by a prince, though she was married to the baker. She also shined in numbers Maybe They’re Magic, A Very Nice Prince and It Takes Two. It was hard to take your eyes off of this young actress when she was on stage.
Tyler Condon gave an impressive performance as the Narrator, telling the story and explaining the nuances to the audience. A.J. Landingham gave a light’s out performance at the baker. He showed a range of emotions in his role and had a strong voice to support his singing.
The supporting cast features actors and actresses essential in telling the story. These included Lila Brighton as Cinderella. Aiden Ketola as Jack (as in Jack and The Beanstalk), Julia Jones as Jack’s mother and Amelia Martinal as Cinderella’s stepmother.
Ella Flumignan was Little Red Riding hood, Trent Aneed as the Wolf. Aneed’s wolf character was creepy, scary, and charming. The wolf manages to devour Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother, only to be dramatically saved and emerging from the belly of the slayed wolf, which had the audience laughing and applauding.
Rebecca Lanham portrayed the witch, and her character, costume, mask and singing voice were a highlight of the show. She was a dominating presence on the stage and was a likeable witch. And Ms. Lanham delivered a show-stopping moment in the finale leading the cast in singing “Children Will Listen.” The staging of Children Will Listen was a fitting end to a wonderful production, giving each student in the production their moment center stage, in the spotlight.
The Croswell features an all-area high school musical production every year. Students from Adrain, Blissfield, Clinton, Tecumseh, Saline, Chelsea, Dexter, Ann Arbor, and high schools in Ohio come together to make magic at The Croswell every year. And if Into The Woods is any indication, it appears local theatre will have a steady stream of talent to support the arts in our communities for a long time to come.
Upcoming events at the Croswell features a Taylor Swift Tribute by Kanin Wren on February 15. Followed by a 70’s Top 40 Night on March 1 and The Cat in The Hat on March 15-16th. Lastly, the Croswell Spring will present a Jimmy Buffet Tribute on April 5th & 6th.
Croswell’s summer series begins in May with Anatasia, followed by La Cage Au Folles in June, July’s Bring it On, Annie in August, the dramatic musical Parade in September, then Bonnie & Clyde and concluding with Cinderella in November.
The Croswell is located at 129 East Maumee St., in downtown Adrain.
8123 Main St Suite 200 Dexter, MI 48130
