When “Happily Ever After” Isn’t What You Expected

The Menomonee Falls High School Theater Department is rediscovering the “happy” in “happily ever after” with their spring musical, “Into the Woods” by Stephen Sondheim, which opens Thursday.

“‘Into the Woods’ is based on Grimm’s Fairy Tales, but it introduces reality into the story.  These six fairy tales, like most, feature a happily ever after ending, but the ramifications of their decisions are brought into the second act,” said Technical Director Mark Brooks.

Two of the stage crew members described the musical in their own words.

“It’s a mash-up of fairy tales,” said sophomore Bianca Bruch.

“And tied together with odd twists,” added freshman Jessica Szuminski. 

This includes the well-known stories of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Ridinghood, and the Baker and his Wife who desperately want a child.

In this musical each of the characters is fleshed out with their own needs, desires, intentions, and the realistic consequences of their actions. 

Sophomore Hailey Storsved, who plays the Baker’s Wife in the musical, has been watching Felicity Huffman’s character Lynette Scavo on ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” television show for character inspiration.

“The Baker’s Wife knows what a good housewife should be but she isn’t sure she wants to do that because there are things she wants to do with her life first,” Storsved said.

Senior Mackenzie Curran, who plays the witch, said she was able to delve into her character once she got a walking stick and started developing a hunch.

“The witch is a very sarcastic, evil, and nasty person, but she truly thinks she has good intentions,” Curran said.

Although the play is based on traditional fairy tales we've all grown up with, Director Hannah Klaus said these tales sprinkled with a dose of reality.

“This is not your typical fairy tale.  At the end of act one it is ‘happily every after,’ but in act two everything starts going wrong.  The characters discover that ‘happy’ isn’t what they expected, but they can still be happy,” Klaus said. 

This musical may be based on children’s fairy tales, but like the original 1812 Grimm’s Fairy Tales, it may not be suitable for young children. 

“This musical takes stereotypes and plays with them.  There are many funny quotes in the script,” said Vocal Director Nicole Steed.

A favorite quote of Steed’s is said after Cinderella confronts her Prince about his womanizing ways.  The Prince replies, “I was raised to be charming, not sincere.”

Performances will be at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday at the Menomonee Falls High School Auditorium. The final performance is a Sunday matinee at 1 p.m. also in the auditorium.

Tickets are $10 for adults/$8 for high school students/$5 for Seniors (65+). Disclaimer - some scenes may not be suitable for children under 10.