By Mark Caracciolo
For months, Wellington High School’s theater department has been preparing for their upcoming performances of the musical Into the Woods. All the hard work will culminate in four performances set for Thursday, March 13 through Sunday, March 16.
Into the Woods, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, mixes several fairy tales, coming together into one interwoven story. Classic characters such as Cinderella (played by Aurora Truelove), Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk (played by Samuel Delfin) and Little Red Riding Hood (played by Giulianna Bellorin) all have storylines that intersect at various points throughout the show.
“They spent a lot of time and energy making sure that this is a piece that honors Sondheim’s intention when he wrote this,” explained theater club teacher Cassandra Truelove, who is directing Into The Woods, as her students all gathered for a recent practice session.
Several tried on costumes as they got ready for their roles. As they took their places, the stage lights shone on them, and the track to the first song began to play.
“I’ve always wanted to play this role since I was nine; it was always a dream role,” Delfin said of portraying Jack. “When I saw this on Broadway in 2022, I fell in love with this character a lot.”
Delfin and his fellow cast members in the theater department have been working hard at their roles.
“I already know most of the lines and most of the songs,” he said. “I’ve been working hard, day and night, day and night, day and night, and when I have time in class, I start passing through everything.”
Bellorin is also enjoying her time portraying Little Red Riding Hood.
“This has been a character that I always enjoyed,” Bellorin said. “And when I first watched the musical, [Little Red Riding Hood] was always my favorite character.”
Into the Woods will be on the Wellington High School stage from Thursday, March 13 through Saturday, March 15 at 6 p.m., and Sunday, March 16 at 3 p.m. To buy tickets, visit https://wtcwhs.booktix.com.
