Guests walked up the steps of the Fine Arts building on the opening night of “Into the Woods” Thursday Nov. 21 at 6:30 p.m. The lobby decorated with gears and vines was full of people ready to fill the 800-seat theater, some even playing a scavenger hunt found in the playbill. It was the first showing of the year at the main-stage theater. Over three months of work had gone into the production, and it was all featured in this two and a half hour show.

As the cast were called to their places, and the crew behind the scenes, in the lighting booth, or in the sound box prepared to start, director Clay Cartland gave an opening speech thanking everyone who made the show happen. Then, as he finished, the narrator of the show came onstage, lit by a spotlight, and began the act with the story’s opening words: “Once upon a time …”

The musical “Into The Woods” combines classic fairy tales like Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Little Red Riding Hood, but with a darker, steampunk theme. The plot follows a childless baker and his wife and their journey after a witch placed a curse on their house, and they encounter different characters in each of these stories and interact with them as the show goes on.

“I think it was amazing,” said Mrs. Fitzpatrick, a teacher in the theater department. “I was very impressed with the cast, with the makeup, the costumes, and just the whole crew … and it was stressful the whole time,” said Fitzpatrick, “but the way the crew worked together was amazing.”

The show ended at 10 p.m. with a standing ovation for the cast. Downstairs in the hallways of the building, parents and friends waited with flowers for the cast and crew to come out from backstage. Smiles and laughter from the audience after the act finished showed that first impressions of the production were great, and it would continue to run for three more showings, each seeming to have just as positive of a reception.

“Into the Woods” was performed Thursday, Nov. 21, Friday, Nov. 22 and Saturday, Nov. 23.

_{Senior actor Sophie Lynn playing the witch hugs freshman actor Sofia Lopez playing Repunzel. As they squeeze each other, the plot comes to a climax with a dramatic scene near the end of the first act. (Photo/Madeline Zhuravel)}

_{Senior actor Nathan Rothbard plays the childless baker with Junior actor Talia Grenier playing his wife. They huddle together during a dark, ominous scene during which the witch (Sophie Lynn), hidden in the fog, starts a magical transformation to revert to her youthful and more beautiful self. (Photo/Madeline Zhuravel)}

_{Junior actor Matthew Squeri plays Jack (closest), Nathan Rothbard plays the baker (middle), and Talia Grenier plays the baker’s wife (furthest). Together, they meet in the ‘depths of the woods’ after Jack strays from the path and becomes lost. Jack wheels the ‘robotic’ cow onstage as the baker tries to sway him into selling it. (Photo/Madeline Zhuravel)}

_{Actors, crew, friends, and parents crowd the downstairs hallway of the Fine Arts building after the end of the show. Students congratulate each other, running in for hugs and being greeted with flowers. (Photo/Madeline Zhuravel)}