Into the Woods is a musical that combines several well known fairy tales, including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel, while exploring themes of ambition, consequences, family, and growing up. Although it may seem lighthearted because of the fairy tale characters, the musical is known for being emotionally complex and one of the more difficult productions to perform due to its challenging songs, quick pacing, and layered storylines. This year, Kent’s performance of Into the Woods not only brought these stories to life, but also highlighted the dedication, talent, and variety within the student community.
The casting for Into the Woods includes a wide variety of performers taking on iconic fairytale roles. Ava Goeller served as the Narrator, guiding the audience through the story, while Carter McCabe played the Baker and Vivion Loughlin the Baker’s Wife. Netanya Dorman took on the important role of the Witch, and Maggie Barth played Cinderella. AJ Tweneboa-Kodua was Jack, with Abi Victory as Jack’s Mother and Katarina Prior as Little Red Riding Hood. The two princes were portrayed by Will Saxton as Cinderella’s Prince and Will Manatt, who also played the Wolf, as Rapunzel’s Prince. Madison Leonard and Leo Yin shared the role of the Mysterious Man, while Morgan Synn performed as Rapunzel. Supporting roles included Birdie Douglass as Cinderella’s Stepmother, Audrey Chen as Florinda, Hanna Roth as Lucinda, Lucy Ober as Cinderella’s Mother, and Cici Meng as Cinderella’s Father. Other cast members included Caoimhe Brophy as Granny, Afia Baryeh as the Steward, Madeline Johnson as Milky-White, Maisie Overbay as the Giant, Juliette Gonzaga as Sleeping Beauty, Rosie Hambleton as Snow White, and Elilly Sokolnicki alongside Martha Close as the Birds. The large cast all worked together to bring the different fairytale storylines together and create the world of Into the Woods.
One of the most interesting parts of the production was the diversity of experience among the cast members. The musical included seniors who had spent years involved in acting, music, and theater and viewed this performance as one of their final goodbyes before graduating. For many of them, theater had become a major part of their identity at Kent, making this musical especially emotional as one of their last performances on stage. At the same time, there were seniors who had never participated in acting before and simply wanted to try something new before leaving school. Rather than being intimidated, they joined because they wanted to step outside of their comfort zones and create one final memory before graduation. The production also included underclassmen who have been involved in performing arts for most of their lives and continue to pursue their passion, alongside younger students who had never acted before but wanted to experience what theater was like. That mixture of people created a unique environment where experienced performers and complete beginners worked toward the same goal.
The audience also played a major role in making the performance feel special. The theater was filled with classmates supporting their friends, laughing during humorous moments, reacting to emotional scenes, and celebrating the effort each performer put into the production. Parents and grandparents attended as well, making the atmosphere feel warm and supportive rather than formal. The excitement from the audience was noticeable throughout the performance, and their support reflected how much these productions mean to students and families.
Overall, the musical was extremely well executed. Every performer appeared committed to their role, and the production felt organized, polished, and thoughtful from beginning to end. Behind the scenes, it was clear that an enormous amount of preparation had gone into creating the final performance. According to Morgan Synn ’26, Into the Woods was one of the most difficult musicals Kent has taken on because of the complexity of the music, storytelling, and coordination required among cast members. Knowing that made the final production even more impressive, because despite the challenges, the cast successfully created a performance that felt smooth and engaging. She also talked about how the production carried personal meaning as a senior preparing to leave Kent. She shared how grateful she was to finish her time at school with such a strong musical and to leave behind something she felt proud of. Being part of a production that required so much effort and teamwork made it an especially memorable way to conclude her experience. She also encouraged any student who has ever considered joining a musical, even without previous experience, to simply try it.
