For some, “happy ever after” is enough, but not for the cast of this year’s spring musical. “Into the Woods,” with music by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine, illustrates that life is never over, even after “happily ever after.” The show explores what happens after one’s wishes come true by interweaving the plot lines of fairy tales that we have all grown up with. It allows one to truly examine the choices made in everyday life.

This show was a great choice and a nice change from the typical school play, and the Curtis Players were faced with the daunting task of performing one of the toughest shows out there. The play seems operatic at times, without much dialogue between musical selections and presenting quite a physical strain to those with main vocal parts. But, in true Warrior fashion, the Players rose to the challenge and truly made it their own, despite some minor setbacks.

As the curtain went up on opening night, the audience was presented with some theatre veterans as well as some making their first appearances on the Curtis stage. Seniors Neil Pritchard and Christine Sloan were outstanding as the Baker and the Baker’s Wife. Their vocal and comedic talents were both put to the test during this show. They were able to carry off the style of humor, even if some of the jokes were beyond the comprehension of some in the audience.

Another noteworthy performance was senior Corey Williams’ portrayal of the Narrator and the Mysterious Man. “No More,” a duet between the Mysterious Man and the Baker, was one of the highlights of the play.

Many of the roles in the show were double-cast, which provided for an interesting change in dynamic from performance to performance, illustrated best by seniors Lisa Sloan and Elise DeConzo, who shared the role of the Witch. This was, by far, the best performance by each actress during their Curtis careers. Both were able to accentuate different parts of the character, each portraying the character in a very distinct manner that was all their own. This allowed all aspects of the Witch to shine through, but the effect was only achieved if both casts were seen. Still, it was the best way to give each actress a chance to demonstrate her talents in her last show.

The role of Jack’s Mother was played by theatre veteran Alison Flood, who has starred in previous productions (such as “Once Upon a Mattress” and “The Wiz”), and sophomore Megan Paul, who performs with the Dance Team. Their portrayals of this humorous, animated character made each performance one to remember. As Jack, and in a cameo as the Wolf, freshman Jeremy Leslie-Freidman had yet another stellar performance in his second principal role in only his first year at Curtis. His counterpart, David Givens, also delivered a quality performance.

But the most noticed newcomer was senior David Caputo, who, at one time, was more likely to be seen in the orchestra pit than on the stage. Dave laid down his saxophone to take on the role of Cinderella’s Prince. He was able to make the audience laugh with a mere raising of his eyebrow. Although he was a beginner, his contribution made the play a true success

The pit band may have had one of the more complicated roles to play. The show seems to have music in every scene, complete with underscoring during dialogue and plenty of scene change music, but the band went through key changes and time changes with little noticeable trouble. The addition of a string section helped to pull the small group together and completed the feel of the show.

The only thing lacking from the performance was technical support. The microphones went in and out, making it difficult to hear the cast at times, and impairing the flow of the story. In addition, the size of the crowd at the Thursday evening performance was unusually small, which was frustrating after putting in hours of rehearsal time and practice. The actors were all outstanding, from the freshmen to the seniors, with all of their talents and efforts shining through.