By Liz Eichler, ATCA
Miami University’s production of Into the Woods is playing to packed houses through May 7, and it has the end-of-semester energy you’d expect—seniors taking a well-earned bow, an audience ready to cheer along, and a company that seems to know exactly what it’s doing.
Briefly, it is the story of storybook characters seeking their “happily ever after.” In Act Two, they must face the consequences of their actions. It is one of Stephen Sondheim’s best works, with book by James Lapine.
Production Team
Even with a show as frequently produced as this one, there’s always something new to notice. Director Madsie Flynn, with assistant Sam Vendramin, leans decisively into the humor—and has the cast to make it happen. The result is a production that trusts the wit already baked into the piece and lets it breathe.
It’s not just the performers onstage doing the heavy lifting. Music Director and conductor Danny Manning leads a 12-piece pit that is precise without feeling mechanical, full without ever overwhelming. Those quick musical turns (beans counted, birds chiming in) land cleanly, and the orchestra consistently supports rather than competes. Onstage, the ensemble meets that standard. There’s a sense that many of these performers have put in the hours here, and years of experience prior, and collectively they produce a sound that fills the space with beautiful harmonies.
Solid Visuals
Visually, the production is in very good hands. Under Gion DeFrancesco’s leadership, the design elements create a storybook world. Garland Weaver’s multi-level set, with imaginative projections by Davis Cowper, give the woods both a gothic structure and modern flexibility, as well as root itself in our imaginations. The rotating house units—with doors that open to surprisingly roomy interiors—keep the action moving. The arcade of trees, covered in what looks like layered paper squares versus bark and leaves, leans into the cathedral aesthetic. The projections add a sense of the ethereal. They often provide a stained glass effect, with changing color and shape, or sparkles. There were a couple of tentative moments with the door turns on opening night, but nothing that won’t settle.
Costumes by Lisa Martin-Stuart track the show’s shift from a more overtly storybook in Act One, then easing away from that as the consequences set in. The Baker’s Wife costume stands out in particular: including a cartridge-pleated skirt, a lovingly crocheted shawl, a hat that completes her look. The costumes of the stage hands are also aligned in period detail.
Lighting by Shane Werthaiser (advised by Marly Wooster) is clean and purposeful, with one especially strong moment late in the show. As the Baker and his Wife consider what it means to care for a child, he uses spotlights with color and intensity that add depth to the scene, echoed with Jack and his mother. Sound design by Jason Sebastian had a few opening-night hiccups, with some late mic pickups that cost a handful of lines—unfortunate in a show where even a single tossed-off phrase matters—but likely to tighten quickly. However, the sound team accommodated for the space, audience and orchestra well.
Some Standout Performances
Olivia Weddle’s Witch is a standout. Even masked for much of Act One, the voice cuts through—clear, controlled, grounded and full. She sings “Stay with Me” with Rapunzel (the talented Becca Borton), which lands with real weight, and “Last Midnight” earns every second of its ovation. I hope to see this sophomore perform again and again–she has what it takes to be a Mama Rose or any other commanding and confident lead.
Senior Sophie Wertz’s Baker’s Wife brings a welcome mix of humor and talent. There’s nothing generic about her—she feels like a person making decisions in real time. “Moments in the Woods” is a strong showcase, balancing clarity with impulse, and great timing.
Teddy Rayhill’s Baker offers exactly the warmth the role needs. “No More” is handled with a steadiness that lets the song do its work without pushing. Another sophomore, we hope to see more of.
Freshman Tess Ferrigni’s Little Red Ridinghood avoids the usual shrillness trap. She’s grounded, likable, and—crucially—someone you believe learns something along the way.
Bri Short, another astounding freshman, gives Cinderella a particularly solid Act Two, with clean vocals and a wonderful character arc.
Bennett Ladowitz (Rapunzel’s Prince) and Alex Urusov (Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf) deliver a crowd-pleasing “Agony”—of course—but with just enough individuality to keep it from feeling like a repeat performance of every other production.
Benjamin Jones anchors the Narrator with fluidity and keeps the Mysterious Man appropriately mysterious. His delivery reflects an actor who knows how to get the most of a simplicity. Finally, Ren Betz’s Milky White—she both designed and performed—is a memorable triumph: soulful eyes and expressive bones.
Others in the cast include: Ryan O’Malley as an earnest Jack, Lilly Jackett as Jack’s Mother, Caroline Miller, Lyndzie Padula, Lexie Korn, Parker Hamrick, Elena Jaeger, Angelena Wilson, Preston Angus, Nami Miller, Ali Lewis, and Grayson Walther.
Themes
The themes include to be careful what you wish for, and one selfish act may have huge consequences. Don’t focus on blaming, focus on action. At this moment, and with this Baker, some lines of “No More” hit hard:
No more giants waging war
Can’t we just pursue our lives
With our children and our wives?
‘Til that happy day arrives
How do you ignore all the witches
All the curses, all the wolves, all the lies
The false hopes, the goodbyes, the reverses
All the wondering what even worse is still in store?Overall
I enjoyed this performance. The whole audience welcomed it with open arms, applauding and singing “Into the Woods” into the parking lot. Great work, Mr. Sondheim. Great work Miami University Theatre.
Miami keeps turning out productions reminding audiences how much talent is moving through that campus—majors, double majors, and students who won’t pursue this professionally but clearly could. Some of them will go on to careers in the arts; others will carry this experience into entirely different fields, excelling in the board room, in sales, or in their personal life. Either way, the throughline is the same: humans seek out people who care about telling excellent stories, and who know how to do it together.
Into the Woods runs through May 7, 2026, in the Gates-Abegglen Theatre in Oxford, OH. Tickets are available HERE.
- Saturday, May 2 at 7:30 pm
- Sunday, May 3 at 2 pm (SOLD OUT)
- Wednesday, May 6 at 7:30 pm
- Thursday, May 7 at 7:30 pm
Run time is about two hours and fifty minutes, including an intermission.
