Fairy Tales Come Alive

Into the Woods Jr. opens at Eagle Hill School.

Fairy-tale magic comes alive at Eagle Hill School as students bring Into the Woods Jr. into the spotlight. The Eagle Hill community will gather in the Abby Theatre at The Center at Eagle Hill School to celebrate student creativity, collaboration, and performance as the beloved musical takes the stage.

Blending familiar fairy-tale characters with humor, heart, and music, this Eagle Hill School production represents months of dedication from students and faculty across disciplines. Directed by Music Teacher Isabella Gentleman and Performing Arts Teacher and award-winning director Will Gelinas, Into the Woods Jr. is sure to be a hit for audiences.

The production reflects the collaborative spirit of Eagle Hill School, with students and faculty working closely together since early fall to bring the show to life.

The production reflects the collaborative spirit of Eagle Hill School, with students and faculty working closely together since early fall to bring the show to life. Students described the process as a long road that required dedication and perseverance. Though the journey required sustained effort, many cast members expressed pride in their accomplishments and excitement to share the results with an audience.

Music plays a central role in Into the Woods Jr., and students emphasized the care and commitment that went into each scene. Brandon B., who plays the Baker, highlighted the effort behind the music, saying he is “most excited for the audience to see the amount of effort and work we put into this show, especially with the music.” English Teacher Matt McCann, who performs alongside students as Rapunzel’s Prince, noted the playful nature of several musical scenes. He appears in both the opening and closing numbers, as well as smaller musical moments with another student, and looks forward to being “goofy” on stage and hopefully hearing the audience laugh.

From Cinderella to Little Red Riding Hood, students embraced stepping into character and preparing for the spotlight.

From Cinderella to Little Red Riding Hood, students embraced stepping into character and preparing for the spotlight. Griffin K., who plays the Witch, shared, “This is a really fun role for me, and I’m excited for everybody to see all the magic and awesomeness that is the witch in this show.”

Behind the scenes, the visual world of Into the Woods Jr. came together through the work of the Set Design and Construction class, led by Technical Director Carl Mercier. Students began by translating the director’s vision into pencil sketches and building a scale model of the set before construction began. “That way we can show the actors and the director what it’s going to look like before we spend all the time building the full set,” Mercier explained.

Over the course of more than three months, students built, painted, and assembled the set, recycling elements where possible—including trees originally built for a previous production. “This one’s called Into the Woods, and we already had a bunch of trees,” Mercier said. “So that worked out really nicely.” Students were involved in every step of the process, from constructing scenery to creating and sourcing props.

One standout feature of the set is a tower that quickly became a favorite among cast members. Katie H., who plays Rapunzel, shared, “I’m really excited to hide up in my tower because it’s really cool up there. It’s unlike anything I’ve seen before.”

Tech interns learn lighting, sound, box office operations, and event setup, and even observe real-time conversations with agents and artists during the booking process.

In addition to set construction, the technical elements of the production are supported by Eagle Hill School’s Tech Intern Program, another initiative led by Mercier. The nine-term program allows students to work year-round running The Center, which functions not only as a school theater but also as a professional performing arts venue that hosts eight to ten professional music, theater, and dance events annually. Tech interns learn lighting, sound, box office operations, and event setup, and even observe real-time conversations with agents and artists during the booking process. “It’s a lot more like a job than it is a class,” Mercier said. “They’re running a professional performing arts center.”

Costumes and makeup further enhance the storytelling. Students took an active role in shaping these elements, from hairstyles to detailed makeup design. Rebecca S., who plays Cinderella, shared her excitement about the process, saying, “I love getting my hair done, especially with all the curls and everything.” Sophia, who plays Cinderella’s Father, noted the fun of doing both her own makeup and her peers’ and looks forward to audiences seeing the final result on stage.

To help spread the word about Into the Woods Jr., students Kaeley P., who plays Little Red Riding Hood, and Rebecca S. went live on The Valley’s Classic Hits 97.7FM.

To help spread the word about Into the Woods Jr., students Kaeley P., who plays Little Red Riding Hood, and Rebecca S. went live on The Valley’s Classic Hits 97.7FM. They spoke with listeners about the rehearsal process, shared what they’re most excited for, and encouraged the community to come see the show. They also had the chance to meet Bruce Marshall, the station’s owner.

This performance has been guided by supportive faculty members who helped students gain confidence on stage. Music Teacher Isabella Gentleman shared her enthusiasm for the show, saying she is most excited to “see the students perform and be excited on stage and just have the time of their life because I think they’re doing a fantastic job.”

Award-winning director Will Gelinas—recently recognized with the 2025 Broadway World Rhode Island Award for Best Director of a Musical for Jesus Christ Superstar—has guided the cast and crew toward a successful opening. Speaking to students facing the pressure of performance, Gelinas said, “Be kind to one another,” echoing Eagle Hill School’s CORE value of Kindness and emphasizing the importance of supporting each other on and off stage. Mr. G added that he is most excited “for the students, cast, and crew to have their hard work rewarded by an audience seeing and appreciating everything they have accomplished.”

Into the Woods Jr. will be performed January 23–24,* at Eagle Hill School.

*The Sunday performance was canceled due to snow. Tickets from the canceled performance will be honored for either remaining performance night.