Retelling the Story
Presented by Theater Group Asia, Into the Woods showcases world-class Filipino talents.
Words Jewel Chuaunsu
Photo courtesy of Theater Group Asia
August 18, 2025
Lea Salonga as The Witch and Joreen Bautista as Rapunzel
Theater Group Asia’s production of Into the Woods runs from August 7 to 31 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater. The 1986 musical, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Lapine, is a clever mash-up of Brothers Grimm fairy tales, including Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel.
Leading the star-studded ensemble is Olivier and Tony Award-winning icon Lea Salonga as The Witch. Joining her are Arielle Jacobs as Cinderella, Eugene Domingo as Jack’s Mother, Josh Dela Cruz as Cinderella’s Prince/The Wolf, Nyoy Volante and Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante as The Baker and Baker’s Wife, Nic Chien as Jack, Joreen Bautista as Rapunzel, Mark Bautista as Rapunzel’s Prince, and Teetin Villanueva as Little Red Riding Hood, among others.
The prologue introduces the main characters and their wishes: Cinderella wants to go to the king’s festival; the Baker and his Wife long for a child; Jack needs to sell his cow; and Little Red Riding Hood sets off to visit her grandmother. Each of them journeys through the woods in pursuit of their goals.
Along the way, Jack trades his cow for magic beans. Little Red meets a wolf. Cinderella is able to attend the festival with help from her mother’s ghost—replacing the typical fairy godmother.
Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante and Nyoy Volante as The Baker’s Wife and The Baker with Lea Salonga as The Witch
The Baker and his Wife learn they’re under a curse cast by The Witch, preventing them from having children. To break it, they must collect four magical items: a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn, and a slipper as pure as gold. Though the Baker’s story is original to the musical, it ties all the fairy tales together. Also in the woods is Rapunzel, locked in a tower by The Witch.
“We would write a story in which the lives of famous fairy-tale characters would collide and intertwine in a mutual meeting ground, and where else but the woods, where so many of the stories take place?” wrote Sondheim.
At nearly three hours, the fast-paced, plot-driven musical puts the cast through their paces. While Sondheim’s music is known for its complexity, the performers are more than up to the challenge, proving themselves as world-class Filipino talents. Their performances feel natural and connected, allowing the story to flow organically, while the musical numbers remain consistently engaging throughout.
Lea Salonga’s performance as The Witch is both powerful and moving. In standout numbers like “Stay With Me,” “Last Midnight,” and “Children Will Listen,” she conveys both loneliness and vulnerability. Her Witch is more than a villain—she’s a worldly-wise, protective, and deeply flawed mother figure to Rapunzel.
Arielle Jacobs as Cinderella
Nyoy Volante’s Baker is an imperfect but relatable everyman you can root for. He shares a lived-in chemistry with Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante, whose Baker’s Wife is headstrong and smart. She refuses to be confined to traditional roles, which adds tension to their relationship.
Nic Chien’s Jack is endearing and full of wonder, dreaming of adventure and magic. Eugene Domingo, as his mother, is stern yet loving.
Arielle Jacobs brings her Disney princess-like voice to Cinderella, who gradually finds her strength. Rather than being in love with Prince Charming, she seeks freedom from her oppressive home.
Josh Dela Cruz and Mark Bautista provide great comic relief as the Princes, especially in their strutting, over-the-top duet “Agony.” Teetin Villanueva’s Little Red Riding Hood is spunky and brave after her encounter with the Wolf. The rest of the cast deliver strong performances and wonderful support.
Set designer Ohm David blends the forest and royal settings, incorporating Filipino touches like capiz panels. The show features creative puppetry—birds, Jack’s cow, and shadow figures—designed by Aina Bonifacio Ramolete and executed by National Artist Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio and Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas. A 19-piece orchestra, led by Music Director Gerard Salonga, infuses the production with energy and a magical atmosphere.
Every element, from set and lighting to costume, sound, and choreography, enhances the storytelling and works together to bring Into the Woods to life. Director Chari Arespacochaga expertly weaves everything into a seamless theatrical experience.
The first act ends with wishes granted and dreams fulfilled. But the second act asks: what happens after “happily ever after?” When a giant threatens the kingdom, the characters must choose between facing danger or fleeing. While the first act is about fairy tales, the second is about facing reality and growing up. The show also reminds us of the power in community, beautifully expressed in the song “No One Is Alone.”
A musical for both kids and adults, Into the Woods revisits childhood fairy tales while subverting our expectations of them. It leaves audiences with plenty to think about. If we are shaped by the stories we tell ourselves—what’s your story?
