Standing Ovation: ‘Into the Woods’ Redefines Happily Ever After
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Once Upon a Time, renowned composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim dared to ask what happens next after “Happily Ever After,” which gave birth to one of the most celebrated musicals to have ever graced the theater scene.
“Into the Woods,” which first premiered on Broadway in 1987, masterfully intertwines the stories of several beloved fairytales, such as “Cinderella,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” and “Rapunzel,” with an original story about a Baker and his Wife who get entangled with a Witch to have a child. At its heart, the musical revolves around the power of wishes and the price that comes with pursuing them, weaving themes of morality, generational legacy, and the strength found in the community.
New theater collective, Theatre Group Asia (TGA), recently brought the award-winning musical to the Philippine stage, with Olivier and Tony Award-winner Lea Salonga leading an ensemble of remarkable, world-class talents. Filipino theater fans got the chance to be enchanted as the play opened this month at the Samsung Performing Arts theater, promising a few hours of rich music, engaging storytelling, and a whole lot of fun and chaos through the woods.
Into the Woods of Shadows and Song
For the uninitiated, “Into the Woods” is a fairytale retelling that combines the original Brothers Grimm tales with an original plotline revolving around a Baker and his Wife.
Act One follows the main characters on their journey into the woods to pursue their own wishes, with Cinderella wanting to go to the ball, Jack wanting his cow to give milk, Little Red wanting bread for her grandmother, Rapunzel longing to be set free from her tower, and the Baker and his Wife wishing to have a child. The stories intertwine due to the couple who embark on a quest to find four things under the direction of a Witch who promised to lift the curse that has kept their family tree barren, having cast it on his father for stealing vegetables and the magic beans from her garden years before. As compensation, the Witch took their daughter, Rapunzel, whom she raised in a tower. So yes, the Baker and Rapunzel (played by Joreen Bautista) are actually related, which added depth to the characters’ relationships.
The Philippine production of “Into the Woods” retells Sondheim’s intriguing fairytale with utmost reverence, putting together a cast of amazing talents to bring his music and characters to life.
Lea Salonga dazzled as the witch, a complex character who is both villain and protective guardian — a victim and also enabler of dark intentions. Lea has long been renowned for her beautiful singing voice and acting chops, and this show only proved that. Her performance stood out from the rest, causing us to sit a little straighter in our seats whenever she’s on stage. More than an antagonist, the Witch is also the catalyst that moves the story forward, which Lea performed magnificently, from her wrinkly old hag version to the transformed enchantress. There’s no doubt that the villain brings magic into these fairy tales.
Filipino pop singer-songwriter Nyoy Volante surprised us as he took on the role of the Baker, showcasing not only his impressive singing voice but also his excellent acting skills. He’s complemented by his real-life wife and seasoned theater actress Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante, whose clear tone and high-powered mezzo soprano gave us chills, especially when she performed her solo, “Moments in the Woods.” The two of them together gave just the right amount of humor, heart, and agony.
The August production is no doubt the hottest ticket of 2025 and for good reason, considering they’ve also cast some seasoned Broadway stars. Apart from Lea, Arielle Jacobs graced the stage as Cinderella, portraying the role with heartfelt innocence and fierce independence. It’s a character you couldn’t help but root for, her beautiful, clear soprano reminiscent of a Disney princess, making her performance easily believable.
Another notable performance was from Josh Dela Cruz, who played a double role as the Prince and the Wolf and was animatedly gorgeous on stage. His movements showed varying expressions, and his comedic interventions were always on point. He definitely embodied charming with a side of humor. Together with his stage brother Mark Bautista, who played Rapunzel’s prince, their “Agony” number was comedic, but we felt it fell a little flat on chemistry and lacked the desperation present in previous reiterations.
Teetin Villanueva and Nick Chien’s Little Red Riding Hood and Jack brought the youthful spirit to the show, while seeing Eugene Domingo (Jack’s Mother) in an English-language production was a rare treat and made us smile all the way through her performance.
Overall, the cast was outstanding and gave us exactly what one would expect from a world-class production. Music-wise, it was also exemplary. Sondheim’s music has always been rich and engaging, and with the baton of Maestro Gerard Salonga, he conducted the orchestra in such a way that it fully realized the composer's vision.
Local Magic in a Global Fairytale
The production’s most striking reinterpretation of Sondheim’s classic musical comes from its subtle yet intentional Filipino touches, which are mostly seen through its visual storytelling.
Set with a colonial-era architecture-inspired fixed set, it turned the story’s village into Filipino or Spanish ancestral houses. Props and costume designs also accompanied this, such as the kalesa (carriage) and the textiles and fabrics worn by the cast, which are reported to have all been made with local materials and woven by native craftsmen.
The production’s artistic director, Clint Ramos, wanted the Filipino identity to become part of the visual language, which we believed they succeeded in — creating a world on stage that looks and feels Filipino.
Although the artistic vision for the set was ambitious and unique, we felt it did little to move the story forward. The forest was quite plain, and the transition from forest to palace or to the village was often the same. We believed more could’ve been done to separate these venues, like an added pillar or backdrop, without obscuring the main steps of the stage.
The lighting, although it showcased a variety of colors and shades that expressed emotions of each scene, lacked that sinister aura that should’ve been present when one is lost in the woods, especially in the second act, which was set there entirely.
The costumes were remarkable, however, and were definitely one of the highlights of the show. Renowned designers Rajo Laurel and Raven Ong worked collaboratively on the Witch’s costume, which was one of the most standout looks of the show. The designers created a gown inspired by the anahaw leaf with layered green and aqua pleats that shimmered and danced against the light. Lea came out of this gown after her transformation in Act One, and we were in awe at how lovely it translated on stage — expressing beauty, grandeur, and rebirth, but with a touch of villainy as green is often the color associated with evil.
Her second dress was also noteworthy, as the actress switched up for a darker green gown embroidered with intricate leaves, which, according to Rajo in an interview with Preview magazine, was inspired by the vegetables in the “Bahay Kubo” song. They also created two capes for this dress, completing the villain look.
Other standout costume pieces included Cinderella’s peasant dress and ball gowns, which had Filipiniana butterfly sleeves, the princes’ Maguindanao Inaul royal ensembles, and the Wolf’s tattoos that resembled those of a Visayan warrior.
Overall, “Into the Woods” succeeded in blending a global musical force with local artistry, creating a unique experience for theater fans and casual theatergoers alike. Watching this cast perform was such a treat, and while the set design had its setbacks, it didn’t take away the fact that it was a spectacular show worth buying a seat for.
Magical, thought-provoking, and highly entertaining, TGA’s first musical production deserves a standing ovation, and we simply can’t wait to see more world-class productions adapted onto local stages.
“Into the Woods” is now playing at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Makati City and will run until the end of August.
For updates on upcoming productions, follow Theatre Group Asia on Facebook and Instagram.
Enjoyed this article? Check out our previous Standing Ovation reviews here.
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