[O'CONNOR]: Salisbury University’s theater department is preparing to bring a familiar collection of fairy tales to the stage this weekend, but it has a twist. I’m Jenny O’Connor. Salisbury’s 2026 musical is 'Into the Woods', the Stephen Sondheim classic that weaves together stories like Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jack and the Beanstalk. But, according to director Jamie McKittrick, the show quickly moves beyond the fairy-tale versions many people know.
[MCKITTRICK]: It is taking from mostly Grimm fairy tales and asking what happens if we take these characters and their stories and kind of threw them all together.
[O'CONNOR]: But unlike most fairytales, this musical doesn’t focus on the characters getting their happily-ever-afters.
[MCKITTRICK]: But what happens when reality sets in? What happens after happily ever after? And what are the repercussions, of so doggedly pursuing a wish or a desire? Who have we actually affected along the way, even if we are the good protagonist in our story?
[O'CONNOR]: The musical weaves together multiple storylines and required the students to do some true college studying.
[MCKITTRICK]: These fairytales existed a long time and in many other locations around the world with different communities of people and cultures. Our dramaturg did really excellent work so our actors received packets where they would have a couple of pages of the origins and connections for all of the characters that they’re playing.
[O'CONNOR]: Behind the scenes, the production is a major collaborative effort across the university’s theatre program and multiple departments across campus.
[MCKITTRICK]: We have a cast of 18, but I think we have about 60 students who have had their hands on this production.
[O'CONNOR]: Students also get the opportunity to work alongside professional guest artists who are brought in for design and technical roles.
[MCKITTRICK]: So, they get to work with people who are professionals in our field doing really excellent work and learn from them and often our students end up getting jobs because of these connections.
[O'CONNOR]: One example of this is Maddie Bell who gained a ton of professional experience after her undergrad, and is now SU’s costume shop manager.
[MCKITTRICK]: Maddie started like our students started; an undergrad theatre program and ended up going to grad school for a program that was specifically for costume tech. Afterwards she was working professionally in the New York City area for Tricorne, which is a costume company that builds costumes for Broadway.
[O'CONNOR]: But costume design isn’t the only intricate part of the show.
[MCKITTRICK]: The other aspect of it is it is constantly shifting locations, sometimes within the course of a page. So, you have to, like, start to think about what is the scenic design going to be that has the capacity for that.
[O'CONNOR]: To make those transitions possible, the design team leaned into a simple but innovative visual approach.
[MCKITTRICK]: It is a completely bare stage with incredibly intricate and brightly colored costumes. So, we're going to be able to really hone-in on the characters and their journey through what is potentially an imaginative space for the audience to place their own experience.
[O'CONNOR]: This theatre program is a BA program within a liberal arts school so the students get a well-rounded experience that help set them up for the "real-world".
[MCKITTRICK]: So, I think what happens here is our students leave with a broader understanding of how theatre get made and hopefully a broader understanding of what it is to have to collaborate with others.
[O'CONNOR]: Salisbury University’s production of 'Into the Woods' opens this weekend on campus, with showings at 7:30 on Thursday march 12th and Friday the 13th, and showings at 2 and 7:30 on Saturday the 14th. For Delmarva Public Media, I’m Jenny O’Connor.
