UCS: Into the Woods – A Magical Masterpiece

Last week, over 40 pupils across all year groups presented the highly anticipated, enchanting musical; Into The Woods. Just like the production of Oliver! from 2022, all 600 tickets for the three-night extravaganza sold out in just mere days, a testament to the immense popularity of the UCS musicals.

With over 100 pupils auditioning and a huge number of attending Stage Crew, this year’s production was a truly collaborative effort. The powerhouse of this co-curricular masterpiece thrives on the deep passion UCS pupils have and their deep commitment to every facet of bringing these theatrical wonders to life.

For three nights, The Lund Theatre was transformed into a magical environment where spectators followed a gripping tale that revolves around the themes of actions having consequences, the impact of parental influence, and the transition from childhood to adulthood. The story weaved a narrative of yearning for something beyond the ordinary, a quest that resonated with the concept of collective responsibility at the heart of the school.

Just like the characters in the story, the company has been equally positive and supportive during the challenges of putting on a musical production on such a scale. They seamlessly collaborated, embraced the opportunity to hone new puppetry skills, offered unwavering encouragement to one another, learned from setbacks, and tirelessly dedicated evenings and weekends to rehearsals. Every accomplishment, big or small, was celebrated with genuine enthusiasm.

Director of Drama, Mr C. Abbott commented “Beyond artistic excellence, this is the real magic of the UCS musical – the 10-week community that it forges in a company of pupils from different year groups, who might not ordinarily meet. This company of pupils has been inspiring to work with on what has been a very challenging production to mount. I am inspired by their commitment, their joy and their enormous talent”

The school extends its gratitude to the talented staff, including the musical directors, choreographers, lighting designers, and set designers, for their invaluable contributions.