When Elizabethtown Area High School presents "Into the Woods," you can expect to recognize some familiar characters, but they'll be in some unfamiliar situations.

"'Into the Woods' is about a bunch of fairy-tale characters," said senior Bryan Murphy, who plays the Baker. "Everybody has a wish that they want fulfilled, and they go through a series of events to try to get their wish. But they end up realizing what they wished for might not be what they really want."

The plot follows the Baker and his wife, portrayed by senior Tori Bressler, who wish to have a child. They are joined on stage by Cinderella, played by sophomore Olivia Gable, who wishes to attend the King's Festival, as well as Jack, played by freshman Brendan Fritz, who wishes his cow would give milk.

"They are not your average fairy-tale characters," said Tori. "You might think you know what's going to happen, but there are a lot of twists and turns along the way. There's laughter and there are emotional moments. It's a show that really sums up all the things that are great about theater, because it has everything."

For freshman Liam Burke, who portrays the Narrator, being a part of his first musical has been a fun experience. "I was peer pressured into trying out," he joked, "but I'm so glad I did it. It's been a lot of fun."

Keli Georges, who portrays the Witch, noted that as a senior, she's excited to be a part of a challenging but entertaining show. "I really feel like we're going out with a bang," she remarked.

Bryan agreed, adding, "The show is difficult, but we are having so much fun as a cast. We're also working really hard."

Additional cast members include junior Elyse Hayden as Little Red, junior Kacy Hartman as Jack's Mother, freshman Claire Hanlon as Rapunzel, junior Caden Zimmerman as Cinderella's Prince, senior Tristan Lentz as Rapunzel's Prince, senior Chloe Garber as Cinderella's Stepmother, sophomore Catie Sikora as Florinda and freshman Madalyn Hampton as Lucinda.

Tori emphasized that the students' hard work can be seen both on stage and off. "Everyone has put so much effort into this show," she stated. "There is a lot of talent on stage. Our set is great. Our pit is playing really hard music and playing it well. It's just a great show, and everyone should come and see it. Supporting local, live theater is more important than ever."

"Into the Woods" will be performed in the Elizabethtown Area High School auditorium, 600 E. High St., at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24, through Saturday, Feb. 26, with an additional 1 p.m. performance on Saturday. All tickets are general admission and can be purchased at http://www.showtix4u.com by searching for "Elizabethtown Area High School." Tickets will also be available for sale 45 minutes before performances in the high school's main lobby.