The days are getting longer, and in auditoriums across the land talented young thespians are honing their skills to entertain their communities. Lancaster County's spring musical season is in full swing.

Warwick High School's contribution to the local scholastic drama scene is "Into the Woods." It is a stage play that is not only engaging, but also tests the skills of Warwick's aspiring performers.

"We did not pick this show because it's easy," said Jonathan Shoff, the play's musical and vocal director. "It's a challenge and our students are rising to the challenge. We want to do the story justice. I can't wait to see the final product."

"We try to pick shows that play to the strengths of the kids we have," Shoff continued. "We have a lot of talent in class right now."

Warwick will perform "Into the Woods" on Friday, March 15, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 16, at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, March 17, at 2 p.m. in the auditorium of high school, 301 W. Orange St., Lititz. Tickets can be purchased at the door on the days of the performances or in advance at http://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/81375.

"My hope is that (the students are) learning to work together as a team," said Shoff. "What we can create as a team is bigger and more beautiful than we can alone. Sometimes we have to put aside our differences and learn to work together. I love seeing the joy of the students knowing they worked hard and achieved something. I also love seeing the joy of the audience."

The 40-member cast features senior Piper Sobon as the witch, senior Carly Evans as Little Red Riding Hood, senior Lilly Walls as Cinderella, junior Luci Martinez as Rapunzel and junior Gannon Ziegler as Jack. The cast is supported by a pit of 25 musicians and a 15-member stage crew.

" 'Into the Woods,' at first glance, seems to be a light, magical fairy tale," said Piper. "Act Two begins, and it spins into a journey of tragedy and sorrow. When cast as the witch, most jump to the conclusion I'm playing the villain of the story. Even the other characters in the story do. The narrative encourages viewers to consider the motivations and complexities of each character, challenging the traditional notion of a clear-cut villain."

"During the performances, there will always be a mix of nerves and excitement," said Shoff. "We want them to calm themselves. We tell them to relax and to not overthink things. We want them to channel that energy and not let it become a distraction. It's all about communicating with the audience and reaching them in a meaningful way."

Based on the book by James Lapine and featuring the music and lyrics of Stephen Sondheim, "Into the Woods" premiered on Broadway in 1987. Warwick's work on the production began in December with a read-through of the book, and since then the student performers have spent multiple hours learning the lengthy score and exploring what motivates each character.

"The payoff is huge," said Shoff. "That's why we put in the work we do. The more work you put into it, the greater the payoff. The real goal is that the members of the audience leave the production a little better than they walked in because we gave them something to think about."