By Nethan Crew, Managing editor of production

Gold Side’s 2026 production, “Cloaked in Red,” opens with the number “Who’s Afraid?” which
paints the picture of what is to come. Flowing immediately into “Hunter’s Creed,” the village that the heroes live in has constantly had to defend themselves from Romula’s (Libby Lang) beasts, led by Atticus, a wolf-like man (Jack Wu Lawrence.)

The main gaggle of heroes, Rory (Rileyann Sayne) sporting a red cloak, Goldie (Ava Howse) and Jack (Jay Collins) explain themselves through song: they are tired of having people senselessly murdered in their village by these monsters.

This scene cuts to Romula’s Laboratory, a dark and morbid castle nestled deep in the woods. Atticus at the helm, beg to be released from their imprisonment to Romula. This breaks immediately into “Fairest of Them All,” where Romula show cases her control over Atticus and the other beasts. She compromises in a way by stating “Enjoy your day of ‘freedom.’ Now run along.”

The scene following takes place in the Dunwich Den, a lively bar outside of its dingy appearance. Atticus claims that he can take the group directly to Romula, but that he only needs their trust. He states that he has been free from her control for over a decade.

As an attempt to earn their trust, Atticus gives the heroes his dagger and states that they “can kill [Atticus] if [he] gives [the heroes] a reason to.” The heroes eventually agree, albeit with some reservations.

This pans over to the thieves at the bar. The person that seems to be their leader confronts a priest
about taking money from the offering plate. The priest denies this and the thieves pounce on him, taking
the money from the man’s pocket.

Atticus interrupts this confrontation, leading to the leader, named Robin (Isaiah Coleman) to cause trouble at the bar in the song “Move Your Merry Feet.” Eventually, Atticus takes the money back and scares of Robin and his merry men.

In the forest, Rory, Atticus, Jack and Goldie get into a verbal disagreement about the reliability of Atticus’ intentions of being their guide to Romula’s laboratory. This helps ignite the song “More Than You,” admonishing Rory and Atticus’ hate for each other. Rory hating Atticus because creatures like him hurt her people, and Atticus hating Rory for her constant belittling of his intentions.

The entire time Jack and Goldie attempt to mediate the disdain. Atticus pushes forward and Rory follows
to continue their spat. Jack and Goldie set up a camp right outside of the cave’s entrance.

The show cuts back to Romula’s laboratory, where she finds out from her cronies that Atticus has
effectively gone rogue. She decides that since they will go through the cave, that she is going to resurrect her first ever botched creation.

She reprises her “The Fairest of Them All (Ananke’s Ressurection,)” depicting herself as the villain that she is.

The story now jumps back to Jack and Goldie in the forest, where they have a short conversation about the dynamic between Atticus and Rory.

Goldie believes that the pair genuinely hate each other, and Jack believes that they might become
romantic in some way. This conversation gets broken up by Robin and his Merry Men, who realize that all
four of the main group have bounties on their heads.

This breaks into “Good Things in a Bad Way,” where Jack and Goldie eventually convince Robin
and the Merry Men to join them in their fight against Romula, albeit through bribery.

Inside the Crystal Caverns, Rory believes that they are lost, and Atticus reassures her that he knows exactly where they are going. They continue their verbal spat about if Atticus still works for Romula. She also alludes to the bounty on her head, believing that Atticus is leading her directly into a trap.

Eventually Ananke, Romula’s original botched creation, awakes and speaks between his two person-
alities (David Westbrook Weeks and Michael Zahumensky) which claim that Atticus must still be under
Romula’s control because no one has ever broken from her reigns before.

This flows into “The Soul of the Serpent,” where the crystal serpent attempts to fight and kill Rory and
Atticus for taking a jewel in his cavern. Rory finds out that Atticus is still working for Romula and immediately turns back and goes to find Jack and Goldie.

After she leaves, Atticus sings “The Lament of the Beast,” explaining that he means well and wants Romula to suffer, and unknowingly communicates that to Rory.

Rory comes back and eventually apologizes for her words towards him. Atticus makes Rory, and eventually the rest of the group, that killing Romula, even if it takes him out in the process.
The group reluctantly agrees, and they move forward to Romula’s castle.

The group finally enters the laboratory and finally meets face to face with Romula. This eventually
leads to the final battle in the story.

Eventually most are subdued except Rory, Atticus, Romula, and a few others. Romula finally reveals a
major problem in her being killed: the magic that keeps her beasts under her control is tied to her soul, and if Rory kills her, they all will die including Atticus.

Romula takes control of Atticus and attempts to force him to kill Rory with a dagger. After being shortly snapped out of his controlled state by Rory, Atticus turns towards Romula and stabs her in the heart, in-
stantaneously killing himself and the rest of the beasts.

Rory starts to lament about the fact that Atticus is dead, and then the story cuts to a short time later.

Rory visits Atticus’ shrine, where she explains to him (and subsequently to the audience) that the town of Baxford has started to rebuild, and that he would be happy to see the town bustling and starting to
thrive. “Finale” starts, where the townsfolk sing that they are no longer afraid because they have
bested Romula and the beasts and have nothing to fear anymore.