9-16: Into the Woods opens at Cumberland County Playhouse
Into the Woods is one of the great works of one of America’s top musical theater creators. As a boy and young man, Steve Sondheim was a family friend and prot?g? of Oscar Hammerstein II. As a young pro, he wrote lyrics for West Side Story’s composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein. His work is rooted in tradition, yet breaks new ground for America’s musicals. With West Side, Gypsy, A Funny Thing happened on the Way to the Forum, and A Little Night Music, Sondheim has created classics.
Into the Woods brings us a musical for tomorrow, today—and yesterday. Opening on Broadway in 1987, Into the Woods won the 1987 Tony Award for best score, best book and best actress; 1997 Drama Desk Awards for best musical, best book and best lyrics and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for best musical.
Created of simple, old fashioned ingredients, whipped together with a master chef’s creative hand, Into the Woods combines the fun of traditional storybook characters, loved by generations of parents and children, with new twists and turns along the Path through the Woods of the World.
The Woods fascinate but are also full of dangers—Giants, Wolves, conceited Princes, and Wishes that the Wisher would be better off without. Mix a feisty Cinderella, who tires of a Prince who flirts, with a boy named Jack who trades his cow for a bunch of beans. Fold in a Witch of a mom who locks up her daughter to guard her from the world and spice things up with a Baker and his Wife who’ll do anything to have a child. Throw them all together in fear of a dangerous Giant, and top it off with a Wolf’s dessert of a sweet Red Riding Hood.
These storybook characters see that the happiness they’ve sought via selfish wishes and ambitious adventures has really been theirs all along. They are not alone, and their wishes can come true, if they care for one another, in the Spirit of Love. Into the Woods is a family adventure, a tale for all time, and a tale for our time, set to magnificent music by an American master.
The production is directed and choreographed by Michele Colvin (Big River), with musical direction by Ron Murphy (Cats). It takes place on a giant bookshelf of scenery by Curtis Phillips (Beauty and the Beast), with romantic costumes by Rebel Mickelson (Ain’t Misbehavin’) and lighting by Weston Wilkerson (A Homestead Album).
The Playhouse resident company is featured, with major roles played by Casey Clark, Jesse Graham, Jason Ross, Weslie Webster, Terry Schwab, Teresa Stanley, Michael Siktberg, Carol Irvin, Tony Owens and Britt Hancock. Four exceptional student interns are also featured, with bass-baritone Travis Lynch, Lauren Tranberg, Chelsea Nye, and Leila Nelson. Chris Kuty, Andrea Washington and Quinn Fortune complete the cast.
Into the Woods runs through October 30, alternating in rotating rep with Smoke on the Mountain and Ain’t Misbehavin’. For more information or to reserve tickets call the Playhouse Box Office at 931/484-5000.