One of the greatest stories in the history of American theater is the career and work of Stephen Sondheim. Many have attempted to understand his scope of topics over the years but often come up empty handed in trying to pigeonhole him.
The best I can come up with after seeing so many of his productions, both on stage and those that translated to the big screen, is that he writes about the emotions we feel inside with such an universal appeal but always as if he were lifting our inner hopes and fears from us in the audience.
The SouthSide Theater Company, which has brought to life so many challenging works of theater that others would never attempt on the intimate, tiny stage at Dog Story Theater, will present Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the Woods, a story that imagines what really happened to the characters after our childhood fairy tales ended at bedtime with the book-closing line "… and they lived happily ever after."
The musical follows the stories of a baker and his wife who learn they've been cursed with childlessness by the witch next door, so they embark on a quest to break the spell by swindling, lying to and stealing from Cinderella, Little Red Ridinghood, Rapunzel, and Jack (of Beanstalk fame).
Yes, everyone still gets that special wish granted, but Into The Woods is focused on the actions characters have to take in order for wishes to come true, and on the consequences.
Into the Woods has won many awards, including Tony Awards for Best Score, Best Book, and Best Actress in a Musical (Joanna Gleason).
Once again, SouthSide's Andrew Williams will bring a very fresh interpretation to the show, as he scales down the traditionally large cast to a very conservative 12-member cast and presents this production through the eyes of a child.
In addition to direction provided by Williams, Joel Shindlbeck will provide music direction with stage management by Kieran and Jennifer Smith. SouthSide's cast of Into The Woods includes Jesse Aukeman, Mark Ayers, Jess Barton, Devon Brown, Jessica Doyle, Cera Drake, Amy Groen, Michael Kohlenberger, Matt Hartman, William Mathias, Sarah Milbratz, and Eva Switek.
Admission: Advance tickets range from $12 - 16 and are recommended as this intimate show will sell out.
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