Into The Woods: Be Careful What You Wish For

Grand Summer Theater returns to Marietta when Susquehanna Stage Company presents Steven Sondheim and James Lapine’s complex fairytale musical Into the Woods, opening July 16.

(L to R in above photo: Little Red, Wolf, Baker's Wife, Jack, Baker)

The movie Shrek took well-known fairy tales and twisted them for comic and original results, but the Brothers Grimm would never have envisioned the spin that Sondheim and Lapine put on their beloved creations. The main characters come from the classic fairytales Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk and Little Red Riding Hood, and are tied together by a unique overarching story involving a baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family. Into the Woods explores these stories on a new level, uncovering the consequences of the characters’ wishes and dreams. As in life, not everyone has the chance to live “happily ever after.”

Into the Woods debuted on Broadway in 1987 and ran for 764 performances and garnered many Tony Awards including Best Actress in a Musical (Bernadette Peters) and Best Original Book and Score. Theater geeks and aficionados call this show Into the WORDS due to the dense lyrics and complex story details. Director Jim Johnson said, “The musical is a daunting project for stage voices, but Into the Woods is a tour de force that captures the wit and intricacy of Sondheim’s work.”

The cast for Into the Woods is Asher Johnson (Baker), Jordyn McCrady (Baker’s Wife), Stacia Smith (The Witch), Kayla Azaroff (Little Red), John Fleming (Jack), Eileen Cushey (Jack’s Mother), Ali Fleming (Rapunzel), Jon Mortensen (Rapunzel’s Prince), Kat Prickett (Cinderella), Nick Smith (Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf), Tara Beitzel (Cinderella’s Stepmother), Lydia Jones (Lucinda), Lauren Lanas (Florinda), Sharon Boyer (Cinderella’s Mother/Granny), Robert Hein (Cinderella’s father), Linda Boozer (Giant), Morgan Rose (Snow White), Aiden Thomas (Sleeping Beauty), and Keiffer Kemmerly (Steward).

Musical direction is by Steve Hassinger, costume designer is Jacquee Johnson, set artist is Bob Brinser and stage manager is Scott Mackison.

The production runs July 16-26 For more information or to order tickets, visit susquehannastageco.com or call 426-1277. Box office hours are Monday and Wednesday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 to 11 a.m. and one hour before show times. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for those under age 18.

Susquehanna Stage Company is located in historic Marietta directly behind the Community House on West Market Street.

Specific show times are:

Thursday, July 16 8 p.m.

Friday, July 17 8 p.m.

Saturday, July 18 8 p.m.

Sunday, July 19 2 p.m.

Wednesday, July 22 8 p.m.

Thursday, July 23 8 p.m.

Friday, July 24 8 p.m.

Saturday, July 25 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Sunday, July 26 2 p.m.

Or, to summarize:

Wednesday – Saturday evening performances at 8 p.m.

Sunday and 2^nd Saturday matinee performances at 2 p.m.