The Phipps Center for the Arts is busy preparing for its November opening of the musical fantasy, Into the Woods. Based on the book by James Lapine, and with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Into the Woods weaves together several plots of the well-known Brothers Grimm fairy tales in unexpected ways. Even before it was released as a major motion picture in December 2014, Into the Woods was regarded as one of the most popular musicals for both Broadway and local theaters alike.
The Phipps’ production is directed by Beth Reidenbach and will have a unique charm. “I think our show will have a more abstract setting,” Reidenbach says. “Instead of the traditional backdrop of trees and woodland, we’re going to look at using alternate fabrics and lighting capabilities.”
Reidenbach, along with her production staff, are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the classic tale. “[Into the Woods] is a very attractive to vocalists because it has such challenging and beautiful music,” Reidenbach says. “From a director’s standpoint, it’s such a fun story that has a lot of flexibility for interpretation.”
For fans of the 2014 film of the same name, Reidenbach says that the Phipps’ production should be very appealing. “Our show might have some small differences, but very minimal,” Reidenbach says. “I was actually very pleased with how [the movie] stuck to the original Broadway script.”
Dates:
Fridays Nov. 6, 13, 20 & 27
Saturdays Nov. 7, 14, 21 & 28
Sundays Nov. 8, 15, 22 & 29
Times:
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.
Tickets:
$19 for students/youth, $26 for adults, $2 discount for seniors on Sunday matinees.
