Signature Theatre's production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine'sInto the Woods began performances in Arlington, Virginia, November 9 in the MAX Theatre. Watch highlights from the production, which continues through January 29, 2023, in the montage above.
Two-time Tony winner Phylicia Rashad (A Raisin in the Sun, Skeleton Crew) lends her (pre-recorded) voice to the role of The Giant in the production, which also features Jonathan Tunick's full original orchestrations.
The company also includes Christopher Bloch as the Narrator/Mysterious Man, Kurt Boehm as the Steward, Simone Brown as Rapunzel, Alex De Bard as Little Red Riding Hood, Sherri L. Edelen as Jack’s Mother, Crystal J. Freeman as Cinderella’s Mother/Granny, Vincent Kempski as Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf, Jake Loewenthal as The Baker, David Merino as Jack, Adelina Mitchell as Florinda, Katie Mariko Murray as Cinderella, Nova Y. Payton as The Witch, Lawrence Redmond as Cinderella’s Father, Maria Rizzo as Cinderella’s Stepmother, Paul Scanlan as Rapunzel’s Prince, Erin Weaver as The Baker’s Wife, and Chani Wereley as Lucinda. Drake Leach, Julia Wheeler Lennon, Dylan Toms, and Casandra Victoria are the swings.
Exclusive: Watch Nova Y. Payton Belt Out 'Last Midnight' From Into the Woods
Signature Theatre Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner directs and choreographs Into the Woods with Jon Kalbfleisch as music director of the show's 15-piece orchestra. The production also has scenic design by Lee Savage (She Loves Me), costume design by David Israel Reynoso (Sleep No More), lighting design by Amanda Zieve (Titanic), sound design by Eric Norris, wig design by Tommy Kurzman (Macbeth), and make-up design by Alison Samantha Johnson (Blackbeard). Chelsea Pace serves as resident intimacy consultant and choreographer.
"The creative team and I have set the production in an abandoned Victorian nursery," said Gardiner in an earlier statement, "with crumbling plaster and overgrown vines. It’s a space where nature has forced its way through the floorboards and windows to reclaim it, where swiftly growing weeds hide broken treasures and characters that once lived only in a child’s fairytale book spin and weave around the space like apparitions from once upon a time.”
Also on the creative team are Kerry Epstein as production stage manager, Casey
Kaleba as fight choreographer, Clancey Yovanovich as associate director,
and Carson Eubank as associate music director and rehearsal
pianist. Signature casting is by Jorge Acevedo. Assisting on the
team are Alexa Duimstra, Heather Hardin, Samantha Weiser, Julia Singer,
and Taylor Kiechlin.
With music and lyrics by Sondheim and a book penned by Lapine, Into the Woods intertwines classic fairytales in an adventure that shows what it costs to make a wish come true. Songs from the musical twist on iconic storybook fables include “Giants in the Sky,” “On the Steps of the Palace,” “No One Is Alone,” and “Children Will Listen.” A Broadway revival of Into the Woods is currently playing the St. James Theatre through January 8, 2023.
Tickets are available at SigTheatre.org.
