‘Into the Woods’ heads into The Old Barn
Scott Mason plays the Baker and Katherine Newman plays the Baker's Wife in "Into the Woods."
Mason Syddall is Jack and Nicole Martineau is Jack's Mother in The Old Barn's "Into the Woods."
Dani Rae Nielsen plays Little Red Riding Hood and Mason Syddall plays Jack in "Into the Woods."
Whatever message you seek, you’ll find it in “Into the Woods,” playing July 24 through Aug. 15 at the The Old Barn Community Theatre.
So says director Heather Gleason.
“Because there is such a variety of characters, you can really find whatever message you are looking for,” Gleason said. “It’s a great show with a lot of important messages.”
The Stephen Sondheim musical, which opened on Broadway in 1987, intertwines the story of several characters from Grimm’s fairy tales, and adding a baker and his wife as central characters who wish to have a child, through magical intervention if required.
Drawn into the tale are Cinderella, Jack of beanstalk fame, Little Red Ridinghood, Cinderella, Rapunzel, the wolf, a witch, two less-than charming princes, and many others.
Allen Stephens and Coulter Christensen play the princes in “Into the Woods.”
Memorable songs include “Agony” and “No One is Alone.”
“It’s one of my personal favorites,” Gleason said in the show. “We did it in 2011, too.The music is challenging for the actors, which makes it even better for the audience. The songs are beautiful, and a lot of them have been reproduced by famous artists.”
The Old Barn Community Theatre provides a rustic setting that fits the show, and all productions are theater-in-the round, which keeps staging dynamic, Gleason said.
“It’s a really good cast,” Gleason said. “I’m pretty excited.”
The Old Barn, in Collinston, may be off the beaten track, she said, but is well worth the trip.
“We have live theater for less than the cost of a movie, and we do really good family entertainment. If you haven’t been out to The Old Barn before, give it a try and bring you friends and family. It’s a unique place.”
Contact reporter Nancy Van Valkenburg at 801-625-4275 or nvan@standard.net. Follow her on Twitter at @SE_NancyVanV; on Facebook at facebook.com/SE_NancyVanV.
PREVIEW
- WHAT: ‘Into the Woods'
- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays July 24 through Aug. 15; 2:30 p.m. Aug. 1 and 8
- WHERE: Old Barn Theatre, 3605 Bigler Road, Collinston
- TICKETS: $7-$25 July 24, 25, 27 (with dinner option), $7-$8 other times; www.oldbarn.org or at door