“Into the Woods you go again, you have to every now and then…” This is one of the many clever lines from the Tony award winning musical, Into the Woods.

Into the Woods is a modern twist on the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales in a musical format that follows the classic tales of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel – all tied together by an original story involving a baker and his wife, their wish to begin a family and their interaction with the Witch who has put a curse on them.

The show covers multiple themes: growing up, parents and children, accepting responsibility, morality and finally, wish fulfillment and its consequences. The Time Magazine reviewers wrote that the play’s “basic insight … is at heart, most fairy tales are about the loving yet embattled relationship between parents and children. Almost everything that goes wrong — which is to say, almost everything that can — arises from a failure of parental or filial duty, despite the best intentions.”

James Lapine said that the most unpleasant person (the Witch) would have the truest things to say and the “nicer” people would be less honest. In the witch’s
words: “I’m not good; I’m not nice; I’m just right.” Sondheim’s words and music move us back and forth between laughter and tears.

Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James LaPine. Directed by Jason Stein. Ensemble cast from Central Oregon, featuring Alyssa Davis- Brewer as the baker’s wife, Justin Tilton as the baker, Trish Sewell as the witch, Cristine Keever as Cinderella, Steve Livingston as Jack and Tori Miller as the Littlest Red Riding Hood you ever did see. Many more heroes and villains portrayed by Central Oregon’s finest performers.

Performances are June 5-6 at 7pm and June 7 at 3pm in the Pinckney Center for the Performing Arts on the COCC campus.
Ticket prices $25- $40 with a $5 discount for students and seniors. June 5-7, 7pm Fri. and Sat., 3pm Sun.
Tickets at www.operabend.org