Hurricane Valley Theatrical Company presents “Into the Woods”
By Beatrice Stockwell
The Hurricane Valley Theatrical Company will perform Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods” Oct. 11–Nov. 2 at the Hurricane Fine Arts Center.
“Into the Woods” interweaves the quests of characters drawn from familiar fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault. It has become one of Sondheim’s most popular works, perhaps due to the release of the abridged Disney film, yet it is nothing at all like the innocent, wide-eyed Disney versions of those tales.
The play is really two intricately connected musicals with the first act presenting a more child-friendly, if morally complex, trip for all the characters venturing “Into the Woods” in search of their individual happy endings.
The Baker (BJ Cox) and his wife (Jill Bearden) yearn to have a child but are thwarted by the curse of the local Witch (Nicole Kimzey). In order to remove the curse, the couple will have to venture into the woods on a scavenger hunt for four items to be collected in just three days. And while their hunt for these items brings the couple closer together, it also causes pain and complications to others and at times challenges the Baker’s conscience.
On her own journey is the mistreated Cinderella (Kimber Dutton) who wishes to attend the Royal Festival despite the challenges and abuse heaped on her by a nasty stepmother (Janet Leavitt) and stepsisters (Anna McNamara & Danica Sanders). Cinderella overcomes all and attends the festival where she captivates and is then pursued by the Prince (Adam Cheney). It is only after agreeing to submit to the Prince that she discovers he is less faithful than expected.
Meanwhile, the neighborhood Witch keeps the Baker’s kidnapped sister, Rapunzel (Janessa Judkins), locked away in a tower. When sibling Prince No, 2 attempts to rescue her, the Witch steps in condemning her to exile where she is sadly sent to suffer yet more isolation and loneliness.
Sibling Prince No. 1 and Sibling Prince No. 2 have an opportunity to reveal their steadfastness, love, and decency yet provide insight to the “agony” suffered by their egos in their thwarted attempts at romance.
And then there’s Jack (Mason Stevens), as in the beanstalk. He is a simple (sometimes very simple) son who is sent to market to sell his beloved cow/friend so he and his mother (Mary Johnson) can survive another day. Heartbroken, he exchanges the cow, Milky White, for a handful of magic beans and a promise that he might be able to buy back his friend. A humongous beanstalk, golden riches, and an angry giant (Chrystine Hyatt) round out his part of the adventure.
And finally there is Little Red Riding Hood (McKenzie Morgan), who happily devours goodies on her way to Grandmother’s house. She meets up with the Wolf who just happens to have an appetite for young girls. Little Red survives the ordeal and admits to being thrilled and terrified by the experience.
The characters each (mostly) succeed in their respective quests by intermission, even as the narrator (Bart Pace) warns, “to be continued…”
The second act opens with the words “Once upon a time — later.”
This act focuses on what happens after our dreams-come-true turn out to be not so joyous. Despite an angry giant and a bit of death and destruction, the show ends relatively upbeat with characters who realize that the things we think we want most in life aren’t always the source of happily ever after.
The brilliant Stephen Sondheim turns 90 in March next year. He is an American treasure: a composer and lyricist known for more than half a century of award winning contributions to musical theater including an Academy Award, eight Tony Awards, eight Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize, a Laurence Olivier Award, and the 2015 Presidential Medal of Freedom. He has been described as the “greatest and perhaps best-known artist in American Musical Theater.” The vast breadth of his work spans such classics as the streetwise “West Side Story,” the sophisticated “A Little Night Music,” the edgy “Company,” the dark and delirious “Sweeny Todd,” the magical “Sunday in the Park with George,” and the intricate “Into the Woods.”
Tickets are on sale for $15. Admission is free for children ages 4–17. Call (435) 668-9753 or visit hurricanetheatrical.com. Running time is over two hours with one intermission. The Hurricane Valley Theatrical Company production of “Into the Woods” is funded in part by Hurricane City RAP Tax.
