Laurie Walton, Jim Walton, Joe Cassidy and More Set for Riverdale INTO THE WOODS

Broadway luminaries and Riverdale's most talented performers will join forces for a 25th Anniversary concert production of Stephen Sondheim's classic fairy tale musical INTO THE WOODS, to be performed at the Riverdale YM-YWHA on Saturday, March 16, 2013, at 8pm.

This one-night only Gala event will benefit the performing arts programs at the Riverdale Y, including the Riverdale Rising Stars scholarship fund, which will enable children and teens to participate in the organization's productions.

The performance will be held at the Riverdale YM-YWHA, located at 5625 Arlington Avenue (just off of Riverdale Avenue and West 256th Street), in Riverdale, Bronx, NY. Tax-deductible tickets range in price from $50-$250, and may be purchased by calling 718.548.8200, or by visiting www.RiverdaleRisingStars.com or www.RiverdaleY.org.

Riverdale Rising Stars Director of Performing Arts Laurie Walton (the Broadway revival of Show Boat) stars as the Witch alongside Broadway veterans Jim Walton (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, 42nd Street, Merrily We Roll Along), Emily Walton (Peter and the Starcatcher, August: Osage County), Joe Cassidy (Catch Me If You Can, Next to Normal, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), Joseph Kolinsky (Titanic, LES MISERABLES, A Christmas Carol), Jamey Hood (How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Shaggs), and Maryrose Wood (Merrily We Roll Along).

The cast is rounded out by teenagers and adult alumni from the performing arts programs of the Riverdale Y, many of whom have performed Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, and on national tours. Joining the Broadway talent will be Annette Arnold, Lily Bayrock, Eric Berger, Wiley Cohen, Arianne DeCerb, Jim DeBlasi, Patrick Dwyer, Leora Einleger, Shara Feit, Gregory Kanter, Jacob Levi-Dabby, Drew Lewis, Leo Lopez, Katleen Lozada, Luz Montez, Ezra Mutnick, Liz Powers, Marilyn Raider. Elia Rangel, Michal Schorsch, Catherine Schwartz, Diego Velazquez, Breffni Ward, and Chris Wilson.

This concert production will be directed by Bob Walton (performer in Broadway's The Drowsy Chaperone, 42nd Street, Show Boat, and City of Angels), and the full orchestra will be led by music director Justin Fischer.

The original Broadway production of INTO THE WOODS starred Bernadette Peters, Joanna Gleason, Chip Zien, and Ro Bert Westenberg, and won the 1988 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical, as well as three 1988 Tony Awards. This production was taped for national broadcast on PBS. The 2002 Broadway revival starred pop recording star Vanessa L. Williams and John McMartin, and received the Tony Award for Outstanding Revival. INTO THE WOODS received another major New York production last year at Central Park's Delacorte Theater in a production starring Amy Adams, Donna Murphy, Denis O'Hare, and the voice of Glenn Close.