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Photo Coverage: Backstage At KC Rep's INTO THE WOODS

Eric Rosen kicks off his second season as Kansas City Rep's artistic director with an audacious production of INTO THE WOODS (September 18 - October 4). The Tony Award-winning musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine is being staged by Broadway director Moisés Kaufman, who will take the audience on a wild trip into the darker side of the woods, where they will experience a different version of familiar fairy tale characters. Choreography is by Daniel Pelzig. The show also features extensive puppetry created by Kansas City's puppet master Paul Mesner.

The cast for INTO THE WOODS includes well-known actors from New York musical theatre: Claybourne Elder (Wolf/Cinderella's Prince), Euan Morton (Narrator), Brynn O'Malley (Baker's Wife), Zachary Prince (Baker), Michele Ragusa (Witch), Tina Stafford (Jack's Mother/Cinderella's Mother/Granny/Voice of Giant), Dana Steingold (Little Red Riding Hood) and Lauren Worsham (Cinderella).

Eight Kansas City veteran and up-and-coming actors are also in the cast: Lauren Braton (Rapunzel)-honored by The Kansas City Star as a 2008 Emerging Artist, KC Comeaux (Jack), Patrick DuLaney (Steward/Boy's Father), Zackary Hoar (Boy), Katie Kalahurka (Florinda), Katie Karel (Lucinda), Melinda MacDonald (Cinderella's Stepmother), Kip Niven (Mysterious Man/Cinderella's Father) and Brandon Sollenberger (Rapunzel's Prince).

The show also features Assistant Music Director/Conductor/Pianist Anthony Edwards and six Kansas City musicians: Tod A. Barnard (Percussion), Greg Briggs (Reed 1), Mark Cohick (Reed 2),Daniel Doss (Synthesizer/Rehearsal Pianist), Jeff Harshbarger (Bass) and Steven Molloy (Trumpet).

The creative team for INTO THE WOOS is Daniel Pelzig (Choreography), Curtis Moore (Music Direction), Narelle Sissons (Set Design), Clint Ramos (Costume Design), Japhy Weideman (Lighting Design), Jeff Dublinske and Andre Pluess(Sound Design), Jon Carter (Hair and Makeup Design) and Paul Mesner (Puppet Design).

All performances and events will take place at Spencer Theatre in the James C. Olson Performing Arts Center on the UMKC campus, just east of the Country Club Plaza. Tickets for Into the Woods cost $15-$55; youth tickets (18 years and younger and students with valid school ID) are $15. For information about performance times and ticket options, call the Rep Box Office at 816-235-2700 or visit www.kcrep.org.

Now in its 45th year, Kansas City Repertory Theatre is one of the nation's leading professional theatres and a member of the League of Resident Theatres. The Rep produces a full season of plays and events at Spencer Theatre on the UMKC campus, where the Rep is the professional theatre in residence, and at Copaken Stage downtown. Its diverse repertoire includes new works, musicals and classics of literature. The theatre serves approximately 100,000 patrons annually and employs more than 250 professional artists, technicians and administrators.

Photos by Linda Lenzi

Euan Morton and Brynn O'Malley