Performances of the upcoming London gala benefit of Stephen Sondheim's and James Lapine's Into the Woods, previously scheduled for Sunday, October 22nd at 3 PM and 7:30 PM at the Royal Albert Hall, have been moved back. A new date will be announced shortly, according to Whatsonstage.com.
"We had been anticipating a number of artistes to be available for the rehearsal period and on October 22nd, and now professional commitments have made these artistes' presence unlikely. As we are determined to present Into the Woods as a truly special event for the Children's Society, we have decided to postpone the performances. A new date for the event will be confirmed shortly," said producer Paul Savident. Tickets will be refunded to those who have already purchased them (call the Royal Albert's box office or the point of purchase).
Into the Woods will star the previously announced Joanna Riding as Little Red, Olivier Award-winner Laura Michelle Kelly (Mary Poppins) as Cinderella, as well as Anita Dobson and Vinnie Jones.
With music and lyrics by Sondheim and a book by Lapine, Into The Woods "combines classic fairy tales into a story about 'the complications of living in modern society and the difficult choices we encounter on the paths of our lives'. The stories - including Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel - are joined with a new creation; the tale of The Baker and His Wife," according to Royal Albert notes. The show premiered on Broadway in November 1987 and ran for 765 performances at the Martin Beck Theatre. Lapine and Sondheim--as well as actress Joanna Gleason--won Tonys for their work.
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