INTO THE WOODS Comes To Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre

Stock♦ing Productions will ask audiences to journey with them into a land of fairytales and storybook characters when its production of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods opens Friday evening, May 27th at the Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre.

Into the Woods brings together storybook characters that have been an integral part of our culture and weaves all of their stories together into one classic musical. An ambivalent Cinderella? A blood-thirsty Little Red Ridinghood? A Prince Charming with a roving eye? A Witch . . . who raps? They are all among the cockeyed characters in James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim's fractured fairy tale. When a Baker and his Wife learn they've been cursed with childlessness by the Witch next door, they embark on a quest for the special objects required to break the spell, swindling, lying to and stealing from Cinderella, Little Red, Rapunzel and Jack (the one who climbed the beanstalk). Everyone's wish is granted at the end of Act One, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later, with disastrous results. What begins a lively irreverent fantasy in the style of "The Princess Bride" becomes a moving lesson about community responsibility and the stories we tell our children.

The show originally premiered at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California in 1986. It opened on Broadway the following year at the Martin Beck Theatre where it played for two years and over 800 performances. The production garnered 10 Tony Award nominations, taking home three trophies: Best Book, Best Original Score, and Best Actress. It also won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical. In 2002 a Broadway revival was mounted, which took home the Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Revival of a Musical.

Into the Woods' original Broadway company included stage stars Joanna Gleason (who won the Tony for Best Actress) as the Baker's Wife and Bernadette Peters as the Witch. Vanessa Williams starred as the Witch in the 2002 revival.

Since it first opened, Into the Woods has become a staple for regional and community theatre groups across the country. Stock♦ing Productions' Into the Woods is the first time the fantasy fairytale musical has appeared in Frederick in nearly twenty years. The cast includes Thomas Scholtes as the Narrator, Jordan B. Stocksdale as the Baker, Taylor Whidden as the Baker's Wife, Kelly Nealon as Cinderella, Thomas Wich as Jack, Susan Thornton as Jack's Mother, Alexandra Guyker, as Little Red, Jessica Billones as Rapunzel, Chase Maggiano as Cinderella's Prince, Justin Thomas as Rapunzel's Prince, Jordan C. Allen as the Wolf, Denise Wade as Cinderella's Stepmother, Miranda Marsh-McDonald and Julia Pfanstiehl as the Stepsisters, Zane L. Oberholzer, Jr. as Cinderella's Father, Maria L. Boyce as Granny, and Sarah Melinda as the Witch.

Into the Woods has music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim with a book by James Lapine. Stock♦ing's presentation of Into the Woods is directed by Andrew Pecoraro, with musical direction by Jordan B. Stocksdale, and choreography by Taylor Whidden.

Into the Woods will be presented at The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre at 5 Willowdale Drive in Frederick, Maryland. Performances will be Friday evening, May 27th at 7:30 p.m., Saturday evening, May 28th at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday afternoon, May 29th at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are general admission and should be purchased at the door with cash or check. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. www.intothewoods2011.webs.com

Stock♦ing Productions, under the direction of its Artistic Director, Jordan B. Stocksdale, is an independent theatre Production Company. Founded in 2007, previous productions include A New Brain and The Rocky Horror Show. www.stockingproductions.wordpress.com

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