Passion Projects Theatre Company Presents INTO THE WOODS

Passion Projects Theatre Company will present Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's INTO THE WOODS for live audiences at the Wing Park Bandshell in Elgin, Illinois October 9th-11th, 2020. Directed by Passion Projects Co-Founder Kyle Reid Hass, this production has been carefully planned so its rehearsal and performance process will minimize the risk of exposure to COVID-19 for its cast, crew, and audience.

"We want to be a part of the movement that brings live theatre back from the dead" says Hass. "We take the current public health crisis seriously, and firmly believe that we must find a way for live theatre to persist, even if that means creating a slightly new model for how we do things. This is why we're doing this show at an outdoor venue, which is a first for us. COVID-19 is nearly 20 times less likely to spread when socially gatherings are held outdoors." Passion Projects Co-Founder Jeremy Swanton adds that "After a certain point we knew we had to do something to inspire our friends in the greater performing arts community with hope. There is a light at the end of this tunnel, and no one is alone."

"No One is Alone" (the title of a song from INTO THE WOODS) seems a fitting sentiment in light of current events. The COVID-19 Outbreak sparked a nationwide shutdown of live theatre, and October will mark the seventh consecutive month Broadway Theaters have been closed down. The team at Passion Projects Theatre Company wants the public to know that while they believe live theatre must find a way to continue, health and safety are still top priority.

Swanton says, "We're doing this with the knowledge that live theatre as we knew it cannot return for the time-being, and that we have to make adjustments to keep people safe. We've taken steps to conduct rehearsal in a socially-distant manner, and we will enforce the use of face masks and social distancing for our audiences during performances."

Along with these safety measures, Passion Projects Theatre Company has created an Awareness and Consent Form that must be signed by all patrons, agreeing to uphold regulations that will decrease the risk of spreading COVID-19 or any other public health risk.

The cast of INTO THE WOODS features Lexie Bailey, Mae Speer, Jeremy Swanton, Frank Caputo, Marina Magnelli, Shannon McGraw, Rhealee Fernandez, Dana Norris, Kyle Reid Hass, Johnny Rabe, Dan England, Aaron Hill, Keith Mankowski, Kailey Henderson, and Laura Thoresen. This production will take a dark and contemporary look at the classic musical, striving to emphasize the profound and often chilling statements the piece makes about topics such as desire, happiness, crisis, family, growing up, and caring for children. Notably, it will feature the non-traditional casting of a male actor (also Hass) in the role of the Baker's Wife.

"We feel that reimagining The Baker and The Baker's Wife as a contemporary, queer couple who have lost themselves in this strange, sometimes horrifying web of fairytale stories brings something fresh and compelling to the piece," notes Hass, who plays the Baker's Wife opposite his real life fiancé (Swanton) as the Baker.

Performances of INTO THE WOODS are Friday October 9th, Saturday October 10th, and Sunday October 11th at 7pm each night. Tickets can be found at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/into-the-woods-important-information-in-description-tickets-122616650703

Email passionprojectstheatrecompany@gmail.com with any questions regarding ticket sales or public safety. A digital copy of the Awareness and Consent form for the production's patrons, which includes details about what audiences can expect in terms of safety and responsibility, click here: tiny.cc/t1wxsz

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