Chattanooga State heads ‘Into the Woods’

Three performances of the Sondheim musical this weekend

“Into the Woods” will be presented for the first time by the Theatre and Music departments at Chattanooga State Community College in three performances March 23-25.

“Into the Woods” takes classic tales by the Brothers Grimm and weaves them into a modern musical that explores family, the consequences of wishes that come true and the search to break a witch’s curse.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine, the Tony Award-winning musical is both enchanting and haunting.

The musical’s main characters are taken from “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Rapunzel” and “Cinderella,” but appearances are made by other well-known princesses as well.

The musical begins with the narrator introducing four characters who each have a wish. The plot is tied together by a story involving a childless baker and his wife, their quest to begin a family (the original beginning of “Rapunzel”), their interaction with a witch who has placed a curse on them and their involvement with other storybook characters during their journey.

Parents are advised the second act may not be considered suitable for children.

The show covers multiple themes: growing up, parents and children, accepting responsibility, morality, wish fulfillment and its consequences. The music is notable for its use of syncopated speech and the reworking of and entwining of, sometimes in an almost fuguelike manner, musical motifs.

The large cast of just over two dozen includes college and high school students as well as graduates of Chattanooga State’s Professional Training Program, an actor who studied with Rex Knowles and Sherry Landrum at The New Actors Workshop in New York City, and teachers Deb Meeks and Brenda Schwab.

Jennifer Arbogast Wilson is stage and musical director of “Into the Woods;” Lindsay Fussell is choreographer.

Darrin Hassevoort will conduct the 15-piece orchestra. Costumes are designed by Brenda Schwab and the set by Sue Christensen.

Advanced tickets may be purchased at www.chattanoogastate.edu/theatre; tickets will also be sold at the door.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Kimberlin Lacy, as Cinderella, sings “Cinderella at the Grave.” Richard Nichols, the wolf, and Maggie Meller, Little Red Riding Hood, rehearse “Hello, Little Girl.”