‘Into the Woods’ promises Grimm times
The musical “Into the Woods” has its opening weekend of performances on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 9 and 10, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 11, at 2 p.m. at McKenna Theatre on the campus of the State University of New York at New Paltz, 1 Hawk Drive, New Paltz.
“Into the Woods” is a Brothers Grimm-inspired production offering a modern take on the classic fairy tales that are fixtures of our storytelling culture. Characters from “Cinderella,” “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Jack and the Beanstalk” are forced to unite as a community and make sacrifices to protect one another and save their kingdom.
The production is directed by Catherine Doherty, assistant professor of the Department of Theatre Arts at SUNY New Paltz, with a book by James Lapine and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. “This show is a love letter to storytelling and a love letter to narrative,” Doherty said in a press release.
This production promises to push boundaries, with abstract set design, nontraditional casting, and playful takes on gender and identity, complemented by Sondheim’s intricate and award-winning score.
“Sondheim is a master of providing musical hints that help cast mem-
bers and audiences deepen their understanding of roles and the piece as a whole,” Katya Stanislavskaya, assistant professor of musical theatre and the production’s musical director, said in the release. “Whether on a conscious or a subconscious level, we recognize ‘leitmotifs’ — recurring musical themes — that tell audiences to pay attention to, or recall, a certain character, object, emotion or idea.”
What resonates most about “Into the Woods,” Doherty added, is the play’s portrayal of the delicate balance of beauty and despair, which all people experience in their journeys through life.
“The show has some pretty dark moments in it, and watching these characters navigate those moments is fairly profound,” Doherty said. “They can’t pass through the darkness unless they have companions there to help to the other side.”
Before the Nov. 9 performance, there will be a panel discussion and talkback featuring SUNY New Paltz faculty and K-12 teachers from the Hudson Valley Writing Project about how the play speaks to the current cultural landscape while also considering what lessons it holds for students of all ages. The panel discussion will take place from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m., with refreshments from 7:15 to 7:45 p.m.
The production concludes the following weekend, with performances Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 15 through 17, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 18, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20, $18 for seniors ages 62 and older, SUNY New Paltz faculty and staff, SUNY New Paltz alumni and non-New Paltz students. Admission is $10 for SUNY New Paltz students.
Visit the Parker Theatre box office, call (845) 2573880, send an email to boxoffice@newpaltz.edu or visit bit.ly/2Paby68 for tickets or more information.