WHAT: Fort Osage High School Theater presents the popular fairy tale-based musical “Into the Woods,” by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine (1986), directed by Jennie Hutter and presented by special arrangement with Music Theatre International.
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday (opening night was Thursday).
WHERE: Fort Osage High School PAC, 2101 N. Twyman Road, Independence.
HOW MUCH: Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students. Children 5-under are free.
WHAT'S THE SHOW ABOUT: “Be careful what you wish for” is the ongoing theme of this show inspired by characters and weaving together plots from Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault fairy tales.
The story follows The Baker and his wife, who wish to have a child, Cinderella, who wishes to go the King’s Festival, and Jack, who wishes his cow would give some milk. When the Baker and his wife are visited by the neighborhood witch, who reveals to them that she placed a curse on their family, the two set off on a journey into the woods to reverse the curse. Also in the woods, they meet Little Red, who is trying to visit her grandmother, the Wolf looking to possibly eat little girls, the witch’s daughter Rapunzel and the princes chasing after their loves. By the end of Act I, everyone has gotten their wish and will seemingly live happily ever after. But in Act II, when Jack’s beanstalk brings them a visit from an angry giant, we see how the consequences of their actions haunt them in disastrous ways. The community must come together to save each other and their kingdom, but sacrifices must be made.
CAST:
Character: Actor
Narrator: Athena Hernandez
Cinderella: Josie Boutte
Jack: Truman Gouldsmith
Jack's mother: Aubri Stewart
Baker: Nathan Le
Baker's wife: Kiley Hoaglin
Cinderella's stepmother: Rebekah Perry
Florinda: TiJhana Hines
Lucinda: Lealani Pese
Little Red Riding Hood: Megan Lyon
Witch: Gabrielle Vaoifi
Cinderella's mother/Snow White: Katelyn Ward
Mysterious man: Jabari Watson
Wolf: K.J. Pau
Granny: Kylee Cox
Rapunzel: Kailey Swanson
Rapunzel's prince: Andrew Colyer
Cinderella's prince: Jonathan Barker
Steward: Garrett Corn
Giant/Sleeping Beauty: Sabrina Menges
Hansel: Emmie Esch
Gretel: Mallory Harp
– Compiled by Mike Genet