²Into the WoodsÓ musical showcases March 14-16, 21-23

GOSHEN, Ind ¾ Does marrying a Prince really lead to a happy and fulfilling life? Is carving up the Big Bad Wolf the solution to life­s problems? Is the Giant always wrong? Traditional fairy tales, while nicely simple, sometimes ignore our questions about life­s complexities.

Goshen College­s Music and Theater Departments will perform a not-so-traditional fairy tale, the musical ²Into the Woods,Ó on March 14, 15, 21, 22 at 8 p.m., and March 16 and 23 at 3 p.m. in Umble Center.

²Into the WoodsÓ blends five of Grimms­ fairy tales with an original story of a childless baker and his wife who attempt to reverse a curse on their family in order to have a child. The show features stories and characters familiar to many from childhood ë ²Cinderella,Ó ²Rapunzel,Ó ²Little Red Rising HoodÓ and ²Jack the Giant KillerÓ ë in exploring what happens after ²happily ever after.Ó

Director Doug Liechty Caskey, a professor of theater, said, ²These are really adult stories, though very much for children as well. The first act is about everyone being in it for themselves. In the second act, the characters realize they have to work together as a community to solve problems. The second act parallels what life is like, because there is no happily ever after in life. It deals with the theme of ‰be careful what you wish for, or you might get it.­Ó

Assistant director and senior Tom Kelley (Goshen) said, ²In high school I thought I wanted to do musical theater; then I realized a lot of it is fluff. This is one of my favorite musicals. It isn­t all fluff, and the fluff that is there is intentional. The songs are so well created and the lyrics are interesting and unique.Ó

Debra Brubaker is music director and Jerry Peters is technical director for the production. With Kelley, Phoebe Brubaker (Mifflintown, Pa.) is also assistant director, and both are also actors, with this production fulfilling their senior theater recital requirements. Kelley­s role is acting coach for his peers, developing characters and leading rehearsal warm-ups. A history major, Brubaker is acting as the production dramaturge ë researching characters, fairy tale history and context for the musical.

Kelley is studying music and theater, so this production, with his role of acting and singing as the narrator and giving direction, is a synthesis of his interests and abilities. Said Kelley, ²The professors and directors have been so open to letting us take as much responsibility as we can handle. It has been such an educational experience!Ó

Said Brubaker, ²At times the collaborative directing has been quite chaotic, but it has been very creatively stimulating. We are thinking outside of the box about how theater can be done, and actors actually have input.Ó This is the first show in which Brubaker has been involved in every aspect of production from beginning to end.

With unusual results, a significant amount of fabric is being used to create the set. The material was donated from local businesses­ excess and discard piles.

Student Erin Bontrager (Jr., Goshen) is designing her first set and it presents unusual challenges. It includes 11 large moving parts, including eight layers of trees and props that fly onto the stage.

Twenty-two students make up members of the ensemble cast, giving everyone a distinct character that plays a part in the plot. There is no room for ²weak links,Ó according to Kelley.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and the story by James Lapine, ²Into the WoodsÓ has been the most-licensed Sondheim show for professional and amateur production. It won the 2002 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival.

²Into the WoodsÓ opened at the Martin Beck Theater on November 5, 1987 and ran for 764 performances. The original cast included Bernadette Peters, Joanna Gleason, Chip Zien and Tom Aldredge.

Umble Center is accessible to wheelchairs and people with other physical limitations.

Tickets are still available for all shows and cost $12 for adults and $6 for students and senior citizens over 65 years old. They can be ordered by calling (574) 535-7566 or emailing joannp@goshen.edu.

Goshen College is a national liberal arts college known for leadership in international education, service-learning and peace and justice issues in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program and exceptional educational value, GC serves about 1,000 students in both traditional and nontraditional programs. The college earned citations of excellence among U.S. News & World Report and Barron­s Best Buys in Higher Education. For more information, visit www.goshen.edu.

Editors: For more information, contact Jodi Hochstedler at (574) 535-7572 or jodih@goshen.edu.

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