Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Toronto, Ontario - Opening January 15, Hart House Theatre is pleased to bring an audience favourite to our classic stage. Directed by Toronto theatre artist Jeremy Hutton and starring a large cast of trained, emergent talent, Into the Woods promises to be an energetic and eerie journey with the high production value to which Hart House Theatre audiences are accustomed.
Recently made into an award-winning film, Into the Woods is an all-ages, musical clash of fairy tales. Characters like Cinderella, Jack, Red Riding Hood and several others are shown just what would happen should all of their wishes come true. Worlds collide as wishes and quests meet a delightfully conniving witch on a dark journey Into the Woods.
We are honoured to have Jeremy Hutton return to Hart House Theatre to direct this project. His past work has earned him praise for creating thrilling, fast-paced and energetic productions. When coupled with Sondheim's incredible musical score, this is sure to be an instant hit.
When asked about his concept for the show and how it relates to the visual space, Jeremy had this to say:
"Into the Woods is, at its heart, a story about the way we tell stories. It questions what we tell ourselves and what we tell our children about the world around us. Moreover it's a play about the stories we neglect to tell, and the uncomfortable details we tend to omit. Storytelling is at the heart of this piece; as is the inexorable passage of time, and so the design team and I wanted to find a device that would combine the art of unconventional story telling within the looming presence of each passing midnight.
We pictured a gorgeously detailed piece of German clockwork. One of those hand-carved Victorian coo-coo clocks with figurines, and rolling scenery, and all sorts of automated surprises designed both to keep precise time, and to tell a quaint, well-known story through the various mechanized elements of its artifice. So the narrator (our storyteller, our ring-master, and - in this case - our clockmaker) uses the detailed device he has made to tell these stories. In his hand is an intricate clock designed with painstaking labour. The stage itself is a life-sized version of the very same clock. As it strikes midnight, the clock comes to life and the story unfolds with each character being revealed as another element of the mechanical magic contained within."
Tasked with creating the magical world of twisted, clockwork fairy tales is the design team Joe Pagan (set), Michelle Tracey (costumes) and Simon Rossiter (lighting).
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by James Lapine
Directed by Jeremy Hutton
Music Direction by Giustin MacLean
Set Design by Joe Pagnan
Costume Design by Michelle Tracey
Lighting Design by Simon Rossiter
Choreography by Michele Shuster
Jan. 15-30, 2016
Week 1: Fri. & Sat., 8 pm
Week 2: Wed. to Sat., 8 pm
Week 3: Wed. to Sat., 8 pm and Sat., 2 pm
Postshow Talkbacks: Sat., Jan. 16 and Thurs., Jan. 21
Preshow Artist Chat: Sat., Jan. 30 at 1 pm
Tickets & Box Office
Single Ticket Prices
Adults: $28
Seniors: $17
Students: $15
$12 Student tickets every Wednesday night
UofTtix Box Office
416.978.8849
2015-12-14
Toronto: Hart House Theatre presents Sondheim's "Into the Woods" January 15-30, 2016