Central Theatre Ensemble to present 'Into the Woods' beginning Friday

ELLENSBURG — The Central Theatre Ensemble will be presenting its spring 2023 musical “Into the Woods”, beginning Friday, May 12, at 7:30 p.m. in McConnell Auditorium on the CWU campus.

The Stephen Sondheim production, directed by Dr. Emily Rollie, will also be shown May 13 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., May 18-20 at 7:30 p.m., and May 21 at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at Wildcat Tickets. Prices are $20 for general admission and $18 for CWU students, K-12 students, and senior citizens.

CWU Musical Director Callum Morris has been working alongside Rollie to present Into the Woods, described as a musically sophisticated show that features actors who are adept at dark comedy. Designers will especially enjoy highlighting the fantastical elements of this magical word.

The popular Broadway musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests. The main characters are taken from “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Rapunzel,” and "Cinderella,” plus several others.

The story, written by James Lapine, follows a baker and his wife, who wish to have a child; Cinderella, who wishes to attend the King's Festival; and Jack, who wishes his cow would give milk. When the baker and his wife learn that they cannot have a child because of a witch's curse, the two set off on a journey to break the curse. Everyone's wish is granted, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later with disastrous results.

The musical opened on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theatre in 1987, and closed on September 3, 1989, after 765 performances.

“Into the Woods” was the second collaboration between Sondheim and Lapine after ”Sunday in the Park with George” (1984). The musical won three major Tony Awards—Best Book, Best Score, and Best Actress in a Musical—in 1988, a year that was dominated by ”The Phantom of the Opera.”