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Into The Woods • May 2012 • Hampton Hill Payhouse

Overview

Our first show of 2012 is Into the Woods, 22nd-26th May 2012 at Hampton Hill Playhouse.

Into the Woods blends various familiar 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.

Our production is going to be set in a Blitz battered London in 1941, unashamedly giving the Regents Park child narrator device a Wizard of Oz spin. 

 

‘Into the Woods’ Cast Announced

Congratulations to you all!

Witch - Sue Chaperlin

Baker’s Wife - Louise Turnbull

Baker - Paul Cozens

Cinderella - Rhian Roberts

Little Red - Agnes Holland

Jack’s Mother - Julie Thomas

Cinderella’s Prince - Bryan Cardus

Rapunzel’’s Prince - Andy Clarke

Rapunzel - Nicki Burgess

Steward - Marc Batten

Wolf - David McWha

Clorinda - Kerry Magee

Florinda - Tracy Sorgiovanni

Step Mother - Lizzie Brignall

Mysterious Man – Martin Wilcox

Granny - Sarah Perkins

Cinderella’s Dad – Andy Yeates

Sleeping Beauty - Heather Bate

Snow White - Michelle Radcliffe

Narrator - TBC

Jack - Jon Warriss-Simmons

PRODUCTION TEAM

Director: Deb McDowell
Musical Directors: Carole Smith & Janet Simpson
Choreographer: Gemma Melhuish
Production Manager: Anne Campbell
Set and Design: Wes Henderson Roe assisted by Alan Emsden
Lighting: Ed Paget & team
Costumes: Suzy Deal, Terrie Creswell and team
Stage Management: Drew Barnes

SYNOPSIS

Into the Woods blends various familiar 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.

In the first act, the characters set out to achieve their goal of living "Happily Ever After" through familiar routes - Cinderella goes to the Ball and captures the heart of Prince Charming, Jack climbs the Beanstalk and finds a land of Giants and Gold, Little Red Riding Hood survives her clash with the wolf at Grandma's house, and Rapunzel manages to escape her tower with the aid of a handsome prince who climbs her long hair. The Baker and his Wife move through their stories while pursuing their own goal - the witch who keeps Rapunzel (revealed to be the Baker's sister) has put the curse on his house, and agrees to lift it if the Baker and his Wife can find the ingredients to help her reverse a spell which her mother has laid on her, keeping her old and ugly. Those ingredients are: A Slipper As Pure As Gold, which the Baker's wife gets from Cinderella, A Cow As White As Milk, which the Baker buys from Jack in exchange for the fateful magic beans, A Cape As Red As Blood, which the Baker gets from Little Red Riding Hood in exchange for freeing her and Granny from the Wolf, and Hair As Yellow As Corn, which they get from Rapunzel. The ingredients are gathered, and the spell works, stripping the Witch of her power, but restoring her beauty. At the end of Act I, all characters seem poised to live "Happily Ever After".
Act Two, however, deals with the consequences that traditional fairy tales conveniently ignore. What does one do with a dead Giant in the back yard? Does marrying a Prince really lead to a happy and fulfilling life? Is carving up the wolf the solution? Is the Giant always wrong? In Act Two, all the characters must deal with what happens AFTER "Happily Ever After". As they face a genuine threat to their community, they realize that all actions have consequences, and their lives are inescapably interdependent, but also that that interdependence is their greatest strength.

Our production is going to be set in a Blitz battered London in 1941, unashamedly giving the Regents Park child narrator device a Wizard of Oz spin.

Curtains • October 9th -13th • Hampton Hill Playhouse

Presentation - 8pm Thursday May 31st at St Mary's Hall

Workshops

Character & Choreography - 8pm Tues. 5 June at St Mary's Hall
Choreography / Audition Music Pieces - 8pm Weds. 13 June Raleigh Road
Audition Pieces / Choreography - 8pm Thurs. 14 June Raleigh Road
Audition Music / Choreography - 8pm Fri. 15th June Raleigh Road

Auditions - 12 noon Sun. 17 June - Vernon Hall

 

Production Team

Director Wesley Henderson Roe
Musical Director: Dave Roberts
Choreographer Jen Wettone
Assistant Director Marc Evans

Overview

Curtains is a musical with a book by Rupert Holmes, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and music by John Kander, with additional lyrics by Kander and Holmes.

Based on the original book and concept by Peter Stone, the musical is a send-up of backstage murder mystery plots.

Synopsis

It is 1950s Boston USA where a hoped for future Broadway Western, based loosely on the Robin Hood story, (as you would!) is on its final out-of-town try-out preview.

The producers have cast a famous actress in a lead role to create much needed additional interest.
Unfortunately as we watch the long awaited finale of act two (scene 23!) unfold it is clear that not only can she not sing, not dance nor act, but she can’t even remember her words!

As the curtain falls so does she, apparently overcome with emotion, or possibly food poisoning. However it is soon clear all is not right and she is then rushed to hospital as the cast disperse with impending gloom.
The Producers sit up all night to read the hoped for sparkling reviews, but as the first papers arrive the best of a woeful bunch says, ‘If you liked Oklahoma, stay there!’

The cast & crew reconvene to discuss what to do next when a young police inspector arrives to tell them that their leading lady is dead! Poisoned, most likely, by one of them.

He immediately sequesters the Theatre as a crime scene holding them all inside as possible witnesses or perpetrators.

As the company grapples with how to, or whether to, try to salvage their show, the inspector starts to investigate the murder. He has two passions in his life – Crime Fighting & (you guessed it folks) Musical Theatre! So while hunting out clues he offers support to the outrageously camp English Director in an effort to improve the show.

Sub-plots abound. The Composer was married to the Lyricist but she is now chasing the leading man. The union rep is the daughter of one of the producers – a tyrant of a woman who is going to see the show succeed whatever the cost. Cue second murder…..

You get the idea? Bags of fun and mayhem with larger than life characters and a fantastic score by Kander & Ebb (Flora the Red Menace, Cabaret, 70 Girls 70, Chicago, The Rink et al)

This was to be their finale collaboration as sadly Fred Ebb died before the show became a smash hit on Broadway with David Hyde-Pierce (Dr Niles Crane in Frasier) as the Inspector.

A classic ‘Show within a Show’ book by Rupert Holmes who, with John Kander, completed the lyrics after Fred died, it offers a medium sized chorus both comic acting and fifties style western dancing that is a riot of fun.