All-Star Cast Leads Audiences INTO THE WOODS, Opening Thursday Night at The Keeton Theatre

Directed by Kate Adams-with musical direction by Ginger Newman-The Larry Keeton Theatre will present Into the Woods, Stephen Sondheim's musical retelling of classic fairy tales, July 12- 28 at the Donelson venue. 

Appearing in the Keeton Theatre production are an all-star group of actors and actresses including Mallory Gleason as The Witch, Janette Bruce as The Baker's Wife, Anthony Just as The Baker, Laura Crockarell as Cinderella and Jonathan Perry as Jack.

Into the Woods blends several classic fairy tales and gives them a new zest while cautioning the audience "careful the things you say, children will listen…" The well-known characters of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Little Red Riding Hood are joined by the Baker and his Wife who have been cursed with childlessness by a witch and desperately want to break the curse.

Act One presents the intertwined stories of these beloved characters that end with Happily Ever After and Act Two shows us what follows when their stories have come to their known conclusions, and teaches several important lessons about parenting and community.

The show features a set designed by Jim Manning and costumes by Laura Higgins.

 "This show is so brilliantly written and truly shows off Sondheim's cleverness in interweaving lyrics with his music," Adams says. "It is wonderful watching this cast embrace the challenge of his work and have so much fun with it."

Also appearing in the show will be participants of the 2012 Keeton Summer Theater Camp who will also be presenting a pre-show of their own creation based on other Grimm brothers' fairy tales not featured in Into the Woods.

Performances on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m. Additional matinees geared towards younger audiences will feature only Act One of the show and will be at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for Children and Seniors.

Tickets for the Act One only matinees are $11.00. Into the Woods is presented without a meal.

The theater is located at 108 Donelson Pike in the FiftyForward Donelson Station building.

Pictured: Janette Bruce and Anthony Just/photo by Rick Malkin

Jeffrey Ellis is a Nashville-based writer, editor and critic, who's been covering the performing arts in Tennessee for more than 25 years. He is the recipient of the Tennessee Theatre Association's Distinguished Service Award for his coverage of theatre in the Volunteer State and was the founding editor/publisher of Stages, the Tennessee Onstage Monthly. He is a past fellow of the National Critics Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center and is the founder/executive producer of The First Night Honors, held during Labor Day Weekend, which honor oustanding theater artists in Tennessee in recognition of their lifetime achievements and includes The First Night Star Awards and the Most Promising Actors. Midwinter's First Night, held the first Sunday in January after New Year's Day, honors outstanding productions and performances throughout the state. Further, Ellis directed the Nashville premiere of La Cage Aux Folles, The Last Night of Ballyhoo and An American Daughter, as well as award-winning productions of Damn Yankees, Company, Gypsy and The Rocky Horror Show, with Ellis honored by The Tennessean as best director of a musical for both Company and Rocky Horror.

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