CLU presents unique 'Into the Woods'

Musical features Asian elements, medieval costumes

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Jaime Andrikopoulous as Little Red Riding Hood, Skyler Butenshon as Jack, Rachel Lichtman as the Baker’s Wife and Alex Cerri as the Baker try to protect themselves from the Witch, played by Amanda Wallace.

Photo: Jonathan Castillo

(THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – April 9, 2009) Twenty years after “Into the Woods” won some of the biggest Tony Awards on Broadway and the equivalent Olivier Awards in London, California Lutheran University will bring the collection of Grimm's Fairy Tales to life with unique Asian elements and medieval costumes from April 30 through May 3 at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.

Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack of the beanstalk fame, and other characters must journey into the woods to get their heart’s desire. They initially find “Happily Ever After”, but are later challenged by their choices and forced to confront what really matters in life. “Into the Woods” is full of humor, irony and tender humanity.

While the CLU show uses the original music and lyrics of Stephen Sondheim, the production differs in several ways. Veteran actor and director Joshua Finkel, who studied extensively in the Japanese method of actor training created by Tadashi Suzuki, has incorporated a distinctive combination of Asian theater elements including set design, puppetry and Kabuki-esque split-screen sequences that assist with the magical storytelling in the script.

The story is set in the true Grimm’s Fairy Tale time of the Middle Ages so the elaborate costumes were designed in medieval and Renaissance styles.

“It's not the usual 1800s rendition or a 1950s Disney takeoff,” Finkel said. “It feels more organically true to the period and tales of the Grimm Brothers.”

Finkel brings a wealth of experience to the production. He starred opposite Chita Rivera and Vanessa Williams on Broadway in “Kiss of the Spider Woman” and played Thenardier in “Les Miserables.” His directing credits include the Los Angeles premiere of “The Spitfire Grill.” He currently directs, choreographs and stars in “Hollywood Revisited,” in which Broadway stars perform in original Hollywood movie costumes.

For “Into the Woods,” Finkel has brought together a talented cast of 23 actors and a 17-member orchestra from CLU.

Performances are scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 30, through Saturday, May 2, and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 3. Tickets are $25 for general admission and $10 with a CLU I.D. They are available at the Civic Arts Plaza Box Office or by calling (805) 449-2787.

The show will be held in the Janet and Ray Scherr Forum Theatre. The Civic Arts Plaza is located at 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard.

The Theatre Arts and Music departments are presenting the show as part of CLU’s Third Annual Festival of Scholars. For more information, call (805) 493-3415.

For a video overview of the making of Into the Woods, click here.

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