“Into the Woods Jr.” offers a new twist on traditional tales

The Players Guild of Dearborn opens a teen production of “Into the Woods Jr.” at 7:30 p.m. July 17 to 20 at the playhouse, located at 21730 Madison in Dearborn.

            For $7 tickets, or more information, call 313-561-TKTS or go to playersguildofdearborn.org.

            The fractured fairy tale, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine, takes classic fairy tales and explores what happens on the way to “happily ever after.”

            Director Greg Viscomi said “Into the Woods” is one of his favorite musicals, and it is a good choice for the Guildlings’ teen contingent.

            “It has a great book, it has a great musical score that will challenge them vocally, and it will challenge them dramatically onstage,” Viscomi said.

            He said he hopes audiences will enjoy the interplay between Stephen Sondheim’s contemporary take on the characters from Grimm’s fairy tales. 

            “It is basically the first act of the original ‘Into the Woods,’” Viscomi said. “The second act of the original ‘Into the Woods’ is much darker, and so this stops at the end of the first act, where it ends with a very happy ending. It is lighter, more fun.”

            He said the interplay of the four stories coming together – Rapunzel, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Jack and the Beanstalk – shows how they end up intertwined, and it is enjoyable to audiences.

            “It is a bunch of people getting their wishes, but getting their wishes in different ways than they originally planned,” Viscomi said. “The more adult issue of the (original) story never come into play because we don’t get into the second act. This is a little more appropriate, and something the Guild felt strongly about doing with the teenagers.”

            He said the junior version of the show is appropriate for all audiences.

            Tim Carney of Livonia is the show’s producer, with Dearborn residents Julie Malloy as musical director and Suzy Greimel as choreographer.

            Dearborn residents in the cast are Scout Greimel, 14, as the Narrator; Joey Garza, 11, as Jack on Friday and Sunday, and Peter Moore, 12, as Jack on Thursday and Saturday; Ben Timpf, 18, as the Baker; and Joanna Frantz, 18, as Cinderella’s stepmother.

            Other Dearborn cast members are Heather Slanac, 14, as Lucinda, a stepsister; Lia Bertucci, 15, as Cinderella’s mother and Red Riding Hood’s Granny; Nathaniel Booth, 18, as the Big Bad Wolf; and Emma Scott, 15, as Rapunzel.

            Other Dearborn residents in the cast are Alec Sheldon, 16, as Cinderella’s Prince; Adriana Viscomi, 11, As Milky White; Mary Charara, 18, as Cinderella on Friday and Sunday; and Madelyn Kaplan, 15, as Cinderella on Thursday and Saturday; Casey Irwin, 17, as Jack’s mother; Marjorie Gaber, 16, as the Baker’s wife; Maria Viscomi, 15, as the Witch on Thursday and Saturday; Omar Alami, 15, as the Mysterious Man; and Henry Bierman, 15, as the Steward.

            Other cast members are Quinn Higgins, 13, of Northville as stepsister Florinda; Hailey Hayward, 13, of Wayne as Little Red Riding Hood Thursday and Saturday; Riley Klauza, 14, of New Boston as  Little Red Riding Hood Friday and Sunday; Ian Haas, 14, of Inkster as Cinderella’s father; Jennifer Lessnau, 16, of Livonia as the Witch on Friday and Sunday; and William Dunn, 17, of Taylor as Rapunzel’s prince.