Imagine all your favorite children's books weaved into one magnificent tale, rife with drama, laughter, struggle, celebration...and a challenge of gigantic proportions!
Who will get what they dream of...and who will live? Yes, yes, we're talking some serious drama, but with lots of laughs, too. Are you wondering if any of your beloved character's dreams do come true?
That's a Reader's Digest teaser of what you'll wonder and experience when you see Aurora Theatre's rendition of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods, playing now through Sunday, April 17.
There are many truly outstanding actors in this performance, some I've had the pleasure of seeing perform in other plays and some who mesmerized and made me laugh for the first time. Not that they didn't before...it was just the first time I'd had the honor to see many of them.
If there was a single character who enraptured my attention, across the board—dramatic, funny and wholly entertaining—it was Shelli Delgado, who performed the roll of Little Red Riding Hood. She made me laugh with every line delivered, every exaggerated expression and by turning lemons into lemonade...rather, an enemy into a new cape.
Aurora Theatre's Into the Woods is told through the eyes of a youngster who finds a book in a library, where the show opens. Evan Jones plays the Narrator absolutely brilliantly. He's one of the best young actors I've seen in a long time. He's fully engaged, focused and easy to follow. Keep an eye on this young man's acting career...he's going places!
Jack's cow is a hilarious, laugh-out-loud prop, with more personality than perhaps I've ever seen in an inanimate creature. And the cow you see pictured above isn't the only rendition of this bovine you'll see during the performance. This cow, as white as milk, becomes "hell on wheels".
The the expertise of this performance encompasses talent in many disciplines. The acting, the singing (which is glorious!), the set, the costumes, the props, the lighting, the audio...everything about this show is world-class!
Caroline Arapoglou (Rapunzel), also in Aurora's award-winning Memphis, was not too long ago wedded with another of my favorite Atlanta actors, Nick Arapologu (Toxie, Princeton). Congratulations, you two! Caroline, you totally rocked that "hair as yellow as corn".
Another I've seen before and loved in the production was India Sada Tyree (Florinda) who I'd met when she was Nina in Aurora Theatre's Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. She's so delightful in person and brilliant on stage! Diany Rodriguez (Cinderella) also is magnificent. I had the honor of meeting her when she was in Informed Consent, and she too is delightful, and talented in range from a Native American leader (2015) to a beautiful fairy tale princess.
The whole of the cast is remarkable...they make you feel like you're in the fairy tale that's playing out on stage.
Brooke Owens interviewed Into the Woods set designer Jason Sherwood and one of the questions was about inspiration: "...our question was how can we take this hall of the greatest stories of all time and put it through a child's imagination and then let it get a bit out of control. There are some elements to the set that appear as one thing and then change or move in a way you didn't expect them to...to create a place that feels like you've got a handle on what's going on and then things radically change."
The set morphs time and again, for various characters and story arcs. Things indeed do radically change. Especially in Act II...
I've not seen Disney's 2014 cinema version of Into the Woods, which hosts a fantastic, well-known Hollywood cast. Aurora Theatre has successfully endeavored to make cast selections not only based on phenomenal acting skill, but also to cast actors who reflect the local citizenship. And this cast wholly represents the fact Aurora is Gwinnett County's only professional theatre.
A few words of wisdom, if I may...
Do not have a jumbo margarita across the street and then go straight to your seat in the theatre. The first act is nearly 1.5 hours. If you conduct such an act—as I did in haste—you're going to hear your mother's voice in your head for at least the last 20 minutes of Act I..."I told you to go before we left the house!"
On the wonderful side of that first hour and a half, by time the first act gives way to intermission, you feel like you've seen an entire musical...and indeed you have. The second act makes a departure from the land of fairy tales and goes in the direction of an epic fantasy battle. A battle! There are losses and there are heroes.
Is there a happy ending? You'll just have to go to Aurora Theatre by April 17 and experience the ending of this magical story for yourself. Just prepare to be whisked away to other times, other places and other realities...in a totally fun and entertaining way, of course.
Aurora Theatre wraps up its 2015-2016 Signature Series with I'm Not Rappaport, on stage May 5 through June 5. And they have LOTS of other programming, so visit their website to see what else might entertain you.
I'd like to offer a huge wanderlust ATLANTA "Thank you!" to Aurora Theatre and Brave PR for the tickets to the performance. As always, my posts are my own opinions. And my opinion is that Into the Woods is a fantastical, must-see show!
Who will get what they dream of...and who will live? Yes, yes, we're talking some serious drama, but with lots of laughs, too. Are you wondering if any of your beloved character's dreams do come true?
That's a Reader's Digest teaser of what you'll wonder and experience when you see Aurora Theatre's rendition of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods, playing now through Sunday, April 17.
 |
| Shellie Delgado and Googie Uterhardt "Into the Woods" | Aurora Theatre | Photo by Chris Bartelski |
There are many truly outstanding actors in this performance, some I've had the pleasure of seeing perform in other plays and some who mesmerized and made me laugh for the first time. Not that they didn't before...it was just the first time I'd had the honor to see many of them.
If there was a single character who enraptured my attention, across the board—dramatic, funny and wholly entertaining—it was Shelli Delgado, who performed the roll of Little Red Riding Hood. She made me laugh with every line delivered, every exaggerated expression and by turning lemons into lemonade...rather, an enemy into a new cape.
 |
| Wendy Melkonian, Evan Jones, Brian Walker "Into the Woods" | Aurora Theatre | Photo by Chris Bartelski |
Aurora Theatre's Into the Woods is told through the eyes of a youngster who finds a book in a library, where the show opens. Evan Jones plays the Narrator absolutely brilliantly. He's one of the best young actors I've seen in a long time. He's fully engaged, focused and easy to follow. Keep an eye on this young man's acting career...he's going places!
Jack's cow is a hilarious, laugh-out-loud prop, with more personality than perhaps I've ever seen in an inanimate creature. And the cow you see pictured above isn't the only rendition of this bovine you'll see during the performance. This cow, as white as milk, becomes "hell on wheels".
The the expertise of this performance encompasses talent in many disciplines. The acting, the singing (which is glorious!), the set, the costumes, the props, the lighting, the audio...everything about this show is world-class!
 |
| Caroline Arapoglou "Into the Woods" | Aurora Theatre | Photo by Chris Bartelski |
Caroline Arapoglou (Rapunzel), also in Aurora's award-winning Memphis, was not too long ago wedded with another of my favorite Atlanta actors, Nick Arapologu (Toxie, Princeton). Congratulations, you two! Caroline, you totally rocked that "hair as yellow as corn".
Another I've seen before and loved in the production was India Sada Tyree (Florinda) who I'd met when she was Nina in Aurora Theatre's Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. She's so delightful in person and brilliant on stage! Diany Rodriguez (Cinderella) also is magnificent. I had the honor of meeting her when she was in Informed Consent, and she too is delightful, and talented in range from a Native American leader (2015) to a beautiful fairy tale princess.
The whole of the cast is remarkable...they make you feel like you're in the fairy tale that's playing out on stage.
Brooke Owens interviewed Into the Woods set designer Jason Sherwood and one of the questions was about inspiration: "...our question was how can we take this hall of the greatest stories of all time and put it through a child's imagination and then let it get a bit out of control. There are some elements to the set that appear as one thing and then change or move in a way you didn't expect them to...to create a place that feels like you've got a handle on what's going on and then things radically change."
The set morphs time and again, for various characters and story arcs. Things indeed do radically change. Especially in Act II...
 |
| Shelli Delgado, Bernadine Mitchell, Kristin Markiton "Into the Woods" | Aurora Theatre | Photo by Chris Bartelski |
I've not seen Disney's 2014 cinema version of Into the Woods, which hosts a fantastic, well-known Hollywood cast. Aurora Theatre has successfully endeavored to make cast selections not only based on phenomenal acting skill, but also to cast actors who reflect the local citizenship. And this cast wholly represents the fact Aurora is Gwinnett County's only professional theatre.
 |
| Cast of "Into the Woods" | Aurora Theatre | Photo by Chris Bartelski |
A few words of wisdom, if I may...
Do not have a jumbo margarita across the street and then go straight to your seat in the theatre. The first act is nearly 1.5 hours. If you conduct such an act—as I did in haste—you're going to hear your mother's voice in your head for at least the last 20 minutes of Act I..."I told you to go before we left the house!"
On the wonderful side of that first hour and a half, by time the first act gives way to intermission, you feel like you've seen an entire musical...and indeed you have. The second act makes a departure from the land of fairy tales and goes in the direction of an epic fantasy battle. A battle! There are losses and there are heroes.
Is there a happy ending? You'll just have to go to Aurora Theatre by April 17 and experience the ending of this magical story for yourself. Just prepare to be whisked away to other times, other places and other realities...in a totally fun and entertaining way, of course.
Aurora Theatre wraps up its 2015-2016 Signature Series with I'm Not Rappaport, on stage May 5 through June 5. And they have LOTS of other programming, so visit their website to see what else might entertain you.
I'd like to offer a huge wanderlust ATLANTA "Thank you!" to Aurora Theatre and Brave PR for the tickets to the performance. As always, my posts are my own opinions. And my opinion is that Into the Woods is a fantastical, must-see show!
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