CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE & DANCE PRESENTS INTO THE WOODS October 24 - November 3, 2019 Allen Theatre Mainstage, Playhouse Square Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and book by James Lapine www.playhousesquare.org<http://www.playhousesquare.org/multicategory/category/cleveland-state-university> | 216-241-6000 Find out why getting what you wish for doesn't necessarily mean "happily ever after." Directed by Russ Borski, and with musical direction by Maria DiDonato, this Tony Award-winning musical begins with "Once upon a time..." and tells the intersecting stories of several Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault fairy tales. Just when everyone's journey seems to be resolved, the characters' worlds are shattered, only to be recombined to show that nobody really lives "happily ever after." Audience members will recognize characters such as Jack and his beanstalk, Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Little Red Ridinghood. The story also has a Mysterious Man, a Witch, and a Narrator, among other colorful characters. "The musical features a cast of 22 undergraduates, based in the Department of Theatre and Dance, and the cast is inclusive of other departments such as Film, Music, and Education," says Borski. "Besides the brilliant music and lyrics of Mr. Sondheim, the story explores deeper issues between parent and child, and shows how personal decisions of desire and greed can cause collateral damage in the ones we love the most." The CSU cast includes Erin Ashdown (Lucinda), Tasha Brandt (Witch), Machala Comenschek (Jack's Mother), Kierstan Conway (Florinda), John Cox (Steward), Claudia Cromly (Baker's Wife), Chan Cunningham (Jack), Sonia Fonseca (Granny), Jaren Hodgson (Narrator), Libby Kendzerski (Cinderella), Alexander Koler (Cinderella's Prince), Zavier McLean (Wolf), Brooke Myers (Cinderella's Mother), Carter Nagy (Rapunzel's Prince), Emmett Podgorski (Cow Impostor), Maggie Raiff (Rapunzel), Sullivan Ratcliff (Baker), Mia Snyder (Giantesse), Suzanna Szabados (Cinderella's Stepmother), Jarrod Vullo (Cinderella's Father), and Katelyn Zeitz (Little Red Ridinghood). Show times are Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. $5-$15 tickets are available by calling 216.241.6000, visiting playhousesquare.org<http://www.playhousesquare.org/multicategory/category/cleveland-state-university>, or at the State Theatre Ticket Office, located at 1519 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115. Tickets are also available 60-minutes prior to performances at the Allen Theatre Complex. Thursday, Oct. 31 will be an American Sign Language (ASL) supported performance - use code ASL for a $5.00 TICKET. ASL Interpreters will be present to sign along with the performance on this character-filled Halloween evening!