I had the pleasure to watch a sneak peak of Upstart Production’s “Into The Woods” musical during Tim Yap’s birthday party in Valkyrie. The cast are amazing! I’m so excited! Let’s all watch!
Know it: Written by James Lapine (Sunday In The Park With George, Falsettos) and living legend Stephen Sondheim (West Side Story, Gypsy, Sweeney Todd), Into The Woods intertwines the stories of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, and a host of other fairy tale characters into a lush, extravagant musical that, according to Time Magazine, “affords non-stop pleasure.”
Into The Woods opened on Broadway in 1987, and although that year was dominated by The Phantom of the Opera, it still managed to win numerous accolades, including Tony Awards for Best Score (for Sondheim), Best Book (for Lapine), and Best Actress (for Joanna Gleason, who played the Baker’s Wife). Since then, the show has rarely been absent from stages all around the world, each new version—including a recent NYC production starring Hollywood darling Amy Adams (Enchanted, Man of Steel)—earning yet more praise from critics and audiences alike.
For its fifth anniversary celebration, Upstart Productions Inc. presents a nature-inspired version of a well-loved modern classic: Into The Woods.
Kalikasan Garden
Into The Woods will be presented in Manila in the garden amphitheater known as Kasalikasan, a tree-lined “living art piece” in the heart of BGC. It is one of the few instances of a venue providing the main inspiration for a show. “When we did Forbidden Broadway in Kasalikasan in May 2014, it was a huge success,” explains Joel Trinidad, Upstart founder and director of the piece. “So we started thinking about what other shows we could do here to really take advantage of this beautiful space.” The idea for Into The Woods came almost immediately. “We’ve always loved the musical,” shares Upstart Managing Director Onyl Torres, who does double duty as Vocal Coach for the present production. “So why not do it in the actual woods?”
Surprise Celebrity Guests
Besides Noel Trinidad and Rachel Alejandro, another way that this particular production will be unique is in its use of celebrity guests. “We’ll have a different one for each of the eight performances,” shares Torres. “But we won’t tell audiences who is performing when—it’ll be a surprise.” It is a strategy that Upstart has used before and is happy to use again. “When we did it for Forbidden Broadway, no one had ever done it before,” explains Trinidad. “Now, other theatre companies are doing the same thing!”
But after countless actors, countless directors, and countless productions all over the world—including an upcoming Disney movie—does the musical have any surprises left for Manila audiences? Trinidad believes so. “There’s always something new to discover, something new to share,” explains Trinidad. “The material is just that good.”
Buy your tickets now at Ticket World, selected National Book Store, selected Robinsons, Ayala Malls, and Resorts World Manila Box Office!
INTO THE WOODS. Presented by Bonifacio Global City, AVIVA Global Marine Corporation, and OLX Philippines. In cooperation with The Picasso Boutique Residences and Plana Forma. Also brought to you by Interaksyon.com, Image Nation Photography, Mac Cosmetics, Lulu Swing Shoes, Citrusnap, Chalk, Metro Magazine, and Stanley Ong Photography.
Into The Woods is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).
All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.
421 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019.
Phone: 212-541-4684 Fax: 212-397-4684
www.MTIShows.com