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The City Theatre Prepares to Go Into the Woods, Starting August 19th

The City Theatre will step Into the Woods this summer when the arts group concludes its 2009- 2010 season with Stephen Sondheim's most popular and successful musical. Putting beloved fairy tale characters in a new light, the family-friendly production runs August 19th

through September 17th.

As the tale begins with "Once upon time, in a far-off kingdom, lived a fair young maiden, a sad young lad and a childless baker and his wife…," the musical tells the story of a baker and his wife who journey into the woods on a quest to lift a witch's curse. On the way, they cross paths with Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella and a menagerie of other fairy tale characters. They each pursue individual wishes until their stories become entangled in unexpected ways - revealing what happens after "happily ever after."

Sondheim's witty score includes enchanting musical theatre gems, including "Children Will Listen," "Giants in the Sky" and "No One Is Alone." Part of the musical team that created legendary works such as West Side Story, Gypsy and Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods remains one of Sondheim's most family-friendly works, winning three Tony Awards in 1988.

The cast features R. Michael Clinkscales as "The Baker," Michelle Cheney as "The Baker's Wife," Ashley Edwards as "The Witch," Sarah Tufts as "Cinderella," Liz Newchurch as "Little Red Riding Hood," Matt Boehm as "Jack," and Gil Austin as "The Narrator." The cast also includes Matthew Burnett as "Cinderella's Prince/Wolf," Glenna Bowman as "Jack's Mother," Kate Crowley as "Rapunzel," Derek Smootz as "Rapunzel's Prince," Rebecca Stokinger as "Cinderella's Step Mother," Robert Frazier as "Cinderella's Father," Lora Maeurer as "Cinderella's Mother/Giant," and Lindsay McKenna as "Granny" - with Kylie Baker and Lacy Prince as the evil stepsisters, and Clay Avery and Matthew Harper as the stewards.

Performances run Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for individual admissions, $35 for two admissions, $18 for seniors, $12 for students, $10 for children ten years of age and under. All Thursday night seats are $15.

The The City Theatre is located at 3823 Airport Blvd., on the east corner of Airport Blvd. and 38 ½ Street. For reservations and more information, call (512) 524-2870 or visit www.CityTheatreAustin.org.

(Image courtesy City Theatre)