Conservatory Theatre Company to Open Season with INTO THE WOODS

Familiar fairy tale characters, and a few new ones, get the musical treatment in Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award-winning 1986 musical, Into the Woods.

Point Park's Conservatory Theatre Company presents Into the Woods in the Rockwell Theatre at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, 222 Craft Ave. A preview performance on Thursday, October 15 at 8 p.m. is $12 or Pay-What-You-Want at the door, beginning two hours before curtain, subject to availability. Into the Woods will run Friday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 25. Performances start at 8 p.m., Thursdays- Saturdays with matinees at 2 p.m., on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are $12-24 and can be purchased by calling the Pittsburgh Playhouse box office at 412.392.8000, or at www.pittsburghplayhouse.com. Group, senior, and student discounts are available.

Once upon a time... The Baker and his Wife were struggling to put a bun in the oven, so to speak. When the Witch next door reveals the source of their problem, they set out on a journey to reverse the curse. Along the way, they encounter Little Red Ridinghood, Jack, Cinderella, some randy princes, a nefarious wolf, and plenty of other characters who teach them that anything really can happen in the woods. It's a parable about what we really get when we get what we want, set to a dazzling score by Stephen Sondheim.

Into the Woods debuted at the Old Globe Theatre in 1986 and premiered on Broadway on November 5, 1987, winning several Tony Awards that season, including Best Score, Best Book, and Best Actress in a Musical for Joanna Gleason's performance. Disney's film version, directed by Rob Marshall and starring Anna Kendrick, Meryl Streep, and Johnny Depp, was released in 2014 and nominated for several Academy Awards, among others. Music and lyrics are by Stephen Sondheim, book is by James Lapine.

Into the Woods is performed by the students of the Conservatory of Performing Arts at Point Park University. Zeva Barzell is director, Camille Villalpando Rolla is music director, scenic design by Britton Mauk, costume design by Cathleen Crocker-Perry, lighting design by Scott Nelson, sound design by Steve Shapiro, projection design by Jessi Sedon-Essad, and Jessica Kate Matthews is stage manager.

Zeva Barzell (Director) is a performer, director, and choreographer. Professional credits include Off-Broadway, regional theater, summer stock, dinner theater, daytime television, industrials and national voiceover work. She holds a B.F.A. from Ithaca College and an M.F.A. from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She has also trained in London, England and New York City where she resided for many years. She presently serves as musical theatre coordinator for the Point Park University musical theatre program. Proud member of Actor's Equity Association and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Recognized actor/combatant by the SAFD with Examiners award for excellence in unarmed combat.