Shadowbox Live to Present INTO THE WOODS, Begin. 2/16

Shadowbox Live is tossing the storybook out the window and taking a stroll down a dark, forested path with its retelling of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods, the hit musical that proves "Happy Ever After" doesn't always guarantee a happy ending.

Into the Woods, a multiple Tony Award winning show, takes popular characters from Brother's Grimm fairy tales and places them in the same adventure, where their stories collide in the feared woods surrounding their kingdom. What appears to be a happily ever after conclusion to Act 1 quickly turns dark as the heroes and heroines learn that wishes granted have consequences.

"People often think of fairy tales in black and white terms," says Stev Guyer, Executive Producer of Shadowbox Live. "Good is good, and evil is evil. Our goal with Into the Woods is to show that perceptions of good and evil are always circumstantial."

In addition to the already dark themes present, Shadowbox Live kicks it up another notch by taking a unique approach to the look of the production. The look of the often-traditional fairy tale characters and their surrounding world will all be heavily influenced by Steampunk, a popular style mashup that typically features elements of machinery and Victorian-era clothing.

"The costumes and set pieces are truly extraordinary," says Guyer. "It really puts an unexpected spin on the entire feel of theses stories the audience thinks they already know. Steampunk styled gypsies and animals roam the stage, making the woods much more unsettling."

Adding to the dark fantastical feel are beautiful and almost creepy life size puppets by local artist, Nikos Fvodor Rutkowski, whose work was also a key part of Shadowbox Live's 2013 production, Underland. Three "characters" from the Jack and the Beanstalk story will be portrayed by Rutowski's puppets, Jack's cow Milky White, the Goose that laid the golden egg, and the giant's harp.

"We all grew up hearing the stories that make up Into the Woods," says Guyer, "but I promise, you've never seen them like this."

Gather your courage and take that dark, branchy path through the trees. Something unexpected just may lay beyond the next bend. Join Shadowbox Live for Into the Woods!

Shadowbox Live presents the musical Into the Woods, opening on Sunday, February 16 at 7:00 PM, and running Sundays at 2:00 & 7:00 PM through June 8. No performances on April 20, May 4, or May 25. Tickets are $25 / $20 for students and seniors. For more information and reservations, call theShadowbox Live Box Office at 614-416-7625 or go online at www.shadowboxlive.org.