INTO THE WOODS to Open South Coast Repertory's 63rd Season

South Coast Repertory opens its 63rd season with a new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Into the Woods, running Sept. 12 through Oct. 18 on the Segerstrom Stage. Directed by Peter Rothstein, with musical direction by Wiley Deweese, the popular Tony Award-winning musical—part of SCR's American Icons series honoring artists who reshaped American culture—marks its 40th anniversary this year.

This is SCR’s first production of Into the Woods and its eighth by Sondheim. The run, originally scheduled through Oct. 10, has been extended through Oct. 18.

“Into the Woods is an astonishing musical—theatrical, magical, haunting and transportive,” said Ivers. “Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine weave together complex tales we think we know and dare to ask ‘what comes after happily ever after?’ Featuring a glorious multi-layered score, it’s a feast for the senses and a loving reminder of why Sondheim occupies a singular place at the top of our American composers.”

The Musical

When the Baker and his wife venture into the forest to break a witch’s curse, they encounter Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Jack (of beanstalk fame)—and familiar tales take on clever new lives. But be careful what you wish for, because “happily ever after” is never the whole story. This poignant musical comedy masterpiece celebrates its 40th anniversary with a fabulous new SCR production featuring 12 actors instead of the customary 18 or more. Ivers described Into the Woods as “an absolute masterpiece.”

Sondheim’s witty, enchanting score and Lapine’s imaginative, dark book combine to make Into the Woods one of American theatre’s most beloved musicals. A two-time Grammy Award winner for Best Musical Theatre Album, Into the Woods features memorable songs such as “No One is Alone,” “Agony,” “Children Will Listen,” “Last Midnight” and “Giants in the Sky.”

Into the Woods premiered in December 1986 at The Old Globe in San Diego, before opening on Broadway the following November. Lapine, who wrote the book, directed the original Broadway production that captured three Tony Awards from its 10 nominations, winning for Best Original Score, Best Book of a Musical, with Joanna Gleason receiving Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical. The play’s 2002 Broadway revival would receive two more Tonys: for Best Revival of a Musical and for Best Lighting Design. Laura Benanti, who will appear on SCR’s stage later this season in her one-woman comedy show with music, Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares, was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Supporting Actress in the same revival.

In his review of the original Broadway production, Allan Wallach of Newsday wrote, “Into the Woods blends imagination and playfulness in its own very special proportions. By the end, the musical arrives at a clearing in the woods illuminated by autumnal shafts of wisdom, but not before it has followed a path strewn with wit and the beguiling songs we’ve come to expect from Sondheim.”

Appel adds, “Our fairy tale heroes of Into the Woods begin the story each on a quest for their own happiness. But as our incredible director Peter Rothstein pointed out at first rehearsal, the great Steven Sondheim once said, ‘A folktale without a moral is merely a whimsy.’ Among Sondheim and Lapine’s morals is ‘the notion of community responsibility.’ At South Coast Repertory, we ask Orange County to choose to include South Coast Repertory in your community as we kick off our largest season since the COVID pandemic with this glorious musical.”

The Cast

Into the Woods features Cooper Lee Bennett (Rapunzel’s Prince/Steward), Michael Austin Deni (Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf), Christian Tyler Dorey (Jack), Chamblee Ferguson (Narrator/Mysterious Man), Becca Claire Hart (Rapunzel/Florinda), Danielle Hope (The Baker’s Wife), Amanda Naughton (Cinderella’s Stepmother/Granny/Giant), Valerie Perri (The Witch), Mia Pinero (Cinderella), Dylan Saunders (The Baker), Katy Tang (Jack’s Mother/Cinderella’s Mother) and Hailey Truong (Little Red Riding Hood/Lucinda).

The understudies are Garrett Thomas Deagon (Narrator/Mysterious Man, Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf, Rapunzel’s Prince/Steward, Sierra Jimenez (Cinderella/Rapunzel), Alexandra Melrose (The Witch, Cinderella’s Stepmother/Granny, Jack’s Mother/Cinderella’s Mother), Franca Rosenblatt (The Baker’s Wife, Little Red Riding Hood/Lucinda) and Jake Stiel (Jack, The Baker).

Six of the 12 cast members – Bennett, Deni, Naughton, Perri, Saunders and Tang—are familiar faces to Southern California audiences, having appeared at East West Players, the Hollywood Bowl, Pasadena Playhouse, Musical Theatre West, The Mark Taper Forum, Boston Court, La Mirada Theatre and Laguna Playhouse.

Rosenblatt and Stiel, currently graduate students at UC Irvine’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts, are understudying through “The Next Stage,” a partnership between SCR and UCI.  This is the second year of the partnership, which has expanded from seven apprenticeships in last winter’s Rep of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage to 15 apprenticeships across SCR’s 2026-27 season.

The Creative Team

The design and creative team includes Adam Koch, scenic design; Danielle Nieves, costume design; Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz, lighting design; Noel Nichols, UptownWorks, sound design; Greg Emetaz, projection design and Michael Polak, intimacy consultant. Talia Krispel is the production stage manager. Casting is by The Telsey Office, Rose Bochner, CSA and Brian Sutow, CSA.

 Tickets are now on sale and range in price from $40 to $138, with additional discounts available for educators, seniors and theatregoers ages 25 and under. Tickets may be purchased online at www.scr.org or by phone at (714) 708-5555. More information is available at www.scr.org.

Special Events

·Post-Show Discussions: 

o   Actor Talks with members of the cast: Wednesday, Sept. 23 and Thursday, Oct. 1.

o   Terrace Talk, a new feature for this season. SCR is taking our popular Actor Talks outdoors under the stars for a more casual, interactive experience: Friday, Oct. 9

o   Community Conversation, a presentation and discussion surrounding a theme specific to Into the Woods, Sunday, Sept. 27.

• Inside the Season: Saturday, Sept. 26 from 10:30 a.m.-noon.

Led by members of SCR’s literary staff, this lively 90-minute session includes in-depth interviews with cast members and artists from the production staff, revealing secrets and offering insights into each play. Tickets are $14 and may be purchased in advance or at the door.

·ASL Interpreted Performance: Saturday, Oct. 10 at 2 p.m.

Location: South Coast Repertory is located at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, at the Bristol Street/Avenue of the Arts exit off the San Diego (405) Freeway in the David Emmes/Martin Benson Theatre Center, part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Parking is available on Park Center Drive, off Anton Boulevard.

2026-27 Upcoming Productions: Into the Woods, Sept. 12-Oct. 18, 2026; Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares, Oct. 8-11, 2026; Blind Runner, Oct. 18-Nov. 8, 2026; A Christmas Carol, Nov. 28-Dec. 27, 2026; Mother Russia, Jan. 22-March 20, 2027; The Importance of Being Earnest, Jan. 23-March 20, 2027; How I Became a Pirate, Feb. 19-March 7, 2027; Three-headed Monster, April 4-May 2, 2027; The Ingenue, April 18-May 9, 2027; Hamlet, May 8-June 5, 2027; Hershey Felder’s Great American Songbook Sing-Along!, July 3, 2027; Hershey Felder, BEETHOVEN, July 6-18, 2027; Hershey Felder, Love Notes, July 21-Aug. 1, 2027.

SCR’s annual showcase of new works, the Pacific Playwrights Festival, runs April 30-May 2, 2027..

Need more Costa Mesa Theatre News in your life?
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...