Teen Actress Rachel G. Fox Visits Beck Center's INTO THE WOODS

Beck Center Teen Theater presents the Tony Award-winning musical Into the Woods February 25 through March 6, 2011 on the Mackey Main Stage. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays with a 10 a.m. student matinee on Thursday, March 3.

Based on classic fairy tales with the book by James Lapine and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Into the Woods tells the story of the baker and his wife who are cursed with childlessness by the witch next door. The desperate couple embarks on a quest to find the special objects needed to break the wicked spell. On their journey they encounter several storybook characters including Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Jack and the Beanstalk. In this fracturing of fairy tales, everyone's wish is granted but not always with a happy ending. Beck's production of Into the Woods incorporates revisions made by Lapine and Sondheim for the 2002 Broadway revival of this show, including a new song, dialogue, and a few new characters.

Featuring a cast of 26 Beck students ages 12 to 18, Into the Woods is directed by Jonathan Kronenberger, associate director of Theater Education at the Beck Center. "Into the Woods has long been a favorite of mine. I am excited that our students have the opportunity to explore such an enjoyable, yet challenging piece of musical theater," said Kronenberger. "To my knowledge, this is the first time Beck's annual teen show has been a full-scale musical. Woods - with its themes of growing up, the relationship between parent/child, and the increasing awareness of one's role in a community - are very relevant for this age."

After the matinee performance on February 26, the audience is invited to attend a special post-show reception to meet and greet the Woods cast and special guest, Rachel G. Fox, a former Beck Center theater student and now Hollywood actress who has appeared on television in That's So Raven, Hannah Montana, iCarly, and Desperate Housewives. She plays Chloe Patterson in the upcoming Jim Sheridan film Dream House, starring Daniel Craig, Naomi Watts, and Rachel Weisz, set for release in late 2011. Admission to the meet-and-greet is free, but a goodwill offering to benefit Beck theater education will be accepted.

Tickets for Into the Woods are $12 for Adult/Senior and $10 for Children/Student (18 and under). Special discounted rates are available for groups of 13 or more. For tickets, visit www.beckcenter.org or call 216.521.2540 x10. Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just 10 minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.

Beck Center's production of Into the Woods is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). The show is sponsored by Cox Communications and Music Is Elementary. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this production with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. This production is also generously supported by the public through a grant from Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

Beck Center for the Arts is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization that offers professional Theater Productions, arts education programming in dance, music, theater, visual arts, early childhood, and creative arts therapies, and gallery exhibits featuring regional artists. For more information about the Beck Center, visit www.beckcenter.org.

Photo Credit: rachelgfox.com

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