Gateway Playhouse To Present INTO THE WOODS SEptember 25– October 5
Production introduces Thursday-night performances for the first time due to audience demand.
Gateway Playhouse in Somers Point will launch its fall season with Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s beloved musical Into the Woods, running September 25 through October 5. Responding to overwhelming community demand, Gateway will, for the first time in its history, add Thursday-night performances to its schedule alongside Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees.
With music and lyrics by Sondheim and book by Lapine, Into the Woods interweaves the tales of Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, and Cinderella, as a childless baker and his wife journey into the forest to lift a curse by collecting a series of enchanted objects. The musical’s clever blend of whimsy and darkness examines what happens after “happily ever after,” exploring choices, consequences, and the resilience of community.
“Into the Woods is about dreams, choices, and consequences, but at its heart, it is about community,” said Artistic Director Phil Pallitto, who directs the production. “It challenges us to find strength in connection, compassion, and the stories we share, even when the world feels fractured.” Pallitto emphasized his direction encourages cast members to make the characters their own rather than replicating iconic portrayals by performers such as Bernadette Peters and Vanessa Williams.
Among the cast is a real-life mother-and-daughter team from Egg Harbor Township: Toni Ann Pugliese, who played the original Molly in the 1982 film Annie, takes on the role of Cinderella’s mother, while her daughter, Molly Pugliese—Miss South Jersey 2025—stars as Cinderella.
Gateway Board President Katie Calvi noted that the decision to introduce Thursday performances came directly from audience feedback: “Audience satisfaction is our number one priority. The demand for tickets this season has far surpassed expectations, and we’re thrilled to open the theater on Thursday nights to meet that need.”
Performances will take place at 7 p.m. on September 25–27 and October 2–4, with matinees at 2 p.m. on September 28 and October 5. Tickets are $25 and are available at GatewayByTheBay.org or at the Karen S. Sutherland Box Office.
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