Village Theater KIDSTAGE Presents INTO THE WOODS 1/9-1/18

Village Theatre KIDSTAGE TeenSelect produces Into The Woods, running January 9-18, 2009 at First Stage Theatre. Into the Woods tells a story that combines all of your favorite fairy tale characters and brings them to life in a brand new way. Featuring the talents of local kids between the seventh to twelfth grades, KIDSTAGE will reinvent the story of the Baker and his wife as they learn they've been cursed by the witch next door and are sent on an adventure to gather the special objects to break the spell that will allow them to have a child. Although many wishes are granted, these characters begin to understand that the consequences of their actions and desires may return to haunt them later, with disastrous results. What begins as a lively fantasy becomes a moving lesson about community responsibility and the stories we tell our children.

Originally conceived for 17 actors, the KIDSTAGE TeenSelect production boasts a cast of 29. Director Kat Ramsburg comments, "We have had to do some creative reassigning of parts as well as adding an ensemble. What's great about this cast is that they are so young. There was a great exodus of KIDSTAGE kids leaving for college this past fall, and what emerged were an amazingly talented group of kids who have been faithfully performing in the chorus and taking classes, waiting for their turn to play the lead."

Returning to the role of KIDSTAGE director for the first time since directing Seussical in 2006, Ramsburg is not only a Mainstage actor-most recently seen on stage as the understudy for Jo in Little Women-but she has also been a KIDSTAGE class instructor since 2000. "Some actors don't like to teach and direct, but I love it just as much as performing. You get a hand in raising the next generation of performers," Ramsburg comments.

Ramsburg has worked to encourage these young actors to develop a sense for the kind of dedication it takes to create a great show. "I've been amazed at how much work they are doing outside of our rehearsals. We have a saying, ‘Rehearsal is for the theatre, practice is for home,' meaning that we can't accomplish everything we want to if we all don't put in extra effort outside of our rehearsals. We teach them something and expect for them to come back to our next rehearsal with it better than when we left off," Ramsburg comments. And, because KIDSTAGE is not only about producing a show, but more about the learning experience along the way, these lessons are essential throughout the process. Ramsburg continues by saying, "Into The Woods offers kids an opportunity to develop those skills to a fuller extent than some other shows out there because it is a challenging piece both in plot and in musicality."

KIDSTAGE TeenSelect's production of Into The Woods boasts a phenomenal creative team made up of theatre professional who frequently work in varying roles for Mainstage productions. R.J. Tancioco (music directing Stunt Girl this spring) is our music director and Kristin Culp (performed in AIDA) is our choreographer. Both have done extensive work with Mainstage and are KIDSTAGE instructors.

KIDSTAGE TeenSelect's production of Into The Woods is a full scale musical directed by Kat Ramsburg with scenic design by Pat Leo; music direction by R.J. Tancioco; lighting design by Joseph Bennett, choreographed by Kristin Culp; and costume design by Chelsea Blum.

Tickets: $12-$14 - ON SALE NOW
Box Office: (425) 392-2202 or www.villagetheatre.org

About Village Theatre KIDSTAGE:

Designed to encourage teamwork, personal integrity, self-esteem, and a life-long appreciation for live theatre,

KIDSTAGE is a year-round performing arts training program in Issaquah and Everett for young people ages 3-20. KIDSTAGE students participate in classes, workshops and full-scale KIDSTAGE productions. All performances are by KIDSTAGE students and classes are taught by professional theatrical instructors.

About Village Theatre

Village Theatre is a leading producer of musical theatre in the Pacific Northwest. What began in 1979 with the vision of a small group of dedicated theatre artists has grown into one of the region's best-attended resident theatres, with over 18,000 subscribers to the current season and 165,000 projected total attendance, youth education programs serving over 54,000 young people, families, and schools annually, and a nationally recognized program that has enabled the development of over 80 new musicals. Serving an expanding and diverse community, Village Theatre has experienced phenomenal growth in recent years with the start of our contract as the resident performing and management company at the Everett Performing Arts Center in 1998.

Mission of Village Theatre:

· To be a regionally recognized and nationally influential center of excellence in family theatre

· To promote a season of top quality productions

· To commission and produce new musicals that achieve national exposure

· To train young people in theatre skills for career opportunities and enriched lives

· To develop a broad based appreciation for live theatre

· To promote positive values through art

KIDSTAGE is made possible, in part, by City of Issaquah, Everett Cultural Commission, Fluke, Kobe Foundation, Snohomish County Tourism, Tulalip Tribes, US Bancorp, and Washington State Arts Commission.