INTO THE WOODS Will Open at Theatre on Bay in October

LAMTA has announced its next full-scale production: Into The Woods, by special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). Following the award-winning success of Spring Awakening, audiences are now invited to step into this dark yet dazzling masterpiece as Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's iconic musical comes to life on the Theatre on the Bay stage in Camps Bay from 24 October to 14 November 2026.

While the stage show remains a celebrated and beloved theatrical tour de force, the story was thrust into the global spotlight through the star-studded 2014 Academy Award-winning Disney film adaptation starring Meryl Streep as the Witch. This cinematic adaptation introduced Sondheim's brilliant score and intricate characters to millions of new fans worldwide. Now, Cape Town audiences have a chance to see this extraordinary production helmed by Director Sylvaine Strike. The multi-award-winning creative team includes Musical Director Amy Campbell, Set and Costume Designer Marcel Meyer, and Choreographer Naoline Quinzin. David Claasen serves as Sound Designer, Charl-Johann Lingenfelder oversees Sound Effects and Ambient Engineering, while Luke Ellenbogen is the production's Lighting Designer.

At its heart, Into The Woods narrative brilliantly pieces together the familiar Brothers Grimm tales of Cinderella, Little Red Hood, Rapunzel, and Jack and the Beanstalk in a thought-provoking adventure. Their stories are seamlessly woven together through a childless Baker and his wife who must venture deep into the forest to secure four magical ingredients required to break a vengeful witch's curse.

This musical, that premiered in the USA in 1986, subverts traditional storytelling by looking past the final page of the storybook. While Act One concludes with the characters seemingly securing their 'happily ever after”, Act Two introduces the devastating real-world consequences of their greed, deceit, and unbridled wishes. Forced to band together to save their community from an angry Giant, the characters confront deep themes of grief, parental responsibility, morality, and the enduring power of community.