Foote in the Door Theatre is ready to sweep you into a fairytale world with its production of Into the Woods.
The ensemble show follows the characters of Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack from Jack and the Giant Beanstalk and more, as they make wishes and deal with the consequences of their actions. The show was supposed to run in May 2020, but was postponed until now.
“It’s nice to be back as a family,” says Ruth Wong-Miller, co-founder and producer of Foote in the Door Productions, and Cinderella in Into the Woods. “I think people are just excited to get back in front of an audience and have that live energy that you get from being in the theatre as an artist, but also as an audience member.”
Foote in the Door Productions refrained from doing digital theatre during the pandemic because Wong-Miler emphasizes Foote in the Door’s strength is providing an exciting live experience. The cast started rehearsing in October with COVID safety measures in place to protect them, such as mandatory masks in rehearsals, double vaccinations and limiting socialization outside rehearsals.
Wong-Miller says the theme of the show is especially important during times like these. She quotes the lyrics, “Hard to see the light now. Just don’t let it go. Things will come out right now. We can make it so,” from the finale song “No One is Alone,” saying they resonate with the cast.
“It’s always going to be very emotional, even before the pandemic, but especially now. Each of us play a part in making things better, even though we don’t have control over what’s happening and that’s what this musical is about” says Wong-Miller.
“And with Cinderella, she opens the show with ‘I wish’ and she ends the show with ‘I wish,’ and I think at the end, it’s a wish full of hope. And that’s our wish from the cast to the audience, to say we wish you the best as you head into the world, into your own woods.”
Into the Woods runs from January 21 to 23 at the Westbury Theatre. Tickets are $27.01 for students and seniors, and $32.31 for adults. The theatre is operating at 50 per cent capacity and groups will be seated in their cohorts.
