Company C turns fairy tales on their ears in its third production of the season.
The Canadian College of the Performing Arts’ third-year-student performance company pitches Into the Woods on stage starting Jan. 28.
The Stephen Sondheim play reintroduces classic fairy tale characters just after the “and they lived happily ever after.”
“It’s not the children’s story version,” said Caitlenn Bull, who for this performance works on sets and plays mom for both Jack and Cinderella in the performance.
“The characters all really have these in-depth sides to them.”
Things start rosy and fairytale-like in the first half, said R.J. Peters, production manager and mentor in light design and set design. Then it explores the reality of what the characters’ dreams fulfilled – and the consequences – look like.
“It gets a little dark,” Peters said.
Into the Woods is directed by renowned Canadian actor and director Sara-Jeanne Hosie.
“Sara-Jeanne Hosie is well known. We were thrilled she was able to come and work with our students,” Peters said. “This is Into the Woods like you have never seen it before.”
Hosie’s credits include Godspell (Arts Club in Vancouver), The Buddy Holly Story (Chemainus Theatre Festival), and My Fair Lady (The Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre).
Sarah Carlé, a local musical theatre treasure and alum of 2005’s original Company C that staged Into the Woods, will also make an appearance in the show she first did with CCPA a decade ago.
“We’ve come full circle,” Bull said.
Quite literally.
They’ve built two-storey structures to add vignette spaces to the Elgin Road performance hall and borrowed the Belfry’s revolving stage. The audience will fill risers on opposing sides.
“We’re doing it in a round in a sense. The audience will really feel immersed,” Bull said.
Note that Into the Woods contains scenes of death and some sexual themes.
Performances run Jan. 28 to Feb. 6 in the CCPA performance hall, 1701 Elgin Rd. For tickets and ticket information, visit ccpacanada.com or call the box office at 250-595-9970.