If you go "Into the Woods" today...
Extraordinary Concert to Support SPES
On May 28th and 29th, two branches of Vancouver's entertainment community, together with Christ Church Cathedral's Green Group and the Cathedral Guild for the Arts, will go "Into the Woods" as part of a special presentation to raise money for the continuing conservation and support of the restoration of Stanley Park.
Actor/director, Peter Huck and actor Christopher Shyer, one of the lead performers of CTV's hit show, Whistler are joining forces with other outstanding musical theatre talents, in a unique collaboration to present in concert, Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods as a benefit for the Stanley Park Ecology Society. When Shyer and Huck, who was the director and driving spirit behind the very successful September in the Cathedral with Sondheim, met on the set of Whistler, they discovered that they shared a passion for Sondheim's music, as well as a desire to "do something" to help the cause of restoring Vancouver's centerpiece, Stanley Park. From that encounter came this project.
The winner of three Tony awards, and five Drama Desk Nominations, Into the Woods features a clever blend of modern themes with characters from classic fairy tales, including Jack and the Beanstock, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel. The first act follows the characters' quest for "happily ever after," but in the second act "reality sets in where people leave you, people pass away and sometimes we're left to our own devices to make a go of it," explains Shyer.
Huck notes that the play's theme of considering choices and consequences is particularly relevant to the benefit for Stanley Park because of current global environmental concerns. "We need to make choices now that are going to drastically improve the lives of our children and affect our future in a positive way," he says.
The upcoming Into the Woods presentation will also feature David Adams, Melissa Dye, Sarah Gay, Sandra Head, Sarah Hattingh, Annabel Kershaw, Caitriona Murphy, Ingrid Nilson, Scott Perrie, Stellina Rusich, Cailin Stadnyk, Sanders Whiting and Colleen Winton, with music direction by Scott Knight of Vancouver's A Little Knight Music. Into the Woods will be performed at Christ Church Cathedral on May 28th and 29th at 8 pm.
Tickets are $20, and will be available at the door. For advance tickets or further information call: 604-682-3848 ext 30
(Some of my artwork will be featured in a slideshow on the night of the performances.)
Phil.
