(FAIR LAWN, NJ) -- The cow as white as milk, the cape as red as blood, the hair as yellow as corn, the slipper as pure as gold…these are the things you must remember to find as you go Into the Woods, which will be presented by Aspire Performing Arts Company from January 19-21, 2024 at the Fair Lawn Community Center.

Into the Woods features music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. The story is tied together by a story involving a childless baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family, their interaction with a witch who has placed a curse on them, and their interaction with other storybook characters during their journey.

Into the Woods premiered on Broadway in 1987 and won three major Tony Awards - Best Score, Best Book, and Best Actress in a Musical (Joanna Gleason). The show has enjoyed several revivals, including the most recent in 2022, as well as a 2014 Disney film adaptation.

Aspire PAC’s production of Into the Woods features two casts and stars Joshua Bienskie-Jackson and Aidan Sales as the Narrator, Matthew Abad and Jalan Royal as the Baker, Sarah Black and Noel Marootian as the Baker’s Wife, Gabi Elchoness and Gracie Nagle as Cinderella, Lexi Ciardella and Carolina Hunchak as the Witch, Rachel Perl and Hailey Shafer as Little Red, and Josh Cooper and Nathan Kossoy as Jack. Sophia Silvera and Anara Sullivan play Jack’s Mother, alongside Finn Behrens and Nolan Lardiere as Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf and Alex McEnroe as Rapunzel’s Prince.

Here are a few photos from rehearsals.

Rounding out the cast are 12 talented performers from across New Jersey including Rachel Breen, EJ Calabrese, Bryce De Jong, Charlotte English, Samantha Feit, Jacob Gonzalez-Lopez, Grace Henches, Fiona MacLean, Madeline Mauriello, Evelina Oliveri, Meghan Shay, and Jessica Stein.

The show is directed by Scott Baird, with musical direction by Rich Lovallo and choreography by Melanie Della Peruti. The show is produced by Aspire PAC Artistic Director Lisa Beth Vettoso. Rounding out the team is production manager Cheryl Wilbur and stage manager Brynn Buckley.

Performances are Friday, January 19 at 7:00pm; Saturday, January 20 at 2:00pm & 7:00pm; and Sunday, January 21 at 2:00pm. All performances take place at the Fair Lawn Community Center, located at 10-10 20th Street in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. To purchase tickets, visit aspirepac.ludus.com or call 201-220-4933.

Into the Woods is presented with permission from Music Theatre International (MTI). 

Aspire PAC, established in 2011, has earned a strong reputation in the Northern New Jersey area for its high-quality theatrical productions and professional arts experiences for local youth, teens, and young adults. Since 2016, Aspire has received 19 New Jersey Association of Community Theaters (NJACT) Award nominations, four Broadway World Regional Awards (50+ nominations), and 35 National Youth Arts Awards (50+ nominations).