READING PA – “Into The Woods,” a Tony Award-winning musical that follows the topsy-turvy journeys of familiar fairytale figures, opens April 4 (2025; Friday) and will run for six performances in the Reading Civic Theatre (the former Fox East theater), 4350 Perkiomen Ave. It features music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and the book by James Lapine.
The musical intertwines the plots of Brothers Grimm fairy tales – “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Rapunzel,” “Cinderella,” and others – and explores the consequences of the characters’ deepest wishes and quests.
There’s the baker and his wife, for example, who long to have a child. In attempting to fulfill that dream, they’ll deal with a witch who has placed a curse on them; Cinderella, who yearns to go to the king’s ball; and Jack, who needs his cow Milky-White to produce some milk.
Also within the magical forest are Little Red and a seductive wolf, Rapunzel, and a couple of princes, among others.
Tickets for “Into The Woods” cost between $25 and $35 per seat, and are available now for online purchase. Shows are scheduled for April 4-5 and 11-12 (Fridays and Saturdays) beginning at 7:30 p.m., and April 6 and 13 (Sundays) at 2 p.m.
Directed by Andrew Angstadt, “Into The Woods” showcases a multi-talented cast of performers. They include Pete Bourey, Amy Bourey, Nicole Angstadt, Mackenzie Buchter, Christopher Pastor, Louise Disch, MJ Phillips, Kelly Leibensperger, Brad Leer, Christopher Gleason, Amy Hudak, George Kovarie, Kirsten Bortz, Melinee Wilson, Katie Werner, Matthew Allen, Lauren Moyer, Josh Jarmoski, Betsy Chapman, Kate Ruppert, Joe Foering, and Allison Beck.
Looking Ahead to Future Shows
Reading Civic Theatre looks forward to entertaining the public at future shows as well. On its upcoming schedule, its website reports, are:
Rock of Ages, June 6-15. It’s a “jukebox musical built around classic rock songs from the 1980s, especially from the famous glam metal bands of that decade. The musical features songs from Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Steve Perry, Poison and Europe, among other well-known rock bands; and
Rent, the High School Edition, Sept. 5-14. It follows a year in the life of a group of poor young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. How these young artists negotiate their dreams, loves and conflicts provides the narrative thread to this ground-breaking musical.
Reading Civic Theatre, a non-profit community theatre organization, specializes in presenting quality Broadway style musicals in different venues throughout the Reading area.
Photos provided to Travels With The Post by Reading Civic Theatre
Warmth Draws Eagles Into Skies Over the Susquehanna