SOMERS POINT – Following a tremendous response to auditions with more than 100 people vying for a role, Gateway Playhouse of Somers Point will present Stephen Sondheim’s classic musical “Into the Woods” Sept. 25 through Oct. 5 with two casts.
For the first time ever, Gateway will have Thursday night performances in addition to Friday and Saturday evenings, plus Sunday matinees.
With words and music by Sondheim and book by James Lapine, “Into the Woods” beautifully blends the plots of multiple Brothers Grimm fairy tales, with main characters taken from “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Rapunzel,” and “Cinderella.” The musical revolves around a childless baker and his wife who, in order to conceive, must venture deep into the woods to find an array of magical items – a white cow, a red cape, yellow hair, and a gold slipper — to break a curse.
“Into the Woods” is a brilliant theatrical dichotomy. It’s a bright and lively fantasy, but one that also dives into the darker side of fairy tales, prompting the characters to question what really happens following “once upon a time.”
“‘Into the Woods’ is about dreams, choices and consequences, and ultimately, how we learn to face the unknown together,” said Phil Pallitto, Gateway’s artistic director and the director of this show. “At its heart, ‘Into the Woods’ is about community. It asks: ‘What do we do when the stories we told ourselves no longer hold up?’ And ‘how do we stand together when the world feels broken?’
“In a time when division often feels easier than unity, ‘Into the Woods’ challenges us to find strength in connection, compassion and the stories we share.”
Pallitto is challenging his talented casts to bring their unique interpretation to each role and to avoid becoming a “carbon copy” of popular actors and actresses, such as Vanessa Williams and Bernadette Peters, who have famously performed some of Sondheim’s most beloved characters from the show in other stage and screen versions, as well as to endeavor to make them relevant for today’s audiences.
Two cast members who are embracing the challenged are Molly Pugliese as Cinderella and Toni Ann Pugliese as Cinderella’s mother – a real-life mother-and-daughter team from Egg Harbor Township. Both have serious acting and performance shops, as mom Toni Ann was the original “Molly” in the 1982 movie “Annie” starring Carol Burnett, and daughter Molly is currently Miss South Jersey 2025 within the Miss America Opportunity.
“Into the Woods” marks the first time that the Gateway will have performances on Thursdays. The customer-focused decision was finalized by Gateway’s board after discovering that audience demand for tickets this season has far surpassed expectations.
“Audience satisfaction is our No. 1 priority, so we listened to their feedback and are happily opening up our theater on Thursday nights for ‘Into the Woods’ to satisfy the demand,” said Katie Calvi, board president. “We are so excited to offer this additional night to Gateway audiences and truly give them what they’re asking for.”
“Into the Woods” takes place 7 p.m. Sept. 25-27 and Oct. 2-4, 2 p.m. Sept. 28 and Oct. 5. Tickets for “Into the Woods” are $25 at GatewayByTheBay.org and at the Karen S. Sutherland Box Office. Gateway Playhouse is located at 738 Bay Ave., Somers Point. For info, go to GatewayByTheBay.org.
About Gateway Playhouse:
Since its reopening in 2017, Gateway Playhouse, a 501-(c)3 nonprofit, has provided quality and affordable year-round entertainment to residents and visitors alike, as well as offered educational opportunities to grammar and high school students, in the hopes of creating future generations of actors, directors and audiences. Aside from an annual mainstage season, the Gateway also produces a variety of comedy and cabaret shows throughout the year.
At top, Rebecca Worthington and Danielle Cordivari portray the Baker’s Wife and Cinderella, respectively, in Gateway Playhouse’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s classic take on popular fairy tales ‘Into the Woods.’
