What happens when all your favourite fairy tale characters meet? We find out in Stephen Sondheim's classic musical - Into the Woods.
When a baker and his wife learn they have been cursed with childlessness by a witch next door, they embark on a quest for the special objects required to break the spell.
They swindle Jack (the one who climbed the beanstalk), accost Cinderella and steal from Little Red Ridinghood and Rapunzel.
Along the way they meet an evil wolf, charming princes and wicked in-laws. But by the end of Act 1 everyone’s wishes have come true (well almost everyone’s!).
But little do they know that the fulfillment of their dreams would have consequences and in Act 2 their happy lives begin to unravel as their actions bring destruction and danger to the kingdom.
OPENING NIGHT - BLACK TIE GALAAll Dramatic Production's opening nights are black-tie affairs! We invite you to come dressed in your finest and enjoy a magnificent night of theatre!
DINNER & SHOWOur dinner and show package is with the fabulous Siren Bar. You must be seated for dinner by 6:15 to ensure your dinner service finishes in time to get to the show. Cut off for bookings are the day before the show.
Headshot and show photos by Pete Stiles
Richard arrived on the Canberra theatre scene late in life, somewhere between his 31st and 32nd birthdays. His first show was in Phoenix Players production of Kiss Me Kate in 2006, where he "Fell in love with theatre" and since then he has appeared in dozens of shows ranging from plays to musicals to pantomimes.
In 2010 Richard began his foray into producing shows as the Production Manager for Phoenix Players Disney's double bill - Cinderella and The Aristocats. He found managing two casts of about 50 children set him up to handle adult casts like "no other text book training could ever have". In 2012 he got his first chance direct with How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying as part of the Phoenix Players - Phoenix Rising Program.
In 2013 he performed leading roles in Ickle Pickle's production of Oliver! playing the "suitably sinister" Bill Sikes, as Frank Butler in Queanbeyan Player's Annie Get Your Gun and as understudy for the role of Javert in Canberra Philharmonic Society's Les Miserable.
In 2013 Richard launched the StageCenta website as a resource and information hub for the theatre scene.
In 2014 Richard established Dramatic Productions to co-produce The Rokitelly Man with Ickle Pickle Productions. And then in 2015 directed and produced The Last Five Years and teaming up with the ANU School of Music Into the Woods which won 3 Canberra Area Theatre awards. In 2016 Richard directed Dramatic Productions 4th show Catch Me If You Can.
2017 saw the last production directed by Richard, Sweeney Todd. Afterwards he would exclusively produce theatre, staging Heathers the Musical in 2018 and then The Producers in 2019, starring Daryl Somers (Hey Hey Its Saturday) and directed by Rachael Beck.
Veronica performs regularly as a singer predominantly in musical theatre and as a classical soloist. She studied music and German at the University of Sydney, and piano performance under Phillip Shovk. Between 1996 and 2009 she worked as a repetiteur, accompanist and choral conductor for individual musicians and choirs and currently works as a secondary Music Teacher.
Veronica has trained as a singer primarily with the wonderful Christina Wilson. Since moving to Canberra she has performed principal roles in musical theatre productions and sung in a range of recitals including for Art Song Canberra, the Canberra Choral Society and the Llewellyn Choir. Recent theatrical roles include ‘L a Speranza ’ in the ANU production of Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo and ‘Maria’ in The Sound of Music at The Q theatre, Queanbeyan. Veronica sings regularly with the highly regarded chamber choir Coro , which specialises in presenting challenging classical repertoire in new and innovative ways. Most recently Veronica was one of their soloists in Messiah , under conductor Joseph Nolan.
Veronica first saw I nto the Woods as a student, starring her twin brother at the Seymour Centre in Sydney and has been captivated by the humour, cleverness and complexity of the show ever since. She wishes to thank Richard Block for his energy and vision in bringing this show together and her kids, Jesse and Vicky, for helping her learn her lines.
Siân is a graduate of the Musical Theatre and Drama programme at Cumbria Institute of the Arts in the UK. She has undertaken roles such as Joanna in Sweeney Todd, Sarah in Guys and Dolls, Yum Yum in The Mikado.
She has sung in many classical concerts including Mozart’s Requiem and Gilbert and Sullivan's Trial by Jury. In her spare time she enjoys drinking earl grey tea and eating salty snacks!
Since being in Canberra she has performed in Forbidden Broadway with Free Rain and Under Milk Wood and Arcadia with Canberra Repertory Society.
Jessica Baker is a musical theatre graduate from the prestigious Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London, UK. A leading actress in many productions, some of her roles include Laurey in Oklahoma, Nancy in Oliver, Anne in Half a Sixpence, Cinderella in Into the Woods and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet.
She is also a singer/songwriter and plays the piano and guitar. As a dancer, Jessica was awarded a Gold Medal in Latin American and Ballroom Dancing and also has experience in ballet, jazz and tap.
Jessica teaches Drama and Musical Theatre at Canberra Academy of Dramatic Art. This is her first show in Canberra after moving here eight months ago, and she is extremely excited about performing with such a wonderful cast in a fantastic show.
Mackenzie Rae was born in Canberra and started dancing at the age of three with the Gungahlin Dance Academy, where she is currently a senior dancer. She started competing in troupe competitions at the age of 12 and shortly after entered into solo competitions in Song and Dance, jazz, broadway, modern, contemporary and classical. She loves to sing and perform on stage. A highlight for Mackenzie was travelling to America and performing in the Disneyland parade in Los Angeles. As a way to broaden her performing horizons, Mackenzie has attended workshops with Brent Street, the Sydney Dance Company, NIDA and Rachel Beck in her quest to follow her broadway and musical theatre dreams.
Mackenzie dedicates her debut performance to her much-loved Gramps.