International Baccalaureate students follow the Witch, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Jack and his Beanstalk on a journey INTO THE WOODS in Broadway Junior production.

East Garner will present the Broadway Junior production Into the Woods Apr. 15-16, 2010 at 7 p.m. at East Garner IB Magnet Middle School, 6301 Jones Sausage Road in Garner. Tickets are $5.

Broadway Junior, a division of Music Theatre International, abridges classic Broadway musicals into special editions for ages 8-14 to perform.

Into the Woods Junior presents an amusingly different take on the stories of the Brothers Grimm that give audiences a new view of everyone's favorite fairytale characters.

The musical follows a Baker and his Wife who learn they've been cursed with childlessness by the Witch next door. The couple embarks on a quest – swindling, deceiving and stealing from such already-victimized characters such as Cinderella, Little Red Ridding Hood, Rapunzel and Jack (fresh off the beanstalk!) – to get the special objects required to break the spell. But it doesn’t just end “happily ever after” as each character must now face the consequences of his or her decision, making Into The Woods Junior a funny and engaging way to get young people to think about the stories with which they've grown up, and the ethical issues raised therein.

“We are thrilled to give our students the opportunity to bring such a classic tale to life for our school and our community,” said Michelle Maggio, drama instructor at EGMMS. “We hope the community in Garner and surrounding areas will join us in celebrating the hard work our students have put into this production.”

Perfect for families and audiences of all ages, Into the Woods Junior features unforgettable roles in five scenes and showcases an ensemble of talented singers and actors, where each performer shoulders an equal weight. The sophisticated score has been adapted to make it easier - though still challenging - for young performers.

Music Theatre International’s Broadway Junior was developed in 1995 by Freddie Gershon, chairman of New York-based Music Theatre International (MTI), believing musical theater could be translated into life-enhancing experiences for children. The first MTI production was in 1998. The program offers most students who participate in the productions their first experience in Musical Theater. To date, over 800,000 children have performed more than 8,000 productions of Broadway Junior titles since the program’s launch.

“Musical theater is one of America’s truly unique art forms,” Maggio said. “Our students walk away from this experience having learned life and behavioral skills, from communication, collaboration and time management to creativity, imagination and confidence.”

In addition to Maggio, the production is being directed by Toiya Williams, EGMMS’ director of choirs and bands.

Into the Woods is based on a book by James Lapine, also the production’s original director on Broadway, and on music and lyrics are by Stephen Sondheim. The original Broadway production was produced by Heidi Landesman, M. Anthony Fisher, Rocco Landesman, Frederick H. Mayerson, Rick Steiner, and Jujamcyn Theaters.