A witch who raps? A blood-thirsty Little Red Riding Hood? A Prince Charming with a roving eye? An ambivalent Cinderella? They’re among the cockeyed characters in James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim’s fractured, musical fairytale, Into the Woods.

When a baker (Greg Balcombe pictured) and his wife (Tracey James pictured) learn that they have been cursed with childlessness by the witch next door, they embark on a quest for the special objects to break the spell, lying, swindling and stealing to reach their goal.

At the end of Act One everyone’s wish is granted, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later, with disastrous results. What begins as an irreverent fantasy, becomes a moving lesson about community responsibility and the stories we tell our children.

Into the Woods will burst onto the stage of the Michael Hoskins Creative Arts Centre on the November 5 in a dazzling display of colour, movement and sound.

“We have a wonderful cast of well-tried actors and some new faces,” says producer Diana Helmrich. Newcomers are Caroline King (Little Red Riding Hood), Imogen Dean (Cinderella), Jocelyn Harris (Jack’s mother), Mark Bourne (steward), Anne Keoghan (giant’s wife), Nic Hutton and Chris Gough (princes). They are supported by well-known, popular performers Tracey James (baker’s wife), Greg Balcombe (baker), Simon Polson (Jack), Phil Oxley (narrator), Neil Horton (mysterious man), Julie Collins (witch), Inge Southcott and Methuen Morgan (Cinderella’s mother and father), Stephen Tall (wolf), Annie Abbott (granny), Ingrid Rothe and Emily Thomas-Moore (Ugly Sisters) and Carol-Elder (stepmother.

Director Jean Freer and Musical Director Bruce Menzies have created a fantasy world

of malevolence and charm, wit and broad comedy, musical sophistication and popular rhythms. The set, designed by Lenore Crocker and constructed by technical director Pat Bradley and Colin Barry with a team of able helpers, provides an ever-changing backdrop of kaleidoscopic colour and surprising stage effects.

Costumes by Deborah King, Hanneke Raanuis and David Trestrail, props by Mike Gibson, Pam Menzies and their assistants, and lighting by Steve Sharpe add to the magic and illusion.

Tickets are available at Dymocks.