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Director Richard Ouzounian Talks About Sondheim’s Into The Woods — At Koerner Corridor To Finish The 12 months


From the RCM’s manufacturing of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night time Music, Could 2023 (Picture: Lisa Sakulensky)

That after-Christmas interval can really feel anti-climactic, and lots of performing arts organizations take a vacation break. That’s the place the RCM and Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods come into the image, with a run that begins on December 28 and closes New 12 months’s Eve.

It’s the third Sondheim manufacturing for the RCM after Follies in 2021 and A Little Night time Music in 2023, and brings again Richard Ouzounian to direct.

L: Autographed publicity photo of Stephen Sondheim, circa 1970, photographer unknown (CC 1.0 Public Domain universal); R: Writer, director Richard Ouzounian (Photo courtesy of the artist)
L: Autographed publicity picture of Stephen Sondheim, circa 1970, photographer unknown (CC 1.0 Public Area common); R: Author, director Richard Ouzounian (Picture courtesy of the artist)

Sondheim’s Into the Woods

Sondheim wrote the musical to lyrics by frequent collaborator James Lapine, and it was first produced in 1986. The story makes use of the wealthy territory of Grimm’s fairy tales, bringing the characters to life with a view to discover the thought of fortunately ever after… What occurs once you get what you need?

It ties collectively characters from Little Purple Using Hood to Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel right into a story a couple of baker and his spouse, and their quest to start a household. The Witch locations a curse on the couple, and mayhem ensues.

The Tony-winning musical opened in San Diego and toured for a number of years. It’s been revived a number of instances since then on either side of the Atlantic.

The Expertise

The solid features a who’s who of Canadian theatre:

  • Tess Benger as Cinderella (beforehand carried out in each Sondheim exhibits on the RCM, and not too long ago starred as Carole King in Lovely in Montreal and Winnipeg);
  • Gabi Epstein because the Baker’s Spouse (a Dora Award-winning performer and recording artist);
  • Sara Farb because the Witch (beforehand carried out on the Stratford Competition, and made her Broadway debut in Harry Potter and the Cursed Baby in 2019);
  • Eric Peterson because the Narrator/Mysterious Man (Canadian TV and theatre icon, recipient of the Governor Basic’s Lifetime Creative Achievement Award);
  • Mike Nadajewski because the Baker (not too long ago carried out in Speak is Free Theatre’s La Bête, a veteran of Stratford and Shaw, and had appeared in Jesus Christ Celebrity on Broadway);
  • Fiona Reid as Jack’s Mom/Big (a theatre icon with 5 seasons with the Stratford Competition and 13 on the Shaw Competition, together with a profession that has taken her to phases within the UK and US);
  • With Nicole Pleasure-Fraser, Robert Markus, Ben Web page, and Heeyun Park 박희윤 ;
  • That includes Dillan Chiblow, Elena Howard-Scott, Jillian Mitsuko Cooper, Will Parry, Emma Pennell, and Mirabella Sundar Singh.

Reside music comes courtesy of conductor Paul Sportelli and a 20-piece, on-stage orchestra that includes college students from The Royal Conservatory’s Glenn Gould Faculty. Genny Sermonia is the choreographer.

Richard Ouzounian directs the manufacturing, and we spoke to him about Into the Woods and extra.

From the RCM’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, May 2023 (Photo: Lisa Sakulensky)
From the RCM’s manufacturing of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night time Music, Could 2023 (Picture: Lisa Sakulensky)

Richard Ouzounian: The Interview

Why is Sondheim a favorite? “It’s as a result of the work is so innately theatrical,” he says. “It’s meant to be sung by these characters in these scenes.”

The piece this 12 months is a considerable one. “The rating for Into the Woods in 145 pages lengthy. There’s loads of sections which can be just about operatic in texture,” he provides. “It’s music theatre, and that’s why I prefer it.”

It’s additionally a certain method to get him concerned. “Any person mentioned, if you’d like Richard to work with you, counsel doing a Sondheim present,” he laughs, though as a caveat, he provides that he’s turned down Sweeney Todd, simply because the unique manufacturing he noticed was good.

Sondheim matches the music and lyrics collectively completely. “I similar to the way in which they at all times match the scene you’re in.”

As he factors out, his songs are inclined to work effectively solely of their authentic context. Apart from Ship within the Clowns, there have been none that actually crossed over from Broadway into the mainstream. Ship within the Clowns was additionally written in a single afternoon. “It’s an ideal instance of how Sondheim writes within the second. He’s a pleasure to work with. He’s tough, however he at all times rewards you.”

Into the Woods comes later in Sondheim’s profession, after his break up with lyricist Hal Prince, and was his second collaboration with Lapine. Sondheim was mentioned to have spent years in psychoanalysis; whether or not it’s true or not, he understood human nature, and that’s on the core of his enchantment. It’s not secret that Sondheim had a tough relationship together with his mom, and was estranged from her for many years earlier than her demise. Into the Woods delves into the complexities of parent-child relationships, and most of the girls characters just like the Witch and Jack’s mom are terrible folks within the story.

“And in reality, the large quantity on the finish of the present is, Youngsters Will Pay attention,” Richard notes.

From the RCM’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies in Concert, 2021 (Photo: Lisa Sakulensky)
From the RCM’s manufacturing of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies in Live performance, 2021 (Picture: Lisa Sakulensky)

The Manufacturing

The manufacturing may be mentioned to be semi-staged. “I’ve my very own private guidelines for a way we do these.” There might be no music stands or binders on stage. “They’re sporting acceptable costumes.”

With a 20-piece orchestra on stage, units and surroundings aren’t possible.

“The one factor I’m doing completely different with this, which I don’t assume anybody has performed so far […] I’m simply going straight for it, and everyone seems to be costumed and enjoying somebody from Toronto in 2024.”

On this model, the Baker and his spouse run a enterprise within the Annex. “The Witch is homeless,” Ouzounian provides. The wealthy households come from North Toronto, and are ethnically numerous. “It’s a bit of completely different once you see it. It takes the subtext and brings it ahead.”

Fortunately, not a lot of the Big is required on stage. “Nearly every part else, we’ve discovered up to date relevance for.” For Rapunzel, who’s imprisoned by the Witch, her stepmother, the answer was inventive. “I considered it, what would you do at this time?” Richard says. “And so, she’s in CAMH dedicated, and Rapunzel is in a hospital robe.”

The variations add a recent and native contact, however don’t change the work. “We don’t change a syllable of the textual content lyric.”

The brand new components have been in style in rehearsal. “Everyone within the solid is worked up about it.” As he factors out, Into the Woods is so in style, it’s in all probability some of the carried out highschool musical productions. Discovering a brand new edge was vital to set the present aside.

“I’m certain individuals are gong to say, yeah I’ve seen that present,” he says, “however you actually haven’t — I wish to inform them.”

Last Ideas

As he factors out, it’s a narrative with a poignant message for the 12 months finish/new 12 months. At first, all the characters get what they need. As Ouzounian relates, within the early years after its premiere, when folks weren’t conversant in the musical, audiences would depart after the primary act, assuming the story was over.

“After all, it’s when folks discover out that what they wished isn’t what they actually wished.”

Act II is the place the actual story begins. “To me, it’s good,” he says, citing the materialism of the season, and society normally. “If I solely had this, I’d be blissful.”

Whereas it offers with bigger themes, it’s additionally a household pleasant present. “Additionally, I consider, that when you’re taking your loved ones out to the theatre, does it must be senseless? I’m not saying that it’s probably the most psychologically profound story,” he laughs, “however the music is improbable.” He’s utilizing the unique orchestration in its full type, one thing he factors out is uncommon these days.

Koerner Corridor has sometimes shuttered for that vacation week, however the experiment was producer Mervon Mehta’s thought. “There isn’t a Christmas carol singalong,” Ouzounian laughs. “It’s Into the Woods the way in which Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine wrote it.”

He underscores the significance of collaborating with conductor Paul Sportelli. “We’re collaborators all down the road.” That features a non-public session with him and Paul and every performer to debate character and interpretation and different particulars earlier than the official staging rehearsals start. When blocking periods start, everybody is ready.

“We pay such respect to it.”

  • Discover tickets and efficiency particulars [HERE].

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