Into the Woods at the Lyric Theatre announces casting

Northern Irish Opera has unveiled casting for its production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Into the Woods, playing from 3 to 27 February at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast.

Kelly Mathieson will play Cinderella, Sam Giffard will play Red Riding Hood and Peter Hannah will play Cinderella's Prince/Wolf, Alastair Brookshaw and Sinéad O'Kelly will play the Baker and the Baker's Wife, Paddy Jenkins and Catherine Digges will play Cinderella's father and stepmother, Jolene O'Hara will play Florinda, Brigid Shine will play Lucinda, Wendy Ferguson and Conor Quinn play Jack's Mother and Jack, while Sean Kearns will play the Narrator/Mysterious Man and Allison Harding plays the Witch.

Completing the cast are Ruby Campbell as Sleeping Beauty, Harry Lambert as the Steward and Maeve Byrne as Snow White.

The production, which mashes up fairytales into an entirely new narrative, is directed by Cameron Menzies with musical direction by Peter Mitchell, movement by Jennifer Rooney, set and costume by Niall McKeever, lighting by Kevin Treacy, production management by Pádraig Ó Duinnín, production/company stage management by Kate Watkins and hair and make-up design by Nuala Campbell.

First premiering on Broadway in 1987, to date the piece has received ten Tony Awards and was adapted for the big screen in 2014.