The Blue Hill Troupe produces a musical every fall and a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta every spring, and has donated over $3 million to local charities.
The 2008-09 season will benefit Inwood House, a leader and innovator in youth development, teen pregnancy prevention, and family support, serving nearly 5,000 young people in New York City and New Jersey.
The Tony Award-winning Into the Woods originally directed on Broadway by librettist Lapine, with music and lyrics by Sondheim, blends classic fairy-tale characters (and adds some originals) to create a unique story about parenting, responsibility and community.
Andy Sandberg directs the Blue Hill Troupe's production with musical direction by Matthew Rupcich. The cast members are Patricia Berg, Tracy Bidleman, Bob Bushnell, Jim Busterud, Meredith Clark, Jennifer Dorre, Rachel Gahan, Geoff Gaebe, Douglas Kiddie, Ken Kiernan, Sarah Kimball, Matt Levine, Kevin Murray, Alison Plotkin, Abigail Shuppy, Amanda Smith, John C. Taylor and Suzanne R. Taylor.
Dicapo Opera House is located at 184 East 76th Street. Into the Woods will play Nov. 7-8, 12-13, 14-15 at 7:30 PM with family-friendly matinees at 2 PM on Nov. 9 and 15. As a special event, on Nov. 12 at 6:15 PM, the Blue Hill Troupe will sponsor a special pre-show event moderated by WNYC host Richard Hake. Currently slated to appear on the panel are original Broadway cast members Chip Zien and Jeff Blumenkrantz. Admission for the chat is free with the price of a ticket to any of the eight performances.
For tickets, show times, and events for children, visit www.bht.org or call (866) 811-4111.
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The all-volunteer Blue Hill Troupe has presented four other works by Stephen Sondheim: A Little Night Music (1993), Company (2000), Sweeney Todd (2001), and Follies (2005).
For 14 years, BHT has presented a Gilbert & Sullivan concert as part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Concerts and Lectures series. The 2009 concert is Feb. 15.
In 2005, the Blue Hill Troupe was honored with three awards at the 12th Annual International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival in Buxton, U.K., for the innovative production of the G & S rarity, The Grand Duke.
