Entertainment Report
Filipina Performer Uses Her Roots To Inspire “Into The Woods” Performance
Desert Theatricals is bringing Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods” to the Rancho Mirage Amphitheater this weekend, with Filipina performer Catrina Teruel stepping into the role of the Witch, the same part that earned Meryl Streep an Oscar nomination in Disney’s 2014 film.
The musical, which earned 10 Tony nominations and three wins, weaves several fairy tales together as a baker and his wife head into the woods searching for the ingredients to break a spell so they can have a child. Teruel says the show is a reminder that getting your wish doesn’t always mean the story is over, “because there’s life after the happy ever after.”
Teruel, a veteran of “Miss Saigon” and “The King and I,” says her Witch is more than just wicked. “At the core of the thing, my witch is a mother and my witch is a woman,” she told Manny the Movie Guy, who previously shared the stage with Teruel in “South Pacific,” where she played Bloody Mary. She drew inspiration for the role from her own Filipino grandmother. “If my grandmother thought the only way to protect me was to put me somewhere away from people, she would probably do it,” Teruel said.
The part also brings a first for Teruel, since Sondheim’s Witch has to rap. “Well, first of all, I’ve never rapped in a show before. So that’s a challenge,” she said. The production features a 12-piece orchestra on the amphitheater’s outdoor stage.
The show also stars Lizzie Sosa as the Baker’s Wife. “Into the Woods” runs Oct. 23 through 25 at the Rancho Mirage Amphitheater, with performances at 7:30 p.m. each night. Tickets are $75 for mezzanine seats and $55 for balcony seats, plus fees, and are available through Desert Theatricals.
By: Manny Dela Rosa
October 21, 2026
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