The Bunce family brings a whole new meaning to “community theatre.” The past three summers, Greg and Lori Bunce, along with their two kids, Sharayah and Trevor, have put on a different theatrical production in their own Maple Grove backyard. Their fourth, Into the Woods, will be showing at 7 p.m. July 14-17 and July 19-20 at their home at 16938 Weaver Lake Drive.  

For those unfamiliar with Bunce Backyard Productions, this is no loosely thrown-together production. With a cast of 19 volunteer actors/actresses and about eight others doing behind-the-scenes production work, the Bunces take pride in putting together a well-rehearsed show with a quality set, equipped with carefully planned lighting, costumes and sound. 

“I think ‘the unexpected’ is the best way to describe it,” says Greg Bunce, who is directing the play. “Typically people hear of a backyard show, and the idea in their mind is a lot of sheets hung across a clothes line and whatnot. It’s a fairly elaborate production. We have full lights and sound. And the people who are taking part in it really put a lot of effort into creating as professional a show as possible in a backyard setting. So really the idea is bringing ‘community’ back to community theatre; literally, ‘community’, and getting as many friends and neighbors involved as we possibly can in putting the production together.”

Bunce Backyard Productions has gained local popularity with past plays such as Fiddler on the Roof (2009), Beauty and the Beast (2008) and Oliver! (2007). Although a busy summer schedule originally conflicted the Bunces’ decision to put on their fourth production, Greg says growing community interest fueled their inspiration for the fourth annual show. “Just based on the interest from around the community and from everybody who wanted to be involved in the production itself, we decided it was becoming almost a little community institution,” Greg says. “We wanted to do it because people really wanted to see something.”

What people can expect to see in Into the Woods is a show staring a number of well-known fairytale characters including Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and Little Red Riding Hood. In Act 1, each character sets out into the woods to pursue their respective wishes. Act 2 provides the twist in the form of the conflicting consequences each character must face from the choices they make to pursue each wish.

“It’s a very quirky show,” Greg explains. “Basically in a nutshell, the way I describe it is kind of beyond the ‘Happily Ever After’… Ultimately the message of the show is be careful what you wish for because as one of the lines in the show goes, ‘wishes are children.’ You actually give birth to something when you pursue your wish. Be careful what it is you wish for because it may come true. And it may come true in a way that you don’t expect it to come true.”

For the Bunces, producing a family-oriented, community theatre in their backyard is a wish come true. Admission to the show is free, but people are encouraged to bring their own chair or blanket, canned goods, which will be donated to Christians Reaching Out in Social Service (CROSS) Food Shelf, and cash or checks can be used for concession and/or charitable donations. The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation along with a family services charity yet to be named will benefit from the proceeds.

“The greatest joy for us is the fact that all four of us in our family love doing theatre,” Greg says. “It’s something that we can do together as a family to not only pursue a passion that we have, but also to give back to the community both in an intangible way by doing a production that people can enjoy, and also in a tangible way by collecting money to give to charities that relate to the show.”

Into the Woods is presented through special arrangements with Music Theatre International (MTI), which also provides all authorized performance materials. Music and Lyrics are by Stephen Sondheim and the play is based on the book by James Lapine, who also originally directed the play on Broadway.

For more information on Bunce Backyard Production, Into the Woods (and its cast list), directions and places to park, go to buncebackyard.org or email bunce.backyard@gmail.com.