Wendy Krekeler Fishes Her Wish as the Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods

The Baker (Jason Wilhoite) and his Wife (Wendy Krekeler) are menaced by the Witch (Allison Boufford)
PHOTO by Jan Cartwright

Be careful what you wish for!  This is one of the underlying themes of Into The Woods, Steven Sondheim’s dark musical based on fairy tale characters that opens April 27 at the Farmington Players Barn Theater. (Proceeds from the opening night 50/50 raffle will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.) In Wendy Krekeler’s first role at the Barn, she got the part of the Baker’s Wife, a dream come true for her:  “It’s one of my favorite shows! The music is beautiful, the themes are so profoundly interesting, personal and relatable, and the story is dark but with plenty of humor!  I love fairy tales, but I love the twists and turns the second act takes. I’ve been a fan of the show since I saw my parents play Cinderella and her Prince in Into The Woods when I was about eight years old!”  Wendy inherited her love of theater from her parents, Sue and Kirk Krekeler;  Kirk played King Arthur in the Barn’s production of Spamalot last year. 

Wendy describes the Baker’s Wife as being “content to love her husband, but wishes for a bit more than an ‘ordinary’ life. She’s good hearted, well intended with a bit of a sarcastic flair! I love singing her music. This role is challenging because this character could possibly come off as someone who is constantly nagging her husband, but that’s not who I believe she is at heart. It’s challenging to find the depth of her longing and make it relatable to the audience!”  Wendy enjoys a great rapport with the Baker, played by longtime Barn veteran Jason Wilhoite, and Wendy is “so flattered and honored to be in this production. After seeing shows at the Farmington Barn, I’ve wanted to be a part of the excellent productions they put on, and I can’t believe I get to work in this theatre, with such kind and talented people! Thanks to director Kristi Schwartz for taking a chance on someone she didn’t know and letting me play this wonderful role!”

Wendy can relate to the show’s themes of pursuing your dreams, despite uncertain consequences.  As she says, “Always wanting more, but not even truly understanding what it is that you want, is such a relatable experience. The constant struggle that I’ve had between pursuing my passions and living a stable life is something that I can definitely relate to, specifically in MY character!”  In her own life, Wendy has tried to balance her loves of theater and family.  After studying theater in college, she chased her dream to NYC, where she worked at The Late Show with David Letterman and saw many Broadway shows.  However, as she recalls, “I missed my home and family, so I returned to Michigan and began performing with children’s theatre companies in the area, as well as teaching theatre. I’m so happy to have returned to Michigan; I don’t feel like I would’ve found my passion for children’s theatre in NYC! I also create children’s media; I’ve written a children’s book and am working on creating a puppet show for YouTube. I also have an incredible set of supportive theatre lady friends that I don’t think even exist in NYC! I  have an amazing family and I fell in love with my wonderful boyfriend. Michigan is my home and the theatre community is amazing here!”

Into The Woods has 12 performances at Farmington Players Barn Theater from April 27 – May 19.  The show is proudly sponsored by Tru-Vista Wealth Advisors.  Tickets are available online at farmingtonplayers.org or by emailing boxoffice@farmingtonplayers.org or calling the Barn box office at 248-553-2955.