The cast of the new Broadway revival of Into the Woods. Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman.
The power of
the late composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim became greater after his sudden
death at age 91 in November. That power was evidenced recently in Steven
Spielberg’s excellent remake of West Side Story (currently streaming on
HBO Max and Disney Plus) as well as the splendid, revolutionary Tony-winning
revival of Company (which will be closed on Broadway July 31st.)
Now, Sondheim’s spirit lifts again in the brilliant revival of Into the
Woods, currently playing a limited engagement at the St. James Theatre
until August 21st. This production is fresh from its smash-hit, sold-out
run earlier this spring as part of NY City Center’s Encores series. Some of its
cast members, such as Sara Bareilles and Gavin Creel, have retained their roles
for the downtown run of the show.
This musical
is a fairy tale, and it interweaves four classic fables (Cinderella, Rapunzel,
Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood) with an original story (The
Baker and his wife) and mixes them together into a thrilling journey that’s
exciting, spellbinding and grabs you in the heart and mind. In it, the Baker
(understudy Jason Forbach) and his wife (Bareilles) are wishing for a child, as
is Cinderella (Phillipa Soo), who wants to go to the ball, and Jack (fill-in
Alex Joseph Grayson), who wants his cow Milky White (puppeteered by Kennedy
Kanagawa) to make milk. Soon, the Witch (Patina Miller), who has a long history
with the Baker’s family, makes a deal with the Baker to make his dream of being
a father come true. She requests the Baker to get Little Red Riding Hood’s
cape, Jack’s cow, a piece of Rapunzel’s hair, and Cinderella’s glass slipper within
three days so that the wish can come true.
The Baker’s
Wife teams up with her husband for these various tasks. Along the way, the journey
provides us with moments of joy and fantasy, such as two princes (Gavin Creel
and Joshua Henry) lamenting about their true loves, Jack discovering magic
beans that create a beanstalk that leads into encountering some “giants in the
sky,” and Little Red Riding Hood (understudy Delphi Borich) running into a big,
bad wolf (Creel again). The main story ends delightfully in Act One, but in Act
Two, it shows that life in a fairy-tale isn’t as happily ever after as anyone hoped.
A big bouquet
of flowers must be sent to director Lear DeBessonet for transferring this wondrous
work from City Center to the St. James, where it deserves to have an open-ended
run. James Lapine’s book is still intact after 35 years, and the soaring score
by Sondheim is still timeless as it’s performed by a great, onstage 15-person
orchestra composed by Rob Berman and well-orchestrated by Sondheim collaborator
Jonathan Tunick. As it shows on the stage, it’s an intimate production. David
Rockwell has created a set that showcases the cast and orchestra to significant
effect without overwhelming it with big set pieces. Tyler Micoleau’s lighting makes
this show light up brightly, as does Andrea Hood’s colorful costumes.
The cast
here is fantastic. Among the standouts are Bareilles, Creel in his dual roles, Miller,
and in their understudy roles, Borich, Grayson, and Forbach. A round of applause must
go to The Telsey Office for casting one of the best and most diverse casts in
New York City right now.
The last 25
minutes felt bittersweet for me because the musical’s final three songs (“No
More,” “No One is Alone,” and “Children Will Listen”) convey the feelings that
many have felt in these past three years of changing and challenging times in
this country. These moments assure us that Into the Woods is a show for
our times.
Whatever
you’re doing this summer, please add this nothing short of perfect show to your
must-see list and get your tickets now. The show’s time here on Broadway may be
limited for now, but I wish it would stay here hopefully for a much-deserved
long run.
Into the Woods is currently playing at the St. James Theatre on 246 West 44th Street (between Broadway and 8th Avenue) for a limited engagement until August 21st. For tickets, go to seatgeek.com.
Note: Cheyenne Jackson will be filling in for Creel's roles from July 24th thru August 2nd.
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