INTO THE WOODS
This is yet another winner from Center Theatre Group!
I had seen the Stephen Sondheim-James Lapine musical, Into The Woods, a couple of times before, and at this very same theatre—the Ahmanson in downtown LA– to boot! I remember not liking the show the first time, but don’t recall exactly why that was.
The Opening Night curtain call. (Sorry about the creep who had to video tape the whole thing.) I have no pro pix of the whole cast, so this is the best I can do for you to see them all. Photo by Karen Salkin.
The second time was just a half dozen years ago, and it was a very different presentation. For example, there was no orchestra then; only a piano player, and the rest of the instruments were played by…the cast! Even the bassoon! Yet somehow, even with a ladder on stage, which the cast kept walking under, (to the horror of my superstitious self,) I liked it.
But I absolutely loved this new version, which is the National Tour of the recent very successful Broadway run. As campy as the show is in general, this one seems to be a bit more so than the other renditions; every actor seems to be hamming it up, in a good way, which makes it even more amusing.
Kennedy Kanagawa, “Milky White,” and Cole Thompson. Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman, as is the one at the top of this review.
My friend Nina also adored this entire work. Being a musical performer herself, (she’s the voice of The Swan Princess in the several most recent films of that animated series,) she was very familiar with composer Stephen Sondheim’s songs for Into The Woods, but had never seen the show. So she loved learning how it all fit together.
The story is a “fractured fairytales” sort-of saga, with several known characters interacting, such as the Princes from Cinderella and Rapunzel being brothers. (Who knew?)
The first act is basically a complete tale of its own. And everyone lives happily ever after in it, the way the Brothers Grimm intended for their characters to do. But the second act gets a bit maudlin, although this production makes it seem not as, well, grim, as the versions I’ve seen before. Here’s a clue—there are a lot of deaths involved. But just keep in mind that it’s a fractured fairytale, and you’ll be fine. The opening night audience even chuckled a bit at some of the very unexpected deaths.
Gavin Creel and Katy Geraghty. Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman.
I have no idea how I never noticed this before, but soooooo much work went into the conception, book, lyrics, and music of Into The Woods! A lot of work. As Nina told me, “The songs themselves are really deep and, in some cases, profoundly mature in their greater meaning.” (Yes, I do know that she’s so much more perspicacious than I am!) She even shared with me a site of quotes from this musical that are pretty heavy when you think about them. But they had me at “Slotted spoons don’t hold much soup.”
And then the actors and director, Lear deBessonet, came up with an abundance of creativity to make this production the clever piece that it is.
The entire very talented eighteen-person cast is so excellent that I almost hate to single any of them out to laud. But I must.
Nina had told me going in that Stephanie J. Block, who plays the Baker’s Wife, (and is the only one I had ever had the good fortune to see before,) is one of her all-time favorite musical performers, which I totally understand since I had given her good reviews in the past. But I had never before noticed just how marvelous she truly is. On opening night, she even had one of her co-stars, Gavin Creel, cracking-up at her shenanigans in Act II!
Stephanie is now the person I most wish I could sing like. (Well, actually, the female; Adam Lambert is my actual number one.) I can’t even imagine what that’s like to have that gorgeous voice come out of your being.
Gavin Creel. Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman.
I don’t know if all of Gavin Creel’s schtick (as both the Wolf and Cinderella’s Prince,) is of his own creation or that of the director, but either way, he’s a riot in this show. The audience I saw it with went nuts for him, even before he uttered one word; I have a feeling that happens at every performance.
And, even though many have played the audience-favorite role of Little Red Riding Hood, I cannot imagine anyone doing it better than Katy Geraghty. (By the way—I could not imagine why I kept seeing ladies in the so-not-correct-for-summer-color red dresses, but it appears that big fans wear them to Into The Woods as a tribute to LRRH. Had I known about that trend, I would have thrown fashion caution to the wind, and joined them! So, if you’re a fun one, I suggest you do that, too. It’s always a kick to play dress-up, isn’t it?)
But perhaps my favorite performer on that stage is the very expressive puppet cow, Milky White. And his handler, of course, who is blessed with the beautiful name Kennedy Kanagawa.
Those are my faves, but honestly, everyone, especially Montego Glover’s Witch, (whose acting and singing are great, but I could not take my eyes off her envy-inducing sculpted arms,) is first-rate.
I love that not only is there a full orchestra, led by John Bell, in this offering of the classic musical, but they’re on stage! In full view, not off to the side. The actors perform towards the front of the stage, occasionally utilizing the steps up to the musicians, so we can see them in all their glory. As the sister of a longtime Broadway musician, I really appreciate that exposure.
The curtain call again, to show you where the orchestra is. Photo by Karen Salkin.
As with my previous viewings of Into The Woods, the Princes’ duet, Agony, is my favorite number. That duo, (Gavin Creel and Jason Forbach,) could have just sung different versions of that song the whole time and I would have been happy.
It Takes Two, performed by Sebastian Arcelus and Stephanie J. Block, (as the Baker and his Wife,) is also a charming number. The real-life married couple occasionally reminded me of Mr. X and me, in how we do Wordle together!
Stephanie J. Block and Sebastian Arcelus. Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman.
The opening night audience was beyond appreciative—they started cheering before the presentation even began!!! I’ve rarely heard so much sustained loud applause, at every juncture!
One simple line that really resonated with me was this: In Act II, the Baker says to the Mysterious Man, “I thought you were dead.” And the old man replies, “Not completely. Are we ever?” I had just had that timeless conversation with a friend!
Montego Glover. Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman.
All that being said, I found Into The Woods to be a tad too long. I believe it’s written that way, and not due to this staging, but I found myself thinking, “enough already,” with another half hour to go! (It’s just about three hours long.) But I have a feeling the audience I was with wished it would go on for a few hours longer.
No one who knows me will believe this, because I’m more often than not far from a Sondheim fan, but…I could really see this one again!!! But I, and you, have to hurry because we have just this month to do so. Right before August, as every fairytale states, it’s The End.
Into The Woods running through July 30, 2023
Ahmanson Theatre 135 N. Grand Avenue
213-972-4400 www.centertheatregroup.org
