Into the Woods

Reviewed by Socks Whitmore
Ahmanson Theatre
Through July 20, 2023

RECOMMENDED

Once upon a time, in the far-off kingdom of Los Angeles, the touring production of Stephen Sondheim’s twisted musical fairytale Into the Woods arrived on the stage of CTG’s Ahmanson Theatre. After six months on Broadway starring Tony-winning veterans like Sara Bareilles and Brian d’Arcy James, Into the Woods comes to SoCal sporting a new cast line-up and the same four fairytales by the Brothers Grimm: “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Cinderella,” “Rapunzel,” and “Little Red Riding Hood.” The show weaves these classic capers together into one shared fantastical land, allowing the fairytale protagonists to bump into one another as they chase their happily ever afters—but the story is far from over when they get their happy endings.

On opening night, the enthusiastic audience burst with applause at every opportunity, and with good cause. From start to finish, Lear deBessone’s flawless stage direction teases the humor and zest from a difficult script; even those who have been spurned by the drama’s convoluted plot before may find their relationship to the material restored by the smart choices of this colorful adaptation. The casting brings a much-needed breath of diversity to the 1987 Sondheim show, and each actor is perfectly suited to the part. The vocal performances are excellent across the board—though not without the occasional strained note in the soprano register. Gavin Creel as the Wolf is ferocious and playful, not to mention unrecognizable when he returns to the stage in costume for his primary role as Cinderella’s Prince. The prince brothers are delightfully fruity (to say the least) and the step sisters are wickedly sassy. Montego Glover is saucy and delicious as the Witch, slaying with a riveting rendition of “Last Midnight.” Kennedy Kanagawa deserves a special nod for his spirited service as the cow Milky White, who is endearing, pathetic, and an absolute show stealer.

The use of skeletal puppets for Milky White, Cinderella’s birds, and the heeled shoes of the lady giant (designed by James Ortiz) are just one layer of the inspired choices that make this production so strong. The use of live sound effects from the orchestra brings out the punchlines and flavor of the characters. The orchestra occupies half the stage on an elevated platform, leaving only shallow sections of stage in front and behind for the actors to utilize, but the scenes are rarely less dynamic for it — with only a few on-set props and a forest of cylindrical paper trees, the tale makes its way through the storybook woods unhindered by luggage. The most interesting set piece is Rapunzel’s tower, formed by a mounted painting frame serving as a window above a rolling set of curlicue wooden steps. The scenic contributions (David Rockwell) leave much to the imagination, but in the act prove that even on a Broadway budget, simple sets can carry large stories. The modest decoration leaves ample room for the vibrant array of costumes (Andrea Hood), which aspire to include every color of the rainbow and successfully create vivid contrasts in moderation, though a few pieces miss the mark.

The past year has been bountiful in strong revivals, and Into the Woods is no exception. Whether you’ve seen it a million times or you’ve never seen it before, this is a Sondheim classic as it’s never been done— catch it before the last midnight’s gone.

Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave, Los Angeles; Tues-Sat, 8 pm, Sun, 2 pm, Sun, 1 pm & 6:30 pm; thru July 20. https://www.centertheatregroup.org/tickets/ahmanson-theatre/2022/into-the-woods Running time: 2 hours and 45 minutes, with one 15 minute intermission