Let’s start by saying that Into the Woods is one of the most accessible and beloved musicals of Stephen Sondheim. The book by James Lapine and the music and lyrics by Sondheim offer everything we want from a musical. It has catchy tunes, fascinating subplots, cleverness, magic, love stories of all sorts and a call for the audience to use their imaginations. The current incarnation of this play at Signature Theatre, directed and choreographed by Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner, is really good, but falls short of brilliance.
If you are unaware, the play takes several classic fairytales, overlapping their characters and plots in an early type of “mash-up” piece that continues to prove popular. While the characters follow their normal trajectory in Act One, receiving their familiar fairytale happy endings, Act Two reveals that “happily ever after” just isn’t that easy. The main stories used are: Jack and Beanstalk, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, and The Baker and his Wife (a tale invented for this musical) which together give us a bevy of heroes and villains including a couple of Giants and a Wicked Witch. However, this show is not a “children’s” show by any stretch of the imagination, as it deals with adult perspectives on death, infidelity, parenting, difficult moral decisions, and unexpected consequences of our actions– as well as the pivotal power of love and perseverance in the face of the vicissitudes of life. And yes, all these are something to sing about!
And sing they do with a 15-piece orchestra accompanying them under the direction of Jon Kalbfleisch! The cast’s voices across the board are strong and musically the show is top notch, even if at times the acting seemed more perfunctory than inspired. Perhaps the best performance of the night was handed in by Katie Marko Murray, who made the role of Cinderella an emotional anchor for the show: Murray has the voice for the role, exudes both wistfulness and maturity, and connected with the audience in every moment. This was closely followed by David Merino as Jack, who gave us a slightly unique take on the character, while every choice was backed up by the script. Erin Weaver as the Baker’s Wife has to carry much of the show and did an admirable job of moving the story forward, while still making the most of her intimate moments. Cinderella’s Prince, as portrayed by Vincent Kempski, was everything one could possibly want from the role (even if his take on the Wolf was less exciting). Joining him as Rapunzel’s Prince is Paul Scanlan, who makes an equally strong impression. The prince’s duet, “Agony,” remains a highlight, featuring some of the cleverest lyrics of Sondheim’s clever oeuvre. Speaking of Rapunzel, Simone Brown took on this rather difficult role with both grace, humor, and signs of strength, not an easy task at all. Also definitely worth a mention are Cinderella’s step-family Maria Rizzo as the step-mother and Adelina Mitchell and Chani Wereley as the step-sisters absolutely shine, making the most of their brief moments in the spotlights.
The actors are featured in an epic set designed for Signature’s Max Theatre by Lee Savage. In the words of the Director: “The creative team and I have set the production in an abandoned Victorian nursery, with crumbling plaster and overgrown vines. It’s a space where nature has forced its way through the floorboards and windows to reclaim it, where swiftly growing weeds hide broken treasures and characters that once lived only in a child’s fairytale book spin and weave around the space like apparitions from once upon a time.” It’s a lovely conceit, and I was really waiting for the moment that exemplified why this choice was made but if it happened, I missed it. It is truly a glorious set that did not necessarily add to the effectiveness of the show, despite giving actors an unusual series of entrance and exit portals, through chimneys and cabinets and windows. The lighting by Amanda Zieve was glorious, as were the costumes by David Israel Reynoso, and the wig and hair design by Tommy Kurzman. Sound design by Eric Norris was also extremely effective.
Certainly, it was an enjoyable evening at the theatre and worth seeing. However, on opening night, the pacing still seemed a bit slow, with some of the cast seeming much more comfortable and “alive” in the second act. The energy level in the room never reached the peak I wanted. I think that, for the amount of money spent on this show, several special effects and magical moments from the script were less than exciting or outright ignored. If this had been a nonequity production I would not have been surprised but I have come to expect more from Signature Theatre.
Running Time: 2 hours and 50 minutes with one intermission
Into The Woods plays through January 29, 2023 in the Max Theatre at Signature Theatre— 4200 Campbell Avenue in Shirlington, VA. For tickets call the box office at (703) 820-9771 or purchase them online.
