Review: INTO THE WOODS At The Curran San Francisco

This phenomenal touring production of Into the Woods is lovingly dedicated to the memory Stephen Sondheim, the only man capable of creating a story rich in our universal fascination with the fantasy of fairytales, yet deeply rooted in very human behaviors. With most of the Broadway cast reprising their roles, San Francisco gets to enjoy, if only for a week’s run, the magic of our youth flavored with a cautionary tale of being the intrepid heroes of our own lives battling metaphorical wolves, witches, and giants.

With a book by James Lapine, Sondheim proposed a mashup of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales with characters taken from “Little Red Riding Hood”, “Rapunzel”, “Cinderella” and “Jack and the Beanstalk” amongst others. From the original story of “Rapunzel” comes the quest of a childless baker and his wife in their quest to start a family, a witch’s curse, and their interactions with other storybook characters.

This revival, with its pared down set design (Tony Award winner David Rockwell) and onstage orchestra looks and feels like a stage concert, the best you’ll ever see. Director Lear deBessonet moves the ensemble expertly allowing Sondheim’s score to shine. Nominated for six Tony’s including Best Revival, the creative crew of Andrea Hood (Costume Design), Tyler Micoleau (Lighting Design), Tony Award winner Scott Lehrer & Alex Neumann (Co-Sound Designers), and Cookie Jordan (Hair, Wigs & Makeup Design) all deserve accolades.

There’s plenty to delight children and adults in this production; evil witches, charming Princes, spells, magic, and menacing giants. Milky White, Jack’s mangy cow is expertly anthropomorphized by James Ortiz (Puppet Design) and actor Kennedy Kanagawa. Real-life husband and wife Sebastian Arcelus and Stephanie J. Block star as the Baker and his wife, with outstanding star-studded supporting roles by: Gavin Creel as Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf, Cole Thompson as Jack, Katy Geraghty as Little Red Ridinghood, David Patrick Kelly as The Narrator, Nancy Opel as Cinderella’s Stepmother, understudy Felicia Curry as the Witch, and Aymee Garcia as Jack’s Mother.

Act One is a complete musical in and of itself. The characters are introduced, and their individual wishes made clear; Cinderella of course wants happiness and her Prince Charming, the Baker and his wife, a child, and Jack and his mother, prosperity. By the final scene, all is resolved and everyone will live happily ever after.

But, this is Sondheim. Act Two delivers his skill at dissecting human emotions both positive and negative, so he introduces infidelity, lust, greed, murder, and revenge- the dark side of Grimms’ tales. Grief and loss, the perseverance of mortals over evil and in the end, loyalty and family are exalted.Into the Woods may be Sondheim’s most accessible work and this production shines with his inventiveness. Everyday it seems we enter the woods to do battle with our demons, this show eloquently provides a blueprint for the struggle.

Into the Woods continues through June 25th. Tickets available at sfcurran.com

Into the Woods

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Book by James Lapine

Directed by Lear deBessonet

BroadwaySF

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade

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