Into the Woods first premiered on Broadway in 1987, winning three Tony Awards including Best Score and Best Book. It has since been produced throughout the world and was adapted into a major motion picture in 2014. This production marks its first time on Broadway in 20 years.
The entire cast is excellent, each actor bringing a fresh and sincere take on their role. Montego Glover (“Witch”) and Stephanie J. Block (“Baker’s Wife”) are standouts in their respective roles. Glover exudes presence every time she steps onstage; she revels in her villainous power, yet her conflicting goals and human desires still show through. Block, a well-known performer in the theater industry, shines both on her own and alongside her real-life husband Sebastian Arcelus, who plays the Baker. They inhabit their roles with an infectious chemistry, particularly in the upbeat duet “It Takes Two.” And Gavin Creel’s charisma is off the charts in his dual role of Cinderella’s Prince and the Wolf.
It’s worth noting that this production started its life as a concert, and as such is fairly minimal in its execution. A base set and an onstage orchestra are all we really get in terms of thrills. However, this production has brilliant use of puppetry in many ways (one being the scene-stealing Milkly White, brought to life by the fabulous Kennedy Kanagawa), that add some much-needed fun and spectacle to the production. Though there aren’t many frills, what makes this production work so well is an inherent trust of the material, and the fact that that material is being delivered by some of the best Broadway performers working today.
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