Review: INTO THE WOODS at Tower Grove Abbey

The second show of Stray Dog Theatre's 2023 season honors the late Stephen Sondheim with an innovative take on his musical Into the Woods. Filled with great songs, this imaginative production gives audiences a thrilling theatrical experience.

A fun romp from start to finish, Into the Woods takes beloved tales from The Brothers Grimm and turns them on their ear. While the characters are familiar from everyone's childhood, here they have real world problems.

The Baker and his wife desperately want a child. Cinderella has been the belle of the ball, now she wants something deeper. Then there is Rapunzel, a woman whose imprisonment in a tower has probably caused some PTSD. All she really wants is for people to leave her hair alone. Pursuing Cinderella and Rapunzel are two princes, each of whom is dazzled by their beloved's beauty.

Complicating things is the local witch, a mean hag whose curse has prevented the Baker and his wife from having children. Charged with bringing her several items to lift the curse of infertility, the Baker and his wife the must venture off into the woods. Their quest leads them to Little Red Riding Hood, an innocent young girl traveling into the woods to visit her grandmother. Unfortunately for her, there is a nasty wolf on her tail.

Also heading out into the woods is the young and naive Jack. This simple boy wants his cow to give milk, so his mother won't make him take it to market. Unfortunately, his emotions get the best of him as he trades his cow for a bag of magic beans.

Egged on by an interfering narrator, this band of fairytale land's finest journey into the woods. This daring excursion forces them to confront their fears, pursue their dreams and fulfill their destinies. The opening act closes with the heroes appearing to live happily ever after.

While act one is often presented as a standalone production, the musical's second, and shorter act is filled with angst. The Grimm characters' happiness is in a shambles as they each confront their actions. From princes who have lost interest to an angry spouse who creates one giant problem, the consequences of their behavior become manifested in ugly ways. With the kingdom in ruins, this ragtag community bands together to change their destinies.

Keeping all of this sorted is Justin Been, whose direction here is focused on creating a celebration of sight and sound. Aided by Eileen Engel's costumes, Sarah Gene Dowling's incredible wigs and Jacob Baxley's sound design, Into the Woods is monumental. The music is superb, and all of the songs are gloriously executed by a remarkable cast.

Framed by Jonathan Hey's wonderfully pesky narrator, the production features many terrific performances, including Tyler Luetkenhaus who is stellar as the Baker. Maggie Nold is also wonderful, giving Cinderella a perfect mix of vulnerability and independence.

Another noteworthy performance is turned in by Shannon Lampkin Campbell who helps carry the show as Jack. She makes the most of the role, giving the lad a combined innocence and perseverance. Also good is Grace Langford, who was outstanding in last season's Ride the Cyclone, as Little Red Ridinghood. Dawn Schmid also gets high marks as Rapunzel. The same can be said for Stray Dog veteran Laura Kyro who is equally stupendous as Jack's often distraught mother.

Gloriously fun and darkly comedic, Stray Dog's Into the Woods captures the love, loss and fidelity of Sondheim's original. The spirited ensemble delivers on all fronts, taking the audiences on a jaunt into the unknown that celebrates community with relish and vivacity. This is stellar musical theater.

Into the Woods plays at Tower Grove Abbey through April 22nd. For tickets and more information visit https://www.straydogtheatre.org

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