Review: SONDHEIM’S MASTERPIECE COMES TO LIFE WITH INTO THE WOODS at New Tampa Players

“It’s not the way you go into the woods, but how you come out...” -The Baker

Into the Woods is a Tony Award-winning 1986 Musical written by Stephen Sondheim (Music/Lyrics) and James Lapine (Book), marking their second collaboration following Sunday in the Park with George (1984).

Into the Woods premiered in 1986 at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre and then was followed by a Broadway transfer in 1987 which amassed three Tony Awards (Best Score, Best Book, and Best Actress. A year in which many know the “Great White Way,” was dominated by The Phantom of the Opera.

The musical follows the inter-woven plots of several Grimm’s Fairytales characters and the trials and tribulations that fall upon them while exploring their individual wishes/ quests.

The musical has seen many productions since its premiere, including a U.S. National Tour in 1988, a West-End production in 1990, a 10th Anniversary Concert in 1997, a Broadway Revival in 2002, a 2010 outdoor Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production in  London, which transferred to a Shakespeare in the Park production in New York City, and finally a 2022 Broadway Revival which received the Tony Award that same year for Best Revival of a Musical.

Let us not soon forget the Rob Marshall Disney treatment that the musical received in 2014. The film grossed more than $213 million worldwide, and received three Academy Award and Golden Globe Nominations.

The tale follows that of a Childless Baker and his wife, who encounter a Witch who has cast a spell on them. They must retrieve several items in three days’ time to lift the curse. Along their journey, they encounter other fairytale characters such as Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, and Rapunzel to name a few.

Into the Woods has been in the hands of some incredible names known all up and down the “Great White Way” and even Hollywood to help bring its magical story to life. Its original production opened on Broadway in 1988 at the Martin Beck Theatre and starred Bernadette Peters as the Witch, Joanna Gleason as the Baker’s Wife, Chip Zien as the Baker, Robert Westenberg as the Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince, Tom Aldredge as the Narrator/Mysterious Man, Kim Crosby as Cinderella, Danielle Ferland as Little Red Riding Hood, Ben Wright as Jack, Chuck Wagner as Rapunzel’s Prince, Barbara Bryne as Jack’s Mother, and Pamela Winslow as Rapunzel, to name a few. The original production went onto play 745 performances before closing, and received 10 Tony Award Nominations of the 42nd Annual Awards Ceremony, taking home 3.

The 2022 Broadway Revival would include the following cast, Sara Bareilles as the Baker’s Wife, Patina Miller as the Witch, Brian d’Arcy James as the Baker, Phillipa Soo as Cinderella, Joshua Henry as Rapunzel’s Prince. In August of 2022, it was announced that Stephanie J. Block and Sebastian Arcelus would replace Sara Bareilles and James as the Baker’s Wife and Baker, respectively. After receiving its final extension through January 8th, a cast recording was released, winning a Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album, and the Revival was nominated for six Tony Awards.

Amassing a whopping 30-some-odd musical numbers over the course of 3 hours, Into the Woods is a Behemoth of a musical for audiences and performers alike. A musical which since its premiere has amassed a loyal fan base, and sparked the curiosities of its audiences both young and old, to believe in the magic of fairytales and how one simple wish can change the course of everything.

Taking on a behemoth work such as this is no small feat, and the cast/crew of New Tampa Player’s production,  under the well-guided hands of Director Karissa Barber, are certainly up for the task. The cast of 23 come together to tell the story, and do so with much gusto and fervor.

The vocals, under the esteemed guidance of G. Frank Meekins, allow the songs to shine through, and each character to portray an active part in progressing the journey forward. No song is forced, the story-telling is delivered in top-notch form, and the intricacies of Sondheim’s melodies, harmonies, and dialogue shine to their highest state.

The Company, led by the incomparable Makayla Raines as the Witch, is a well-oiled machine moving seamlessly along the path not to be strayed from. Makayla is a marvel, and her masterclass portrayal of the Witch will leave you breathless. She spooks and haunts her way into your psyche while delivering top-notch vocals that will leave you hanging on her every word. Her moment to moment is so precise, and she is so driven on her plight, you forget your watching a local-area performer, and instead can feel the weight of a seasoned veteran of her craft. Her “Witches Lament,” and “The Last Midnight,” are moments that need to be experienced in person.

Genesis Rodriguez as Cinderella is effervescent and spunky in all the right ways. Her vocals are at the top of her game, and her passion in every moment is worn on the cuff of her sleeve. You feel for her plight and root for her journey. A stunning turn, and a great addition to the company.

As Jack, Blake Boles is enigmatic and full of youth, brought on by delusions of grandeur. He’s like the kid we all knew growing up who had the imaginary friend. He’s so full of energy, you cannot take your eyes away from him during every step of his journey. His “Giants in the Sky,” is one of the highlights of the night. For me, and this is in no way degrading on the performance, I just wish this moment felt a little more grounded, and tactical in his movements. Blake handled the moments of the song with strength and ease, I just wish from a direction standpoint, his movements were more purposeful and not so sporadic at times. Give Jack his song, and let him sing, allow us to move along with him, and not be pinball watching his every move. Stunning portrayal from Blake, and a performer to keep on my radar, and for many Directors in the area to watch out for, the skies the limit and his only way is up, and I cannot wait to see whats next.

Jennifer Emerson makes for a fine portrayal of Jack’s Mother, and delivers wonderful moments vocally both in solos and ensemble aspects. Her mother/son moments with Jack are a joy to watch.

As our Narrator/Mysterious Man, Brian Tighe moves about the space with ease. His Mysterious Man delivers some comic relief in otherwise darker moments of the piece, and his Narration takes us a long for the ride.

Kayla Bennett (Cinderella’s Stepmother), Kristin Nelson (Florinda), Alexandra Greenberg (Lucinda) and Alex Alfonso (Cinderella’s Father/Puppeteer) all collectively represent the villianous family with such gusto you could watch them again and again. Providing great comic relief in certain moments, and wonderful disdain the next, they are the perfect juxtaposition to Cinderella and marvelously bring the storyline together both in vocals and acting moments.

Lena Wigfall is wonderful as Little Red Ridinghood. Her zest for adventure and merriment for her journey propels her plight forward. Her vocals shine on solo moments such as “I know things now,” “Your Fault,” and “No One is Alone.” Her childlike portrayal allows me to venture down other paths she might play, I could see her tackling Little Sally in Urinetown. Nonetheless, her portrayal here is spot-on and she is a joy to watch in every moment.

Megan Melody gives her all as Cinderella’s Mother/Granny, though I remember seeing her as Granny more. She is a wonderful addition to the company.

Colleen Chambers delivers a beautiful range of vocals as Rapunzel, and her moments with the Witch are outstanding. You almost cheer for her when she reclaims her power.

Blaine Moss as the Wolf/Puppeteer, does a fine job with the character and his performance. However, again, this may just be Direction, but the Wolf is missing some very key factors. The Wolf is meant to be very animalistic, almost carnal in his instincts, it has been portrayed in the past as a sexualized, almost dark, and ominous creature. At least in this instance, the moment fell flat, and I’m not talking about the missing cod piece almost relevant in nearly every portrayal. His “Hello, Little Girl,” should make you squirm a little, feel slightly uneasy, and here it felt very censored, and almost played too- safe. The wolf came across almost too feminine at times, and for me this moment left me grasping at straws trying to find the purpose for this choice.

Michael Neary (Steward/Puppeteer), Jordyn Green (Sleeping Beauty/Puppeteer), Callie Robles (Snow White/Puppeteer), Becki Mallett (Milky White/Puppeteer), Sam Kantrowitz (Puppeteer), and Tobias Paine (Puppeteer) all lend their unique moments to the company and help move the story forward.

As the Princes of our journey, Dylan Fidler (Rapunzel’s Prince), and Gabriel White Marin (Cinderella’s Prince), both deliver top-notch comedic performances, and hands down one of the standout moments of the whole show. Their rendition of “Agony,” is delivered with such precision, and such perfection, you could almost create a whole show centered around these two characters. Each Prince is dynamic in vocal delivery, comedic timing, dialogue, and their moment-to-moment is so precise they have you in a chokehold from first entrance to final bow.

As the Baker, Richard Brown is delivering hands down one of his most grounded and honest performances I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. What an emotional journey he takes us on. You feel for his plight and sense the urgency in the need to keep his family safe. The emotionally fulfilling need in which he wants to be a father is delivered ten-fold and his moments with (Hope Lelekacs) are wonderful to watch. For me the cornerstone of his performance is grounded in his delivery of “No More,” and “No One is Alone.” In these moments you feel the depths of his heart, the never-knowing his own father, and the need to be the perfect father himself. Truly exceptional work.

As the Baker’s Wife, Hope Lelekacs is wonderful. Her vocals are outstanding, and her growth from beginning to end is seamlessly outlined and delivered every step of the journey. From a direction standpoint, there were times in which her character came across too forced, at times it felt like her only purpose behind certain deliveries was to “pull for laughs,” nothing at all remiss of Hope’s performance, but rather the continuity in these moments seemed out of sorts with the rest of her arc.

Best in Company goes to Makayla Raines for the stunning turn as the Witch, her vocals are unmatched, and will leave you breathless. She is so devisive in her plight, and her journey is unlike any other, she lives, breathes, and consumes the role so methodically, its hauntingly beautiful.  This also goes to Gabriel White Marin, for his exceptional portrayal of Cinderella’s Prince. Delivering a top-notch performance he is truly in the moment from first entrance to final bow, never forced, always believable, and grounded in every part of his journey. Too many times the Princes can come across forced, almost too caricature, but in Gabriel’s hands, Cinderella’s Prince is the most honest, and most real, a true standout, and I for one will be watching where he goes next.

Under the Direction of Karissa Barber, the Company tackles one of Sondheim’s most beloved-classics, but not without a few questionable bumps along the way. Briefly mentioned above was the questionable Wolf sequence, and the Baker’s Wife’s need for laughs, but there were other moments posing question. We had a situation where the baby bump just did not work, and there were entrance/exit issues. Actors should find their way to and from stage with purpose, and there were times it felt like purpose was lost just for the mere sake of exiting the stage, its as if the mirage was pulled back and suddenly we were let in on a joke we weren’t supposed to know. Understood is the staging concept, but there might have been a light adjustment to help hide some of the misgivings. One final quandary was found in the final moments of the show, as I wondered on my drive home, why it was left in full stage light, a blackout on the button would have given a little more finality, and instead I was left scratching my head. On the positive side, the pacing was exceptionally well handled, not a moment left unturned, or a scene change too long, everything moved forward in a seamless fashion, as if we were turning the pages of a storybook.

From scenic elements, to beautifully rendered costumes, Into the Woods is a feast of grandeur for the eyes. Costume Design and Construction by Kari Crowther and her team were beautifully rendered and captured the magic of fairytales, as if they were to leap right from the page. Giving life to these characters we all know and love, and allowing a spark of personality to each individual portrayal. Puppet Design by Tami and Sean Carr were exceptionally rendered and beautifully executed, and allowed the performers to move about the space with ease. Set Design by Nora Paine and Scenic Design Elements by James Cass worked seamlessly together to evoke the world of the story. The use of projections alla “Rocky Horror” esque worked exceptionally well, and helped set the scene. Lighting Design by Sebastian Paine, worked well to highlight the Scenic Design elements rendered here. One misgiving was that I found a lot of darkness all over the stage, at points performers were speaking in the dark, and the lights were at times all over the place. Spots were never on long enough, and it left me scratching my head as to why the issues were happening. The mics were a big issue, always fading in and out and sometimes not coming on at all.

New Tampa Players tackles one of Sondheim’s most beloved musicals. A cacophony of stories we all know and love set to a breathtaking score, Into the Woods is a magical treat for audiences of all ages. Celebrating the two year anniversary in the New Tampa Performing Arts Center, I for one am happy to have made the trip to take this journey with New Tampa Players, and their exceptional Company of performers. Onstage now through April 6, 2025. Visit www.newtampaplayers.org to find tickets to this magical journey, and one you won’t soon forget.

“Oh if life were made of moments, Even now and then a bad one--! But if life were only moments, Then you'd never know you had one.”

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