On July 24th, 2024, I had the great pleasure to see the storied musical Into the Woods at Roxy’s Downtown. This exceptional production runs until August 9, so hurry and get your tickets before they are completely sold out! I hear there are only a few select nights left. The piece moves at an engaging pace, is visually rich, and there are many delightful surprises that will keep you at the edge of your seat.
Into The Woods was written in 1986, and is the second successful collaboration between Stephen Sondheim (music and lyrics) and James Lapine (book) after Sunday in the Park with George (1984). Into the Woods debuted in San Diego at the Old Globe Theatre in 1986 and premiered on Broadway in 1987. In 1988, the Broadway Production won Tony Awards for Best Score, Best Book, and Best Actress in a Musical. There was a National Tour in 1988, a West End production in 1990, and two Broadway revivals - one in 2002, and again in 2022. In 2014, there was a Disney film adaptation, directed by Rob Marshall, and received three nominations at both the Academy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards.
Into The Woods combines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, and explores the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. The main characters include Little Red Riding Hood, Jack (of Beanstalk fame), Rapunzel, and Cinderella. The plot is is tied together by the Baker and his Wife, characters inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s Thumbelina. This couple undertakes a quest to begin a family, which is the original beginning of the Grimm Brothers' Rapunzel. They encounter a neighboring Witch, whose interaction with the Baker’s father causes the Witch to place a curse on the couple, which can only be eradicated by producing an array of goods. The couple embarks on an elaborate scavenger hunt, which causes them to interact with various fairytale characters to either great delight or frustration.
During his curtain speech, Director Rick Bumgardner tells us he chose an attic setting for this particular production. He asks us to see the production “through a child’s eyes” because “you’ll never know what you’ll find!” Bumgardner does a fine job here, mining the musical for humor while balancing the more serious aspects of this dense musical. Choreographer Courtney Wages (Miss Kansas 2023) keeps the action moving with well thought out movement for such a small stage. Musical Director Simon Hill delivers a beautifully blended ensemble and a small but tight skypit orchestra for a full, satisfyingly gorgeous sound. The sound, by the way, was mixed incredibly well by Jason Huffman (Tech Director at Cowley College).
The homey, cozy attic, was designed by J Branson, a Chicago based designer and WSU Grad. The set features an impressive faux wooden floor, painted by Huffman’s Stagecraft class. Arthur Reese did a splendid job lighting the set, which not only illuminated but created atmosphere by supporting the projections, which were created by Huffman. The projections were like a second character, adding plot information and creating unexpected special effects that wrapped around the front quarter of the theatre space. Costume Designer Chadwick Armstrong created some lovely garments, mixing rich fabrics and cottons with elaborate embroidery and embellishments. Tracy Ciambra’s props are clever and surprising.
This is such a large cast, and their ensemble work is excellent! Tara Shaffer plays the Witch, who is Rapunzel’s caretaker. Shaffer dons a mask for the first act, and delivers a perfect patter section in the Prologue. She does a great job maneuvering the score, making her sound tall, angular, and powerful. Shaffer’s Last Midnight is delivered with anger and tension, singing the song through clenched teeth, after which she unexpectedly disappears through the armoire! Shaffer softens her Witch later in the second act, losing the mask and rendering a more tender, loving character, obviously changed by her experiences.
Claire Greig does an exceptional job here as Cinderella. Gerig plays the role with earnestness, as we watch Cinderella transform from a wide-eyed princess talking to the birds, surrounded by sparkles, to a wily survivor who knows what she wants. Gerig’s warm voice and appealing character navigates the score easily, and lulls us into a sense of security in No One Is Alone. Shannon McMillan plays an enigmatic Baker’s Wife. McMillan is lovely here, using equal parts sweet and snark for a compelling interpretation that holds the audience’s attention and keeps them guessing. She sounds great too, delivering the score with tenderness, nuance and bravado, giving us too many great moments to mention.
Julia Faust plays Rapunzel, the Witch’s ward. Faust sings the role beautifully, but the meat of her performance shows us a PTSD survivor who’s trying to live her life but is unsuccessful in her attempt to work through all the trauma that’s been inflicted on her by the Witch. Tessa Seybert’s Red Riding Hood is feisty, fun, perky, and focused, taking us on her journey from immature child to confident young adult.
Both Cinderella and Rapunzel need Princes, and we are given an excellent contrasting pair for consideration. Cinderella’s Prince is played by Wyman Wheeler (who also doubles as the Wolf) and Rapunzel’s Prince is played by Zeke Thompson. Their singing was top-notch, but they played off each other so well. In their signature song Agony, Wheeler’s smooth, suave confidence was an excellent foil for Thompson’s over-the-top physical comedy.
Ryan Brown, who plays the Baker, comes to Roxy’s from Ponca City, OK. His warm voice and even warmer character give us a sympathetic, gentle man. Even when pushed to his limit, his frustration is tempered with kindness. McMillan and Brown make a great team, listening and reacting to each other with equal parts warmth and intensity. David Raehpour plays the Narrator/Mysterious man, making quick changes into many disguises, coming in at crucial moments and moving the story along. Raehpour’s most memorable moment comes in No More, as the Mysterious Man helps the Baker work through his enormous pain and trepidation of moving forward in his life. Raehpour sings with great tenderness, assuring the Baker that even with great pain we can find joy.
I don’t want to give everything away, but there were lots of fantastic moments I wanted to share! Kudos to Xavier Huffman, who built the Milky White puppet with his father, Jason. Xavier manipulated the puppet with skill and was able to imbue the cow with loads of personality. Vonda Schuster plays multiple roles here and is clearly having a great time. I loved the story of the Stepsister’s wigs. Caleb West’s Steward was energetic and fun, and I can’t wait to see what he does next! Make sure you get your tickets for this wonderfully entertaining and thoughtful production. There is a performance tonight, Friday, August 2nd, and two more this Saturday, August 3, followed by an extension next Thursday and Friday night, August 8th and 9th. All tickets for Into the Woods are $42 general admission and are available by calling 316- 265-4400 or online at roxysdowntown.com. For groups of 20 or more please call 316-265-4400 or email box-office@roxysdowntown.com.
What’s up next for Roxy’s? The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which will run from August 21 to September 7th, 2024.
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