***RECOMMENDED The mere prospect of mounting a production of "Into the Woods" may be nearly as daunting as some of the obstacles that the fairytale characters face once they have entered the foreboding forest in Stephen Sondheim's beloved musical. You need a very strong cast to make this particular show truly sing. After all, as famously parodied in the delightfully twisted show "Forbidden Broadway" in which those cast members lamented Sondheim's endlessly tricky rhyme schemes and demanding lyrics during the "Into the Words" number, not just anyone can pull this off. When it was announced that Kokandy Productions would be concluding their 2024 season with "Into the Woods," hopes were very high as this particular company has had much success with Sondheim's work in the past. 3 SPOTLIGHTS
Directed by Derek Van Barham, who is also Kokandy's Producing Artistic Director, this version of "Into the Woods" is a very intimate affair. The decor and general vibe of the Chopin Studio Theatre's downstairs bar area extends nearly seamlessly into the playing area as well. A collection of deliberately mismatched furniture, including vintage upholstered settees, overstuffed armchairs and tall swivel bar stools encircle two grand pianos which are set at center stage. This is where the audience is seated and the action swirls continuously in front of, beside and even sometimes behind you. Billed by some as an "immersive" experience, this "Into the Woods" benefits greatly from this choice of staging. Much of that credit should go to Van Barham, who also created the inventive choreography to specifically fit this venue. Working with a relatively youthful ensemble, Van Barham focuses much of his efforts on bringing genuine authenticity to the sometimes dark but richly emotional book written by James Lapine.
Grounding this production are two very solid performances from what can only be comparatively described as theater veterans who guide the younger members of the cast. Madison Kauffman is a pure delight as Cinderella. She is funny, bright and as effervescent as her champagne-hued ball gown. Plus, she has an incredibly powerful and nuanced singing voice, which is put to great use throughout the show but is beautifully showcased in her final number of "No One is Alone."
Kevin Webb is equally as strong as The Baker, a happily married man who longs to break a curse put upon him and his wife which has prevented them from having a child. Webb is very convincing as a man who desperately yearns to be a decent father to emend the damage done to him when his own father abandoned him as a young boy. As the conflicted baker seeks to find a way out of the woods, he meets a mysterious stranger. This sets up Webb's strongest musical number in Act Two, which is "No More."
New faces to keep an eye on in this cast include Shea Hopkins as a very campy Cinderella's Prince. Hopkins also clearly has loads of fun as well as the ferocious Wolf. Both Hopkins and Jonathan Allsop (as Rapunzel's Prince) perform a comically divine version of "Agony." Kevin Parra is endearing as Jack and Britain Gebhardt is vocally compelling as Jack's Mother.
While Nick Sula's music direction is stellar, it is Matt Reich's precise sound design which will guarantee that you will hear every word spoken and every note sung.
However, the real stars of this show are the two musicians, Ariana Miles and Evelyn Ryan. These two artists have meticulously orchestrated Sondheim's immense score to be fully realized by just two pianos. Truly impressive. Just look at the awe and admiration on the faces of the entire cast as they gather in a circle around the two grand pianos during the curtain call. As Miles and Ryan perform a sort of Dueling Keyboards at the show's finale, which is a recapitulation of the show’s many musical themes, you too will be smiling along with the ensemble. Immersive, indeed.
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"Into the Woods" continues until December 22, 2024
The Chopin Studio Theatre is located at 1543 West Division Street, Chicago, IL
Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:00 PM, Sundays at 5:00 PM.
Please note: There will be added performances on Wednesday, November 27 at 7:00 PM and Monday, December 9 at 7:00 PM. There will not be a performance on Thursday, November 28 (Thanksgiving).
Tickets: $45 general admission, $55 reserved seating. Students/Seniors $35. There will be a limited number of $15 tickets (with code ARTIST) available to artists for each performance.
Tickets are on sale now at www.kokanyproductions.com
Running time is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes with one intermission