Into the Woods

I have been dying to see this live. I fell in love with the story when I was a teenager (what a great time to come upon Sondheim) and had even auditioned for a local production when I was in the 11th grade (I didn't get cast as Little Red so I didn't take it), and then there's a lot of ITW mania after the movie came out earlier this year. With all the mainstream attention, I was a little worried that the story would be destroyed, the show would lose its gall, or some other theater catastrophe!

Upon entering the space, it felt very intimate. No curtain. The actors came onstage 5 minutes before they started. They broke the 4th wall. They jumped off the stage to say hi to their friends. We were not in an ordinary theater setting. The show has been stripped. No longer is there an entire orchestra. No, now it's a singular piano with occasional bassoon, cello, guitar, pretty much anything else that anyone in the cast could already play. 

We had great seats (row K off to the right). I'm starting to love this theater space as it is so small. I see everything and feel included!

 Actors were doubling characters, so depending on who was free to play the giant, that's who would take on the role. The actress who played Little Red also played Rapunzel, her different costumes being a red cape or a knitted wig. At times, it felt like "hipster Into the Woods". I really enjoyed the stepsisters, who were played by the two actors who played the Princes. They would stand behind a curtain rod to symbolize dresses. Very imaginative. It reminded me of seeing Peter and the Starcatcher only more chaotic. Aaron did mention that he was glad that he saw the movie before going because he would've been lost without previously knowing a little bit. He did say that he didn't like the 2nd act (bummer) because it was so contrasting from act 1 (that's the point, sweetie!) I enjoyed it.