By Lilly Luna
From the moment you walk into the Hurricane Valley Fine Arts Center in Hurricane, Utah you are transported in to what looks like a wooded paradise at this Into the Woods production. Into the Woods is a musical with both lyrics and music written by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine. This musical debuted at the Old Globe Theater located in San Diego, California in 1986 and its first performance on Broadway was on November 5, 1987. After the Broadway run, this musical won several Tony Awards included best score, best book, best actress in a musical (Joanna Gleason) in 1988. Awards in 1988 were dominated by the Phantom of the Opera so the competition was stiff that year. This story can also be seen in a 2014 motion picture adaptation that starred well-known actors such as Johnny Depp, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Anna Kendrick to name a few.
For the next few hours, I was taken back to childhood stories that would include Little Red Riding Hood (McKenzie Morgan), Jack and the Beanstalk (Mason Stevens), Rapunzel (Janessa Judkins), and even Cinderella (Kimber Dutton). The characters from these fairy tales are intertwined with a witch (Tamsy Thompson) who has placed a spell on a young couple. The childless couple are a baker (BJ Cox) and his lovely wife (Jill Bearden) and this story revolves around their quest to become parents. These characters, plus many more story book personalities, have a great deal of interaction with each other as the plot unfolds before you.
The performance of Thompson as the witch is exceptional and she is very convincing. Her vocal talent is definitely a rival for her acting skills. McKenzie Morgan as Little Red is spectacular, her vocal range is pleasant to hear. She performs the role of the young girl in search of her grandmother’s house without flaw. BJ Cox as the baker never disappoints as he is spot on with his vocal and acting talents alike. Jill Bearden as the wife is a comedic relief and it’s a delight to hear her sing and watch her interact with her fellow villagers. Kimber Dutton‘s voice is pitch perfect as she serenades the audience as Cinderella while her prince (Adam Cheney) is both goofily funny and a delight to listen to. The Narrator/Mysterious Man portrayed by Bart Pace is well versed in the role. Mason Stevens as Jack is persuasive in his role of the young boy who is responsible for climbing the immense beanstalk. The cast perfectly performs the tricky pitch and the myriad of humorous lyrics that Sondheim is known for thanks to the collaborative music direction of Norm Lister and Kimber Dutton. McKenzie Morgan does a fabulous job of staging the choreography with this cast size.
This production is another success directed by Kyle Myrick. His genius thinking brings this story to life, however; it is the lighting of the stage that really makes the set speak to you. Ashlie Davenport does beautiful work with her scenic painting skills. Costume designer Sammie Myrick scores big in the transformation from the actors to the characters they portray.
This musical is a wonderfully written convolution of fantasy and reality. The story remained engaging as the same lessons seemed to echo throughout. When you wish, be careful what you wish for as wishes do come true but they are not free and the lessons that ring veraciously that “children do listen”. “They may not obey, but they listen.” I can see why Into the Woods is such a popular musical to produce and it is suitable for adults and children alike. The message that the need to take responsibility of our actions is strong and the music has compelling themes with clever wordplay. This original, one of a kind mashup of fairy tale stories is a charming surprise to this reviewer who has never seen Into the Woods before.
Hurricane Valley Theatrical Company presents Into the Woods, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine.
Hurricane Valley Theatrical Center, 63 S 100 W, Hurricane, UT 84737
October 11-November 2, 2019, Mon, Fri-Sat, 7:00 PM, Saturday matinees 2:00 PM
Tickets: $15.00 for adults, kids 4-7 years old are free with a paying adult.
Contact: 435-668-9753
Hurricane Valley Theatrical Company Facebook Page
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