Taylor O'Toole

The original Broadway production of Into the Woods opened at the Martin Beck Theatre on November 5, 1987, playing for 764 performances before closing on September 3, 1989. It was nominated for ten Tony awards, winning three (Best Score, Best Book and Best Actress in a Musical)—Phantom of the Opera took home the Tony award for Best Musical. The only Broadway revival of the musical played in 2002 at the Broadhurst Theatre, lasting for 279 performances. In a moment of déjà vu, the revival also received ten Tony Award nominations, though it won the big prize—Best Revival of a Musical. For the revival the book was reworked, particularly in giving the second act stronger emotional weight, and a couple of songs were moved around. From the London production this revival used the "Our Little World," a duet between the Witch and Rapunzel. Another new element from the London production was that, of instead of using a fake cow (named Milky White), they used an actor in a cow costume. "The Last Lullaby" was performed by the Witch to the Baker's baby whom she held hostage. And two wolves were used (the original had only one).

The story takes various fairy tale characters into a morality tale of children growing up, parents wanting and caring for children, single parenthood, and the disappointment of parents and children—also, of how to accept responsibility for your actions and the consequences of wishes.

I saw the original Broadway production during the last month that Bernadette Peters played the Witch (she left the production after five months due to filming commitments). I enjoyed the majority of the score, but mostly the brilliant lyrics that ground the characters' emotions and subtext, with James Lapine's book fitting perfectly within the score. I also saw ICT Mainstage's wonderful production in 2002, some major stink-a-roo versions, and some "eh" versions as well.

Plaza Theater Company has only been in existence for three years, yet they have certainly made a name for themselves. Last season, their production of Will Rogers Follies was thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining, and their Aida was superb from beginning to end. The company received a staggering 30 Column Award nominations and made history by being the first company not from the Dallas suburban area to win the Best Musical (Non-equity) award, for Evita.

I was quite apprehensive going into this production. As much as I respect PTC, this is one of Sondheim's most complex scores and requires really strong singers. The lyrics, book, and subtext of the characters go into dark emotional waters. Then there was the issue of taped music, which PTC uses instead of a live orchestra—the score is lush with strings and horns. The physical elements include several big special effects, lots of specific lighting, fairy tale costuming, a set of trees, etc.—and PTC performs in the round. However, Plaza Theatre Company exceeded my expectations with a splendid, stirring production.

Entering the theater, you are immersed in the pre-show lighting of intense greens and blues. The walls are painted (by Shelbie McElree) with marvelous, mist-like murals of trees and hills in rich colors and finessed detail. You feel you are right in the middle of the forest. Sound Designer G. Aaron Siler adds a sweet, soothing background of birds chirping ever so softly all around. Siler also designed the set, which is an endless array of leaves, tree limbs, and greenery scattered generously above the audience. Cinderella's large tree is placed directly in the entrance. Rapunzel's castle is a lovely scenic mural design painted by McElree; at the very top is a tiny wooden window that opens up. On one side of the space Siler has created the home for the Baker and his Wife, and on the other side is Cinderella's home (which later serves as the castle). There is a sea blue-green fire/oven piece painted in rich detail in the Baker's home. Deeper in the forest are various tree stumps and two large paper mache trees. Siler also fashioned a large net-like blanket of leaves and flowers that covers the Baker's house. For Grandmother's house there is a wall unit that is see-through so we can observe the action between the Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood. (However, that action is quite difficult see, and I sensed many in the audience did not realize that Little Red and her Grandmother actually came out of the Wolf's stomach.)

Cameron Barrus and Siler's magnificent lighting design matches (and even beats) some of the lighting designs I've seen in Equity houses. This company invested, and wisely so, in state of art lighting instruments which raises the artistic bar here. The use of rich, bold, vibrant colors throughout the piece is a work of art. Each musical number (and even each scene change) has its own palette of colors, hues, gobos and design. Some of the most visually exciting lighting designs are those for the Witch's transformation, the Baker's Wife's death, the Witch's number "Last Midnight," and the number "No One is Alone." The use of pinpoint lighting for certain emotional moments or lyrics is outstanding here.

The special effects are simple, yet they are expertly executed. The use of a rapid "zing" of a single strobe of light for the Witch throwing the peas is right on the money. The combination of fog and light to transform the Witch, again perfection. Even the simplest effects work delightfully, such as the dropping of Cinderella's gown and the birds that speak to her. The use of a video image of Cinderella's mother projected onto the tree is pure genius. I won't ruin the fun here, but what they have created for the Giant's Wife's death is hysterical, and the Prince's horse is genius.

Siler's sound design for various special effects radiates, including the sound effects for the Witch's wand and the booming voice for the Giant's Wife. However, I did miss not hearing the loud, crashing thud of music that accompanies Cinderella each time she runs on stage and falls on her behind.

Costuming is getting harder and harder to admire these days. Theater companies borrow from other companies, use what they have in stock, or they rent from costume warehouses costumes seen in other productions. Companies in this community who actually build, construct, and design original costumes are few and far between. Last season Tina Barrus designed the exquisite costumes for Aida—a seemingly endless array of costumes that you could clearly see were built from scratch. She once again meets the challenge for Into the Woods—her costume design here is magnificent, with an array of truly charming fairy tale costumes. Again, you see they were built from scratch, using rich fabrics, but also period appropriate patterned fabric. The Stepsisters and Stepmother are in massive hoop-skirt gowns with grand fabrics, the Princes in regal coats with ruffles and gold epaulettes. One prince has a very ornate cape with gold thread that looks gorgeous under the lighting. Barrus designed for Cinderella a beautiful powder-blue gown with a sprinkle of rhinestones and sequins. On the back of the gown is a billowing chiffon effect with tints of glitter. The Wolf wears a fantastic ornate coat that is overlaid with a massive vest of wolf hair (and a tail). The Witch wears a unique tattered costume complete with an elegant yet mysterious black cloak of rich black velvet trimmed in silver. And her ball gown received a loud gasp and wild applause from the audience.

Even the costumes for the non-royalty are designed with incredible detail. Jack's mother has several pieces that are designed in harmonious fabrics and colors. Jack has a beautiful costume of color as well. Little Red has a divine billowing plaid dress with matching hat. The only miscue I saw in the costume work was that you could see the boning of the hoops that make up the hoop skirt for some of the ladies—with tulle or crinoline over the actual hoopskirt those bumpy boning hoops would vanish. Regardless, this is the most impressive costume design I've seen so far this season. A round of applause must also go to Barrus's eight costume assistants who assisted her in sewing and construction, bringing her cloth visions to grand life.

The only physical design element that doesn't match the artistic bar set by the designers is the cow, Milky White. She looks a tad amateurish and unfinished. It would have been more interesting had they gone with the revival's version of casting a live actor as the cow.

The tech crew also does fine work in this production. This is a small, intimate space. Any movement or sound is clearly seen and heard. But the tech crew (led by stage manager Shauna Lewis) brings out the massive trees, Granny's large wall unit, and other pieces with barely a whisper. No thuds, no shuffling, no dragging the pieces on the ground. These are not small pieces, yet this crew works professionally and does not distract the audience with their scene changes.

Taped music—the death to musical theater in my book. From the actor's point of view, it stifles those live moments that happen within a song and performance. If you are "in the moment," a live orchestra or band can follow you. With taped music, you need to stick to it. It is also frustrating because laughs are lost or hindered when everyone has to keep up with the damn tape. And taped music really fails when it comes to pick-up cues and starting off a musical number. Singers fall behind the beat or speed ahead. What makes matters worse is that the majority of these taped orchestrations sound like cheesy, electronic amusement park music. Horns and strings sound fake and the emotions being explored on stage are destroyed. Sondheim composes his music to intertwine and segue with the book. There are tempos and variations in the score that demand the orchestra stay glued to the action on stage. PTC succeeds with the music in such an astounding way that I sear they must have a real orchestra backstage. The theater is filled with a lush, grand orchestra sound that never once sounds electronic, fake or bland. The underscoring (and there is a lot) stays in perfect unison with the cast. At the performance I attended, there were just a few, minor hiccups with some of the singers and only in the first act. A couple of times the soloists got ahead of the music, or fell behind. But they immediately realized this and quickly got on the right tempo. These mistakes were rare throughout this very difficult score.

Major kudos to Music Director Rebecca Lowrey who obviously worked with this cast to respect and honor Sondheim and his work. I know she must have engraved into their brains diction, diction, diction, because it is clean, pure and perfect.

Aaron Siler designed the lighting, sound, and set—oh, and somehow found the time to direct this production as well. His direction is rich in detail while the staging is pristine to the smallest moment. Even in the round, Siler magically creates beautiful staging sequences that flow within the score with powerful emotional strength. He keeps his actors rooted in organic realism, not going over the top. You can truly feel what these characters are going through. For musical numbers that require comedic staging, it is there—resulting in loud laughs. And what Siler inserts musically for the witch's transformation is unexpected and hilarious. But it is in the musical pieces that need dramatic intensity where Siler impresses the most. There are scenes and moments in that darker second act that put a lump in my throat. Bravo Mr. Siler!

The talents and strength of any director rise or fall on the major element of casting, and Siler's accolades include his superb choices of casting this musical.

This cast's singing is utterly remarkable! Their vocal finesse, strength and power overshadow some Equity productions currently performing around town. Diction is crisp and crystal clear from 97% of the cast; a couple of secondary performers have problems with some of the rapid-fire lyrics.

There is not a single weak performer in this cast, from the principals to the featured roles. Each brings a vital commitment to the story and their role.

Deborah Dennard (Cinderella's Stepmother), Kayla Esmond (Florinda) and Meagan Cavasar (Lucinda) bring to the table (or maybe I should say forest) the right amount of "snooty rich broad" and sassy comedy. Esmond and Cavasar in particular earn some wicked laughs as they ridicule Cinderella. However, I think they could have added more physical comedy after the characters became the blind stepsisters, particularly during the journey through the woods and in the choreography for the finale. But both are deliciously funny.

Shauna Lewis gives Little Red's Grandmother the humorous approach of a strong senior citizen with a slight hint of Rambo. Beth Cunningham plays the Steward with the perfect ambiance of a snobbish royal servant who has his nose in the air. Cunningham also provides a balance of humor and dramatic subtext with his facial expressions behind the royals' backs. We can see how the Steward feels about the royals and their inability to think on their own or govern the lands. In a fresh, new approach, Jake Lewis portrays Cinderella's Father as a stumbling drunk (complete with a bright red nose) who slurs his dialogue all through the evening. Even in a minor role, he gives the show some hearty laughs.

Auston McIntosh (Jack) and Heather Morrill (Jack's mother) have true chemistry and believability as mother and child. What is most refreshing in Morrill's portrayal is that she does not play the role as a bickering, bellowing, hen-pecking mother. She gives the character shades of warmth and genuine concern for her son's wellbeing. Morrill also gets great laughs each time she says the line about the spoons. Her soprano voice has a bold, hearty, rich tone that seals in her characterization. McIntosh is the right age and has the right look for young Jack who somehow keeps disappointing his mother. McIntosh has a nice tenor singing voice, but needs to get a firm grasp on his vibrato. At times, his vibrato causes the notes to sound shaky and machine gun-like. His acting choices are terrific throughout the evening. He does not have to try to be a teenager, he is one. He also has some touching scene work with the Baker and Little Red in the second act.

As the maiden with the long golden hair, Jill Baker is an outstanding Rapunzel. Her glorious soprano voice fills the theater with divine singing. Her voice never cracks or struggles with the difficult composition of her solos. She also has a gorgeous face, with eyes that vividly display the loss, hurt and depression of being all alone. She creates some hysterical comedic moments later in the show with "deer caught the head lights" looks out to the audience, and she handles the dramatic overtones of her role with equally successful results. The scene with the Witch in the song "Stay With Me" is particular moving.

Burl Proctor portrays the Narrator with a warm stage presence and a commanding, inviting voice that works like a charm for his characterization. Siler's staging idea of bringing Proctor into the scene to make the birds work for Cinderella is very funny. Later, as the Mysterious Man, Proctor changes his body and voice to bring a completely different character to the stage. This works extremely well in the second act on one of the most moving duets of the evening, "No More," with Ben Phillips as the Baker.

I have seen Daron Cockerell in several productions, but here she gives her best performance. As Cinderella, she sings with a gorgeous soprano voice that would melt even the heart of the vengeful Giant's Wife. Sopranos at times screech to hit the high notes, but Cockerell avoids that completely. She looks beautiful, with her ruby-hued hair fashioned up in curls and her makeup impeccably done. But her acting choices are what that truly impress. She is fresh and original in her interpretation. What is particularly moving is the emotional connection she shows to the Baker's child and Little Red Riding Hood through the arc of this character, who is really not comfortable in jewels and ball gowns but finds her niche in loving and caring for a child. Ms. Cockerell gives a radiant performance.

What would a fairy tale musical be without a prince? Into the Woods has two of them, but they are not cut from the cloth of noble Prince Eric (Little Mermaid) or Prince Charming (Cinderella). They are self-centered, self-worshipping, snooty, vain men. JaceSon Barrus and Kyle Adams deliver some of the heartiest laughs of the evening as these two royally spoiled princes. Barrus's Prince is chasing a young woman with bad shoes while Adams's Prince has to climb a huge tower, using his intended's hair as a ladder. The actors share one of the showstopping numbers of the night with the duet "Agony." This song has some of the funniest lyrics in the Sondheim catalogue. Both men are handsome, masculine, and they work in perfect sync with each other. They also happen to have exquisite, belting tenor voices that blend superbly. Kyle Adams has a fantastic tenor voice that is pure and is securely rooted with the perfect vibrato, while Barrus has a booming, rich and full tenor voice with an elegant vibrato.

At the performance I attended, Barrus got in a great zinger of an ad lib in act two. On his entrance, Adams accidentally brushed against the paper mache tree, which came crashing down on an audience member as the Giant's Wife was stomping through the land seeking revenge for her husband's death. Adams played off the crash with the perfect facial expression of "Oh, its just a peasant. Moving on." Barrus, with perfect comic timing, responded, "Well done Brother". The audience roared in laughter.

Barrus also plays the Wolf with superb results. That belting tenor voice transforms into an ice cold, sinister growl tinged with evil. His diction is excellent, and his lyric interpretation original and fresh.

Ben Phillips and Meredith Browning have great chemistry as the Baker and his Wife. Their chemistry is vital in the show because we truly want to cheer on their heroic task of getting all the ingredients the Witch is asking for. For some strange reason, actors I've seen in these roles before seemed to keep the characters on the same level of a bickering, bitter couple, but Phillips and Browning start off with the warm glow of a loving marriage. Phillips has a softer tenor voice than the rest of the male cast members, and it works perfectly with his characterization. Browning sings with a marvelous soprano voice that floats evenly on her elegant vibrato. Some of the most touching, dramatic scene work of the evening happens in the second act with Phillips and Browning. Phillips' face shows tremendous hurt and disappointment when his own child won't allow him to hold him. This gives the character a more cathartic outcome; by the end, you will have a big lump in your throat, thanks to this deeply moving performance. Browning's dramatic scene work in the second act is so special and moving that when her tragic end arrives, it is heartbreaking. She also brings a tear to the eye in her final scene with her husband holding their child. These two performers are the heart of this production.

With a stage overflowing with exemplary performances, it is quite a surprise that the loudest and most robust laughs of the evening take place in reaction to a 14-year-old girl named Taylor O'Toole as Little Red Riding Hood. She is a perfect example of what I think about comedy: It cannot be taught—any person can say a comic line. It takes perfect delivery, pace, timing, facial expressions and that rare comedic gift of truly talented comedic actors. This tiny girl was born with the comic gene. She does a hilarious skip that becomes the perfect comic button for her exits. Her facial expressions are never over the top or cutesy. She also knows when to pull back, especially in the second act. Her reactions and acting choices regarding the death of Little Red's Grandmother will make you reach for a tissue. I adored her performance.

It is a great treat discover a glittery gem of a new talent. Caroline Rivera as the Witch is just that dazzling bauble. Where on earth has this amazing, talented, gorgeous woman been hiding? After Bernadette Peters' original creation of the role, it is a tough assignment to create an original presentation of the role. Rivera is the first actress I have seen since Peters to actually hit the notes with a powerful—and I mean powerful—belting soprano voice that never once cracks, goes off key, or loses strength. She also shows sterling acting choices, providing the right dose of revolting, cruel, and scary emotions and speaking voice as the dark witch. Once she becomes all glamorous, she has a deep, sexy voice that fits her beauty perfectly. When the Witch is with her daughter in the outcome of the second act, she is gut-wrenchingly honest in her fury, revenge, and hatred of her loss. Rivera also generates some boisterous laughs with her comedic attack with this character. Her breathtaking, enchanting, powerful performance is mesmerizing.

There are many highlights in the musical numbers, but some are at the level of show stoppers, such as "Stay with Me", sung by the Witch (Rivera). This is my personal favorite song in the entire score. A compassionate mother is pleading with her daughter to stay with her, then realizes how her own child disappoints; Rivera channels that anger with sensational results. She belts and soars with superior results. Other exceptional numbers are the aforementioned "Agony" (sung by Barrus & Adams), "Hello, Little Girl" (Barrus), "On the Steps of the Palace" (Cockerell), "I Know Things Now" (O'Toole), "No More" (Phillips & Proctor), "Moments in the Woods" (Browning) and "Lament" (Rivera).

One more stirring number is "No One is Alone" sung primarily by Phillips and Cockerell, with McIntosh and Ms. O'Toole joining in toward the end. Both Phillips and Cockerell really peel into the lyrics to discover the rich subtext. Two adults, one now a widower and the other separated from her husband, both left alone, one with a baby son. The actors command the song's dramatic overtones with deeply touching emotion.

Plaza Theater Company completely blew my mind with this production. Their production of Into the Woods is spectacular in every department—from the production values to the direction and staging—not to mention that astounding cast.

Nothing is more impressive than seeing community theater companies take an artistic risk in doing something outside of their norm and push their subscriber/patron base to experience material that is artistically complex. PTC does promote that they are a family friendly theater company. Their seasons are chock full of kid friendly shows. But they add at least one show that challenges on every level. With this production, they not only meet the challenge, they exceed it.

I guarantee that the drive to Cleburne will be worth the trouble, because this production is a smashing marvel to watch.

Into the Woods plays through September 4, 2010, at Plaza's newly renovated theatre at 111 S. Main Street in Cleburne, Texas.

Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine
Plaza Theatre Company
Directed by G. Aaron Siler
Musical Direction by Rebecca Lowery
Stage Management by Shauna Lewis
Costume Design by Tina Barrus
Lighting Design by G. Aaron Siler & Cameron Barrus
Sound & Scenic Design by G. Aaron Siler
Scenic Painting by Shelbie McElree

Cast at the performance attended:

Narrator: Burl Proctor
Cinderella: Daron Cockerell
*Jack: Auston McIntosh
Baker: Ben Phillips
*Baker's Wife: Meredith Browning
Cinderella's Stepmother: Deborah Dennard
*Florinda: Kayla Esmond
*Lucinda: Meagan Cavasar
Jack's Mother: Heather Morrill
*Little Red Ridinghood: Taylor O'Toole
*Witch: Caroline Rivera
Cinderella's Father: Jay Lewis
Cinderella's mother: Kristen Spires
Wolf/Cinderella's Prince: JaceSon Barrus
Rapunzel: Jill Baker
Rapunzel's Prince: Kyle Adams
*Grandmother: Shauna Lewis
*Steward: Seth Cunningham
Voice of the Giant: Stacy Blanton

An asterisk denotes roles that are double-cast.

Photo: Ginny Rodgers

--John Garcia