KEYS WEEKLY
ONCE UPON A TIME…WATERFRONT PLAYHOUSE WENT ‘INTO THE WOODS’
By Erin Stover
December 12, 2024
View Article

The most familiar fairy tales welcome us with four special words: “Once upon a time…” What follows is typically the story of a hero, a struggle, a triumph, a lesson. In the banal human realm, we know all about struggle, but the triumphs are generally less pronounced. The exception is when someone takes a wild chance that dictates an outcome of success or failure, no grey area. Well, once upon a time, the Waterfront Playhouse hired a new artistic director…

Patrick New has long been a fixture on the stages of Key West. This season, he’s helming his first series of productions at Waterfront. Some theater professionals stepping into a big role at a beloved theater would play it safe that first year and appease the crowds with a little song and dance. New did no such thing and instead has chosen to kick off his first season by staging, arguably, one of the most difficult musicals ever written. So, into the woods we go.

Written by Stephen Sondheim, “Into the Woods” debuted in 1986 and has seen hundreds of productions ranging from regional theater to Broadway to a 2014 film adaptation starring Meryl Streep. The story intertwines various fairy tale characters and stories, exploring their desires and the consequences of their actions. Characters, like Cinderella (Jillian Todd) and Little Red Riding Hood (Meghan Barter) have wishes that may be granted by following their path – you guessed it – into the woods. The stories are grounded by the central actions of Baker (Jeremy Zoma) and his wife (Bridget Adams-King), a couple that has been cursed by the Witch (Lauren Thompson) and are unable to have children, unless they are able to collect specific magical items from each of the other characters.

On the surface, the premise reads much like any classic fable. But Sondheim’s characters, flat in their own classic stories, are now faced with moral dilemmas and unforeseen consequences. The second act, for example, deals almost entirely with what happens after “happily ever after” – repercussions, sacrifice and unexpected consequences. “Into the Woods” is not simply a comedy or a tragedy, but something that occupies the less tangible space between, with thematic lessons exacerbated by Sondheim’s intricate lyrics and music.

All of these elements make for undeniably great theater, but are famously daunting to would-be actors, producers and directors. For New to select such a work right out of the gate shows the bravery of, shall we say, a fairy tale Baker. Thankfully, his bold entry into the woods has resulted in triumph rather than tragedy. Michael Boyer’s set design creates the necessary atmosphere without overindulging the extravagance inherent in the book. The same elegant restraint can be said of the entire production, which flows smoothly without snagging on notions of the grandiose, which would be an easy trap in which to fall.

Sondheim’s material is in expert hands with this cast. Zoma plays the Baker with the necessary charisma to pull together all the intertwining narratives. Arthur Crocker (Rapunzel’s Prince) and Mathias Maloff (Narrator) move the action with the right dose of wink-and-nod comic relief. Each actor balances their acting and their performance of some very difficult music with expertise and ease.

The beauty of “Into the Woods” is that each character, each story, is equally important to the telling. There is also a reason Meryl Streep was cast as the Witch in the film adaptation. A meaty role, the Witch requires an expert-level act of poise. Lauren Thompson embodies the evil and humanity in an impressive turn. The play would fall apart if the Witch landed as purely humane or too villainous. With Thompson, she’s the perfect anti-hero, a woman with her own desires and downfalls.

“Into the Woods,” with its complex musicality, amorphous morality lessons and dualities of its characters, is the sort of show that divides audiences. Of course, the final opinion of each audience is a result of the particular production – the cast, director, and staging have massive implications to the reception of this piece of theater. Thankfully, New and his team have taken a chance and come through the woods with an impressive, balanced production that shines.