Theatre Review by Ron Fassler . . .
Idina Menzel’s career in musical theatre was launched nearly thirty years ago as Maureen in the original company of Rent. A few years after that, she took over from Sherie Rene Scott in Aida and, in 2003, created the role of Elphaba in Wicked, winning the Tony Award as Best Actress in a Musical. In 2014, she starred in If/Then which, in spite of mixed notices, ran a year on the strength of Menzel’s popularity. Now, ten years after that show closed, Menzel is back in just her fifth musical to date. Coming full circle, she has returned to the Nederlander Theatre where it all began with Redwood, an original musical. Using lavish visual projections, it attempts to tell the story of a woman seeking solace after tragedy in the enveloping arms of a tree that soars thirty stories in the sky. The metaphor is a mighty one and under Tina Landau’s inventive staging, there are some soaring images and fine performances, but sadly they are in service to a book and score that fail to rise to a level playing field level of creativity.
The project has been a passionate one for Menzel who, over a fifteen year period, co-conceived it with Landau (the book credit is Landau’s alone). The music is by Kate Diaz, a newcomer to musical theatre who, with Landau, co-wrote the lyrics. In conception, writing and scoring, there is little that inspires in stark contrast to its striking production design. The plotting is weak and the music and lyrics are generic, failing at differentiating the five characters credibly. The way the songs are constructed there is little appreciable difference in the manner everyone express themselves. Diaz may be well versed in writing scores for film, television and other media as it says in her bio, but writing for the theatre is a whole other animal. When you look at masters of the craft like John Kander and Fred Ebb who, even in their lesser musicals, wrote clearly and individually for their characters, you wonder what’s gone wrong over the years? Songs that come out of one person’s mouth must differ musically and lyrically than another’s. This seemingly lost art sadly leaves little hope for the future of the musical theatre on Broadway as we once knew it. That and the “American Idolization” of theatre scores (hitting big notes then modulating to higher keys for an extended big finish) is probably with us to stay.
Though the creators have acknowledged a debt to Julia Butterfly Hill, an environmental activist who once lived up in a redwood between 1997 and 1999 to protest its planned destruction, they have not followed her story (she saved the tree by the way). Hill is mentioned in the show but Landau’s version is about Jesse, a workaholic art gallery owner who staves off mourning her grief over the death of her young adult son (Zachary Noah Piser). She shuts down and tunes out, abandoning Mel (De’Adre Aziza), her life partner of twenty years. Driving across the country, Jesse lands in a redwood forest in Eureka, California where she befriends two accomplished canopy botanists (plant life scientists), Finn (Michael Park) and Becca (Khaila Wilcoxon). Quickly taught how to scale the giant tree, Jesse finds both safety and exhilaration in being so high up and far off the ground. She gives herself over to the inanimate object so completely that she lovingly christens the redwood, Stella.
Menzel gives her all with her customary mix of fierceness and vulnerability. Her unique beauty and gorgeous voice are, as always, a captivating presence. Game for anything, not only does she spend a good deal of time flying but even sings upside down suspended in mid-air—just one of the many brave acts she performs. As Jesse’s confused and devoted partner, De’Adre Aziza is striking in her low-key approach to her character. As Becca, Wilcoxon has a superb voice and is wholly believable as a hard on the outside-soft on the inside field scientist. Michael Park lends a rugged integrity as a former hippie whose love for nature motivates Menzel’s Jesse to get out of her head. It’s a strong and lovely performance. And in a series of roles, Zachary Noah Piser uses his achingly tender voice to good effect. However, it’s a shame none of these wonderful actors have been given the sort of well-crafted theatre songs that don’t metaphorically tie their hands behind their backs.
When you enter the Nederlander you are met by large white screens that cover and extend beyond the proscenium arch. Slowly, they are filled with dazzling projections that offer state-of-the-art technical expertise that, at times, can be awe-inspiring (check out these photos in detail). The effects truly are stunning. That said, major credit to scenic designer Jason Ardizzone-West and video designer Hana S. Kim. Toni-Leslie James does a nice job with costumes and Scott Zielinski’s lighting is highly creative. There is also first rate sound design from Jonathan Deans.
But the play’s the thing. It’s hard to escape the feeling that in spite of its grandeur that Redwood’s small story doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. Without a memorable score and more convincing story it instead leaves a talented cast and crew stranded up a tree.
Redwood is at the Nederlander Theatre, 208 W 41st Street, NYC. For ticket information please visit: https://www.redwoodmusical.com/tickets/
Photos by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman.
Headline photo: Idina Menzel
