What, you've seen Into the Woods before? What musical theater fan hasn't?
Actually, that's even more reason to see Oanh Nguyen's brilliant reinvisioning of
this contemporary Sondheim classic.  I loved Jon Lawrence Rivera's recent
monochromatic warzone Woods at the Actor's CoOp but some felt it veered too
far from fairy tale look of the original.  Nguyen keeps the look at least
semi-traditional (but always with a twist), yet from the moment you enter the
darkened theater with the multitasking ensemble members lurking around and
literally above the audience as forest creatures of the night, you know you're in for
a Woods like no other.

I'm not good enough a wordsmith to describe the way John Robinson's fluid set,
Tonya R. Moake's mood-enhancing lighting, and Cassandra L. Stone's delightful
costumes combine to bring life to Nguyen's vision; suffice it to say they are
extraordinary. And though Woods doesn't have dance numbers per se, I
absolutely loved Kelly Todd's choreography (something which I've tended not to
notice in other productions of Woods, of which this was my 8th!)

There's not a weak performance in the 13 member ensemble.  Special credit must
be extended to the "Greek chorus of 6" (Michelle Anderson, Josh Christoff, Sherry
Domerego, Krystal Cori Garcia, A.J. Gutierrez, and Peter Schnake--all of them
excellent) who each get to play multiple characters and play musical instruments
of one variety or another. Domerego is especially lucky (as well as excellent) as
BOTH Jack's mother and Cinderella's stepmother (one of Nguyen's inspirations).
The Princes (fine-voiced Christoff and charismatic Gutierrez) make deliberately
mismatched but hilarious royal brothers, and Gutierrez is an adorably ferocious
Wolf as well.  Lowe Taylor brings a goofy warmth to the Baker's wife (she's one to
watch!) and Erika C. Miller's lovely Cinderella succeeds royally at On The Steps of
the Palace, one of Sondheim's trickiest songs ever.  Warren Draper proves that
there's hotness after 40 as the Narrator (a sexy narrator in Woods is usually an
oxymoron) and his quirky Mysterious Man is a hoot, and Jocelyn A. Brown, last seen
as an exquisite Cathy in The Last Five Years, gets to be first witchy, then young
and glamorous as the Witch--another fantastic performance.

Finally, Bob Simpson, Sarah Moreau, and Jeremy Lelliott are perhaps the best
Baker, Red Ridinghood, and Jack I've ever seen.  Simpson surpasses his sensational
work in TL5Y and Blake: Da Musical.  He's a dynamic performer who commands
the stage in every role, bringing his manic energy but also tenderness to the role of
the Baker. Moreau is the sweetest, cutest, geekiest Red Ridinghood ever--just
watching her legs move this way and that is worth the price of admission.  And
Lelliott (marvelous and heartbreaking in a recent L.A. production of Nicholas
Nickleby) is perfection as dim-witted but well meaning and warm-hearted Jack. 
Have I praised these performers too much?  Do you doubt me?  Just drive on
down to the OC and see for yourself. Only 2 (maybe 3) more weeks, so DON'T MISS
THIS SHOW!!!
AUGUST 2007, CHANCE THEATER, ANAHEIM HILLS.

--Steven Stanley