BACK INTO THE WOODS

Curtain Call at Manhattan School of Music's production of Into the Woods

Broadway shows are not our fach, so to speak, but to be so impressed by a production of Into the Woods that we saw it twice, it would seem thoughtless to not write about it. We give credit to the Manhattan School of Music's Musical Theatre Department for outperforming any show we have seen on The Great White Way. That is indeed impressive.

We have nothing against American Musical Theater and we would love to attend, were it not for the amplification. We adore the sound of the human voice and cannot tell anything about vocal quality that has been electronically altered. So, we have nothing to say about the voices of these young artists but we have a lot to say about their performances.  Each and every one in both casts managed to create a unique character by means of gesture and body movement.

We are sure than Evan Pappas' direction was responsible for shaping the work as a whole and shaping each performance as well. Lorna Ventura's choreography served the piece well, as did Debbi Hobson's colorful and apt costuming. James Rotondo created a simple set with movable elements that well served the work. David Loud coaxed a well-shaped performance of Stephen Sondheim's glorious music from the young instrumentalists.

Beyond all those accolades, we would like to make a few observations on the work itself, its source material, and its effect on the audience. The lectures, the polemics, and the dense prose of contemporary opera rarely change one's feelings in a significant way. One might praise the performances (especially if the star is famous) and one might tell one's friends to go see something, but the work rarely stays with you. One is unlikely to return for a second viewing.

However, we have seen Sondheim's Into the Woods at every opportunity and even changed plans to see it twice in one week at Manhattan School of Music. Let's take a look at the reasons. As a psychoanalyst we can point out that the work addresses serious issues in a humorous way, making them more acceptable and accessible. James Lapine's book, weaving together a number of fairy tales, is beyond clever and Sondheim's lyrics rhyme and scan in the quirkiest of ways. The music is tuneful and sticks in the mind. We confess we have been singing and humming all week!

We have no idea which of the artists conceived the idea of utilizing fairy tales. The first time we read Bruno Bettelheim's 1976 book The Uses of Enchantment we were completely astonished by his theories of how small children process these ancient tales which were recorded by the brothers Grimm. We learned how these tales help the child deal with sibling rivalry, separation anxiety, oedipal conflict, and fears of the unknown. (For our purposes it is not terribly important but Bettelheim's authorship has been questioned; but the man who he purportedly plagiarized had no problem with it. )

So, we wonder whether an adult, seeing these fairytale characters onstage might help said grown person on an unconscious level. The characters in the show undergo sexual maturation (Little Red Riding Hood), fear of barrenness (The Baker's Wife), parental disdain (Jack), parental over possessiveness (Rapunzel), romantic dissatisfaction (the two Princes), and marriage for material reasons (Cinderella). The Baker suffers from his father's misdeeds. Everyone is blinded by their own selfish desires and lack of community. Everyone experiences the ground shaking under their feet. (Hello 2025!) Things go wrong just when you think you have solved your problems. Ultimately, it is community that helps people deal with grief and loss. No wonder we love this show. Art holds a mirror up to us and shows us who we are.

Major props to everyone concerned with this memorable production and a big dose of admiration and career encouragement to the huge cast that brought it to life. Bravissimi tutti!

© meche kroop