Baker’s Wife (El Beh) meets handsome Prince (Jeffrey Brian Adams) in Into the Woods at SF Playhouse. Photo by Jessica Palopoli.
The San Francisco Playhouse concludes its provocative 11th season with Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim (music and lyrics) and James Lapine (book). This musical intertwines the plots of many Brothers Grimm fairy tales and explores the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests. The main characters are taken from “Little Red Riding Hood”, “Jack and the Beanstalk”, “Rapunzel”, and “Cinderella.”
The musical is tied together by an original story involving a childless baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family, their interaction with a Witch who has placed a curse on them, and other storybook characters during their journey.
Making her musical directorial debut, Susi Damilano deftly guides her large and talented cast through the overlapping story lines of the various tales and also adds the silent role of a boy (Ian DeVaynes) who introduces the characters. All the players have shining moments. Exceptional performances come from Keith Pinto as the Baker, Monique Hafen as Cinderella and Safiya Fredericks as the Witch. Louis Parnell is delightful as the Narrator.
Music Director Dave Dobrusky brilliantly leads a seven-piece orchestra and Kimberly Richards’ choreography is outstanding. Kudos also go to Nina Ball’s multilevel set and Abra Berman’s lovely costumes.
Into the Woods is structured so that Act I ends on an upbeat “happily ever after” note and then Act II delves into the darkness that follows when people get what they think they want.
Into the Woods runs at SF Playhouse from June 24-September 6, 2014. Performances are held Tuesday-Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday-Saturday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at 450 Post Street (2nd Floor Kensington Park Hotel), San Francisco. Call 415-677-9596 or go to www.sfplayhouse.org.
Coming up next at SF Playhouse will be the World Premiere of From Red to Black by Rhett Rossi and directed by Susi Damilano, August 7-8 (previews) and August 9-30, 2014 at the A.C.T. Costume Shop, 1119 Market Street (at Seventh Street), San Francisco.
Flora Lynn Isaacson
