B'way Review: Redwood

Idina Menzel in Redwood
Credit: Matthew Murphy and
Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

There’s an awful lot of talk about trees in Redwood, the uneven new musical at the Nederlander after a run at the La Jolla Playhouse. During one of the many discussions on the titular forest king, it’s revealed that the roots of the massive monarch are deceptively shallow. That same could be said for the show itself. All the elements involved with presentation such as Tina Landau’s impressive direction, Jason Ardizzone-West’s ingenious set, Scott Zielinski’s versatile lighting, and Hanna S. Kim’s breathtaking videos, are truly dazzling. But the story conveyed in the book by Landau (conceived by Landau and star Idina Menzel who also is credited with “Additional Contributions”) is as overly familiar and slight as a Hallmark card. Likewise the score with music by Kate Diaz and lyrics by Diaz and Landau is trite and cliche-ridden. The heroine Jesse (a commanding Menzel) sings of “Somewhere else to be/Where I’m no longer me.” 

Like many a Lifetime-TV-movie protagonist, Jesse is going through major grief and midlife issues. She is fleeing her home and job as a gallery owner in Manhattan, driving aimlessly cross country in order to avoid confronting an undisclosed tragedy. The sharper members of the audience will guess the nature of the calamity based on flashbacks featuring her son Spencer (fiery Zachary Noah Piser). She ignores urgent texts and voice messages from her wife Mel (De’adre Aziza in a strong supporting performance). One of the few refreshing pluses of the show is the matter-of-fact handling of Jesse and Mel’s same-sex marriage. Eventually, Jesse just happens to stumble upon a California redwood forest, strikes up a friendship with aboriculturists Finn and Becca (crusty but warm Michael Park and prickly, fierce Khaila Wilcoxon), and finds peace by climbing the redwoods. “I’m a believer/That trees can heal ya,” Finn and Becca sing in typically bland lyrics which also rhyme “silence” with “giants.” Diaz’s music is at time captivating, but unable to raise above the pedestrian words.

There are so many holes in the plot it resembles one of the trees attacked by woodpeckers. In a matter of days, the acrophobic Jesse is scaling a majestic sequoia and spending several nights on a platform up there to dispel her fears and face her tragedy. Even more unbelievably, Finn allows her to do these dangerous stunts, risking his scientific project and her safety. To top it all off, the redwoods are attacked by a wildfire. It’s an unfortunate matter of timing, but the conflagration comes across as a tasteless exploitation of a natural disaster.

B'way Update: Redwood Sets Dates and Theater

Idina Menzel in Redwood
at La Jolla Playhouse.
Credit: Rich Soublet

Redwood, the new musical starring Tony winner Idina Menzel (Wicked), has set dates and a theater. Previews begin Jan. 25, 2025 at the Nederlander Theater with an opening set for Feb. 13. 

Written and directed by Tony Award nominee Tina Landau, with music by Kate Diaz, and lyrics by Diaz and  Landau, Redwood is conceived by Landau and Menzel, with additional contributions by Menzel. The musical  premiered earlier this year in a sold-out run at La Jolla Playhouse.  

“I made my Broadway debut at the Nederlander Theatre in Rent almost thirty years ago, so to be returning  there with Redwood is very emotional for me as it feels like a real homecoming,” Menzel said. “It has been  such a gift to collaborate with Tina and Kate on this show, and I’m so proud to bring it to Broadway.”  

Redwood is a transportive new musical about one woman’s journey into the precious and precarious world  of the redwoods. Jesse (Menzel) seems to have it all — a successful career and devoted family — until a life altering event drives her far from everyone and everything she knows. When she finds herself at the foot of the redwoods in Northern California, a chance encounter and a leap of faith will change her life forever.  Redwood explores the lengths — and heights — one travels to find strength, resilience and healing. 

Additional cast for the Broadway production of Redwood will be announced at a later date. 

B'way Update: Idina Mezel in Redwood

Idina Menzel in Redwood
Credit: Rich Soublet

Tony winner Idina Mezel will return to Broadway in Redwood, a new musical she co-conceived. The original musical which premiered at the La Jolla Playhouse this past February is slated to open sometime in 2025. Written and directed by Tony Award nominee Tina Landau, with music by Kate Diaz, and lyrics by Landau and Diaz, Redwood is conceived by Landau and Menzel, with additional contributions by Menzel. Landau will also be directing the Broadway premiere of Floyd Collins, set to open next April at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theater.

“I’m so thrilled to be returning to Broadway, and the fact that I get to do it with Redwood, a musical that means so much to me, makes it even more special,” Menzel said. “This show has lived in my bones for fifteen years, from the very first time Tina and I discussed working together. Finally getting to do it on Broadway is really a dream come true.” After her Tony-winning performance in Wicked, Menzel's last Broadway show was If/Then in 2014.

Redwood is a transportive new musical about one woman’s journey into the precious and precarious world of the redwood forest. Jesse (Menzel) is a successful businesswoman, mother and wife who seems to have it all, but inside, her heart is broken. Finding herself at a turning point, Jesse leaves everyone and everything behind, gets in her car and drives… Thousands of miles later, she hits the majestic forests of Northern California, where a chance meeting and a leap of faith change her life forever. With its deeply personal story, refreshingly contemporary sound, and awe-inspiring design, Redwood explores the lengths –and heights– one travels to find strength, resilience and healing.

Menzel will launch a career-spanning North American tour this summer, which will give fans an opportunity to hear a few songs from Redwood ahead of the show’s Broadway premiere. 

Broadway Goes to the Beach for 2017-18

The Spongebob Musical
Credit: Joan Marcus

Broadway is headed to the beach for the 2017-18 season. Two new musicals with seaside settings, The Spongebob Musical and Escape to Margaritaville, have just announced definite dates for the fall. The Spongebob Musical, based on Spongebob Squarepants, the popular NIckelodeon cartoon series, will wash up at the Palace Theatre for previews beginning Nov. 6 before it officially docks for a Dec. 4 opening. The family-oriented musical premiered at Chicago's Oriental Theater last year and features original songs by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles (Waitress), Cyndi Lauper (Kinky Boots), John Legend, The Flaming Lips, They Might Be Giants, and T.I. with an addition song by David Bowie and additional lyrics by Jonathan Coulton. Tina Landau (Superior Donuts, Bells Are Ringing) directs. Leads from the Chicago

Spongebob: "I'm going to Broadway!"

run will repeat their performances including Ethan Slater as the titular sponge, Gavin Lee (Mary Poppins) as the sour octopus Squidward, Lilli Cooper (Spring Awakening, daughter of Tony winner Chuck Cooper) as Texas squirrel Sandy Cheeks, and Danny Skinner as dim-bulb starfish Patrick. BTW, Lauper is also set to do the score for Working Girl. a stage version of the 1988 film comedy.

Escape from Margaritaville is derived from the music of Jimmy Buffett (you know, he had that big hit with the tune about the outlawed shaker of salt), and is set for previews at the Marquis on Feb. 16 before a March 15 opening. Currently playing at the La Jolla Theatre and ready to tour New Orleans, Huston, and Chicago before its Broadway bow, the show's plot concerns a laid-back bartender at a beachside resort falling in love with a urban-oriented tourist. Christopher Ashley (Come from Away) directs. Tom Kitt (Next to Normal) is music supervisor. Kitt will also serve in the same capacity for Jagged Little Pill, a musical based on Alanis Morrisette's Grammy-winning output, which will have a reading starring Idina Menzel. The Wicked Tony winner is scheduled to star in Joshua Harmon's Skintight Off-Broadway, so she is not set to appear in Pill's planned April 2018 run at the American Repertory Theatre.

More New Musicals and Plays

Ann Harada in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella
Photo by Carol Rosegg

My reviews of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, Passion, The Revisionist, and The Madrid were posted on ArtsinNY.com. All were somewhat disappointing, particularly Cinderella. Book-writer Douglas Carter Beane and director Mark Brokaw overthought the material and couldn't decide between a Disney or a snarky approach. Ann Harada, our beloved Linda the Stage Manager ("I ain't makin' no smoothies, bitch") from Smash, stole the show as the wicked stepsister. (OK she didn't really say that to Uma Thurman, but she said it with her eyes.) The 1965 TV Cinderella is the one I remember best. It used to come on every year and was a huge deal because it was in full color and they didn't have many elaborate musicals made just for TV. I remember watching it with the whole family including my grandparents visiting from Maine and getting to stay up till it was over at 9 o'clock.

Also I did a piece on flop Broadway shows for NewYork.com. I only included ten, but I'm sure there are many more you can recall.

More new musicals coming in--The Public Theater will be presenting a tuner version of The Fortress of Solitude, Jonathan Lethem's novel about two comic-book-obsessed boys growing up in 1970s Brooklyn. Itamar Moses (Back Back Back, Completeness) is writing the book and the songs are by Michael Friedman (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson). The Public will present the musical during the 2014-15 season after it has played the Dallas Theatre Center. This is one of my favorite novels and it should be interesting to see how it translates to the stage with the comic-book elements.