Ever After

Into the Woods – Writers Theatre

Wish fulfillment and their consequences, the pain of growing up, parental and child relationships, learning to accept responsibility and the message that no one is ever alone: those are the themes that Stephen Sondheim leaves us with by the end of this magical musical. Imagine a world in which your favorite childhood fairy tale characters all live in the same neighborhood? Suddenly those familiar stories begin to merge and blend together as Cinderella, her Prince Charming, Little Red Riding Hood, the Big Bad Wolf, Jack and his beanstalk, Rapunzel, her Witchy mother, and many others, all work together trying to navigate their enchanted existence. Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s clever interweaving of these fairy tales propel the familiar characters forward on a journey of personal growth and self-discovery. The first act is frothy and fanciful but, in an unexpected about-face, the second act turns darker, more sobering and powerfully thought-provoking. The result is simply enchanting, especially in Writers Theatre’s deliciously delectable production. 

So much admiration and respect goes to master director Gary Griffin for his magnificent, magically imaginative and intelligent in-the-round staging that brings the audience right into the woods. Griffin carefully takes each character and story from page to stage, utilizing the entire Nichols Theatre, turning the space into an arena stage. Additionally, this show lives through Matt Deitchman’s superb re-orchestrations and musical direction of Stephen Sondheim’s glorious score. He’s made certain that his large, talented cast beautifully sings and finely enunciates the master’s lush melodies, tongue-twisting lyrics and acrobatic rhymes. Charlotte Rivard-Hoster’s polished piano accompaniment, while conducting gifted musicians Jeff Handley and Brandon Podjasek on percussion, and versatile Mike Matlock on woodwinds, provides a rich, full harmonic canvas on which Sondheim’s songs are painted. Aubrey Adams’ clever choreography and movement adds yet another level of delight and whimsy for this production.

Scott Davis’ colorful, immersive scenic design that plunges the entire audience into the hanging foliage of willow trees and beanstalks is magnificent. The stage picture is enhanced by Lee Fiskness’ storybook lighting and Christopher LaPorte’s challenging sound design. Beautiful, finely-detailed and exquisitely-styled fanciful fairytale costumes by Mara Blumenfeld are a highlight of this production. Particularly wonderful is her hilarious bovine costume for Mary Poole, who plays Milky White. Nan Zabriskie’s special effect and makeup designs, along with perfect hair and wigs by Sam Umstead, take each character to whole other level. And Properties Master Rachel Watson was really put to the test, fulfilling such demands as yards of curly, breakaway hair, “as yellow as corn,”among many other unique items. 

This large and extremely talented cast is filled with Chicago’s finest, A-list musical theatre talents. It’s led by the incomparable Bethany Thomas who achieves a new level of personal excellence, as the Witch. Alternately the bitchy diva, the matriarch of the village and the sensitive parent, Ms. Thomas’ gutsy, sophisticated style and comic talent are complimented by a lush, velvety voice that lavishly caresses Sondheim’s challenging music with finesse. Especially beautiful are her soulful, “Last Midnight,” and “Stay with Me,” a mother/daughter duet sung with Rapunzel, exquisitely played by the wonderful Cecilia Iole.

Beautiful Ximone Rose, with a voice like Waterford crystal, was born to play Cinderella. Always lovely, whether she’s in her soiled scullery rags or a luxurious ballgown and golden slippers, Ms. Rose’s performance is compelling. As an actress, she’s refreshing and totally honest; and her renditions of “A Very Nice Prince,” “On the Steps of the Palace” and the sublime “No One is Alone” are quite simply breathtaking. Cinderella’s Mother is beautifully sung by Harriet Nzinga Plumpp, who also plays Red Riding Hood’s funny, feisty Granny.

Brianna Borger’s humane, nicely grounded portrayal of the sensible Baker’s Wife is equally terrific. This actress continues to dazzle in every role she plays. Here, Ms. Borger gets to show a flair for subtle comedy along with her strong, effortless singing voice. She’s especially impressive with her musical monologue, “Moments in the Woods.” Ms. Armstrong is nicely balanced by handsome Michael Mahler’s humorous, but pragmatic and beautifully sung Baker. A standout in anything he does, this may be Mr. Mahler’s finest, most intricately-layered role, to date. The couple’s search for the ingredients that the witch requires to break the spell, so that the couple might finally have a child (“It Takes Two”), establishes the Baker and his Wife as the audience’s surrogates and the protagonists of this play. 

Other fine performances come from the delightful Lucy Godinez, as a very funny, precocious and insatiably hungry Little Red Riding Hood. She’s sometimes paired, especially in Act II, with boyishly fetching Ben Barker’s sweetly naive and adventurous Jack, of the Beanstalk fame. Both characters continually grow throughout this musical, as they journey down a road toward wisdom and adulthood. Each of these young performers, who have impressed in many previous Chicagoland productions, are blessed with great acting skills and powerful musical talents. Jack’s Mother, impressively portrayed by the always wonderful McKinley Carter, provides both humor and recognizable parental insight to this play, along with a lovely singing voice.

The two Royals in this play provide much of the comedy. Cinderella’s Prince (“who was raised to be charming, not sincere”), is played with appropriate arrogance and insincerity by Ryan McBride. Another of Chicago’s finest actor/singers, handsome Alex Benoit is perfect as Rapunzel’s hilarious Prince. He and McBride play brothers who try to top one another musically through their plaintive duet, “Agony.” Matt Edmonds takes on two roles: he appears early on as Little Red Riding Hood’s dark, drooling aggressor, the Big Bad Wolf, while also portraying the Prince’s haughty Steward. And, making his welcome return to the stage, Artistic Director Michael Halberstam taps into his many talents as the subtly sardonic Narrator. William Brown, who constantly pops up unexpectedly, is frustratingly enigmatic in the role of the Mysterious Man. Much more humor is proffered by the gorgeous Kelli Harrington, Molly Hernandez and Nicole Arnold in their sharp, comic portrayals of Cinderella’s haughty Stepmother and two selfish, mean-spirited Stepsisters.   

Beautiful to look at and brimming with gorgeous songs, Gary Griffin opens a new season at Writers Theatre with this wonderfully magical, immersive musical. Filled with moments of sly naughtiness (“Hello, Little Girl”), hilarious hyperbole (“Agony”), new lessons to be learned (“I Know Things Now”), and old lessons that bear repeating (“Children Will Listen,” “No One is Alone”), this glorious production of Sondheim’s most enchanting masterpiece will charm the child out of the most hardened adult. As the Baker’s Wife sings, “That’s what woods are for: for those moments in the woods.” “Ever After,” each theatergoer will relish his own trip through this enchanted forest, taking home the lessons and memories gleaned from those moments spent in these bewitching  woods.

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented August 14-September 22 by Writers Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe, Illinois.

Tickets are available in person at the box office, by calling 847-242-6000 or by going to www.writerstheatre.org.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.