Dan's Papers - July 17, 2009 - Review: Into the Woods at SH Cultural Center

Stephen Sondheim's 1986 musical Into The Woods, with its twisting and turning of common fairy tales, has meant many things to many people. Some perceived the play, which debuted on Broadway in 1987 and won numerous Tony and Drama Desk awards, as an allegory of the AIDS crisis, which came to blinding light during that period. In "No One is Alone," lyrics like, "Sometimes people leave you halfway in the woods..." brought tears to the eyes of many theatergoers who had lost young friends midway in their lives. Sondheim gave us all hope and sympathy with the next line, "Do not let it grieve you. No one leaves for good. No one is alone. Truly."

Sondheim himself said the Baker's parents, both conflicted about having children, were loosely based on his own, and many people connect to the show's dysfunctional family theme. The song "Children Will Listen" is "Teach your Children" on steroids. It should be required listening for any parents worried about screwing up their kids, with lines like "Careful the things you say, children will listen. Careful the things you do, children will see and learn," and later in the song, "What do you leave to your child when you're dead? Only whatever you put in its head."

But in this era, of seemingly rampant infertility, sperm banks and egg donor organizations that sell the DNA from models or geniuses, the theme of a couple (the Baker and his Wife) going to tremendous lengths to have a child is especially poignant.

Still others see this work as a brilliant morality play for adults, where the darker side of humanity like deceit, blame and retribution in the name of pasion are played against Sondheim's unique, biting humor, and embodied in not so naïve fairy tale characters.

So director/choreographer Michael Disher had many options for the play, currently running at Center Stage at the Southampton Cultural Center. He chose to highlight the opposites of the piece - the darkness against the light. And light it was. There were full out laughs from the Sunday matinee audience in response to perfectly delivered one-liners.

The great thing about community theater in the Hamptons is that the cast is drawn from a remarkable community. The cringing and quiet groaning that happens at some community productions just doesn't happen here. This production is on the level of a top drama/music conservatory performance, filled with charming, well-trained singer/actors, and Disher's pretty much flawless casting.

Brett Chizever pulled off his third ace of the season in the role of the Baker. This young actor is at home on the stage with an engaging, solid presence and a voice as well suited to Sondheim as Porter. His version of "No More" in the second act was profound, as was his turn in the quartet "No One is Alone." The duet "It Takes Two" with Meredith MacBain as the Baker's Wife was spot on, their voices and inflection in perfect complement. MacBain was a believable, enjoyable Baker's Wife. "Moments in the Woods" was sung with insight and wry elegance. Another stand out was Stephen D'Amico as Jack. D'Amico has a rich baritone that belies his age - he just turned 17 - and his multi-leveled portrayal of the character left nothing to be desired.

In an interesting turn, Disher cast as the witch a young classically trained singer, Kerriann Otano, who delivered rich, velvety, flawless singing. She maintained that perfect head/chest resonance throughout. But perhaps in the service of the pear-shaped tone, the voice was almost too beautiful for the witch, who calls for grit and grime and occasionally ugly sounds.

Emily Hudson sang Cinderella beautifully; Lauren Rowland was completely entertaining as the naïve Little Red Ridinghood who quickly comes of age. Isable Alvarez as Rapunzel pulled off the character with a combination of sweetness and subsequent neurosis. Michael Contino was a natural as the Narrator and downright creepy as the Old Man. Jacob Boergesson, double cast, was convincing as the Wolf, achieving a strong vocal and physical characterization despite the impediment of a serious face mask.

Disher's costumes were fabulous; lighting leaned more toward the Schwarzwald than the Northwest Woods. Kathleen Papot on piano articulated every note of Sondheim's sneaky score. It's a very good production of a great play, well worth seeing.

Into the Woods: Southampton Cultural Cente through July 26. Thurs. - Sat., 8 p.m., Sunday at 5 p.m. Tickets. $25 adults/$10 students. 287-4377, or southamptonculturalcenter.org.