The beautifully designed musical “Redwoods,” which had its world premiere Sunday night at the La Jolla Playhouse, depicts California's redwood forests as a mystical, maternal setting that brings healing and hope to the people on stage. This is the place. And in this groundbreaking, immersive production, ancient trees cast the same magical spell on the audience.
Co-conceived by Tony Award-winning star Idina Menzel and director/writer/co-lyricist Tina Landau, with music and lyrics by Kate Diaz, “Redwood” is about a grief-stricken woman named Jessie.・This is a deeply moving story about Myers. She leaves her life in New York and eventually finds her moment of self-discovery in Eureka, California. There, she finds peace, inspiration, and a reason to survive, living 100 feet above the ground in a 2,000-year-old redwood tree she calls “Stella.”
Nkeki Obi-Melekwe (left) as Becca and Idina Menzel as Jesse in La Jolla Playhouse's world premiere production of “Redwood.”
(Courtesy of Rich Soubret II)
As Jesse, Menzel gives a brilliant, multi-toned performance that is sensitive, unfiltered, anxious, impulsive, heartbreaking, and very funny. Her famous powerful voice is delivered over and over again throughout her two-hour musical without an intermission, and she never leaves the stage. But Menzel also imbues her songs with great sensitivity, heart, and emotion, especially on “Dear Everybody,” “No Repair,” and “Let the Fires Come.”
Menzel may be the show's human star, but it's the trees that catapult “Redwood” to the forefront of musical theater innovation.
Diaz wrote a cinematic multi-track score that gives Sequoia an angelic voice. SOUND His designer Jonathan Deans creates seat-shaking roars of distant fallen trees and crackling flames. And media designer Hannah S. Kim created a surreal animated film and projection design for his simulation of motion that rotates, twists, and stretches upward as the actors move through the stage environment. For Southern California residents, seeing the Redwoods is best described as being on Soarin' Over California, a hang gliding simulator at Disney California Adventure theme park. There's no pine scent coming from the pipe.
Zachary Noah Pizer (left) and Idina Menzel perform in the world premiere musical “Redwood” at the La Jolla Playhouse.
(Courtesy of Rich Soubret II)
Landau's engaging, fast-paced screenplay keeps some surprises until the end, but we'll explain the basics of the plot here without spoilers.
Jesse is a highly talented event planner who was voted “Most Likely to Succeed” when he was in third grade, but he struggles with a demanding job and his wife Mel (a wise, gentle, velvety-voiced woman). I realized that I could no longer cope with my 20-year relationship with (De Mel). “Adre Aziza)'' A year ago, they suffered a crushing defeat. But while Mel is slowly recovering, Jesse's grief remains an open wound. Jesse impulsively gets in his car without deciding where she's going and heads west in search of a place where she can breathe again.
She eventually ends up in Eureka, where she meets Finn, a botanist from Sequoia trees, a rugged, paternalistic idealist played by Michael Park, and Becca, a young but iron-willed scientist played by Nkeki Of-Melekwe. meet. Like Jesse, Finn and Becca experience loss and close their hearts to protect themselves, finding quiet solace among the trees. The interdependent sequoias have survived more than a century of clear-cutting, wildfires, and climate change, and are a symbol of the resilience and community these three lonely souls desperately need.
Standout songs on this score include the lyrically deft Jesse and Mel duet “Back Then,” the lilting Jesse and Stella duet “Stella,” and “Becca's Song.” However, the best number of this song, sung by Zachary Noah Pizer, who plays multiple male characters in the story, was a ballad so heartbreaking that many in the audience, including myself, wiped away tears.
The musical features orchestrations and arrangements by Diaz. Musical director is Haley Bennett. Landscape by Jason Ardizon West. Costumes by Toni-Leslie James. Lighting by Scott Zielinksi.
“Redwood” has an honest and deeply relatable story told in an intimate, unique and breathtaking way. Unlike many new musicals that need more work before moving to Broadway, “Redwood” feels like it's finished today. And technically, this feels like an American musical of tomorrow.
“Redwood”
when: It runs until March 31st. Show times vary.
where: Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theater, La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla
ticket: Although sold out, we will be selling small lots during the exhibition period.
online: lajollaplayhouse.org/show/redwood
pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com
