Title: Redwood
Location: The Nederlander Theatre
Written By: Tina Landau (book and lyrics) and Kate Diaz (music and lyrics)
Summary: A woman travels to Redwood National Park and learns to climb the trees as a way to process an unimaginable grief.
Highlights: Idina Menzel in a new original musical centered around a woman in her prime, telling a very human and relatable story in a unique way? Yes, please! Idina conceived the musical along with book writer and director Tina Landau, telling the story of a woman who finds solace and healing in nature, with the help of a newfound community. Redwood is an intimate musical (a cast of just five) that feels epic - both in the literal scope of the giant redwood tree center stage, and in the grief, loss, love, and healing that the characters experience. We meet Jesse (Idina) as she's driving away from her NYC home, finally ending up in the Redwoods of California. We see her wife (De'Andre Aziza) and son (Zachary Noah Piser) in flashbacks and phone calls, enough to get a sense of the family she's leaving behind. Jesse meets a couple of tree climber/researcher/activists (Michael Park and Khaila Wilcoxon) and convinces them to teach her to climb, eventually finding such peace in the tree that she asks, or demands, to live on a platform high off the ground for a night, then a few weeks. She is finally able to face what she's been running away from, something that's expressed beautifully through the music and the set design that is dominated by the aforementioned redwood, but also includes videos and projections of the moving forest so realistic I had to close my eyes to avoid motion sickness; it's like watching an IMAX movie (scenic design by Jason Ardizzone-West, video design by Hana S. Kim).
Astonishingly, the actors actually climb the tree on stage in front of us, donning harnesses, clipping into the rope trailing up to the rafters, and ascending up and up and up until they disappear. They also do some tree dancing - pushing off the tree with their feet, soaring through the air in different shapes, then coming back to the tree. It's truly something to see (we were given the tip to sit in the mezz to be more level with the/tree action, and were glad we did). The new original score by Kate Diaz includes some powerful and emotional ballads for Idina, as well as gorgeous three-part harmonies for the tree climbers. Idina is a powerhouse singer, and this cast is up to her level. Michael is a favorite of mine from his days on As the World Turns, and I've seen him several times on stage, but this role really allows him to show all his sides - comedy, vocals, charisma, and acting chops. Noah has a song towards the end of the show as Jesse's son, that builds from soft and gentle to a powerful belt, and leaves not a dry eye in the house. Redwood is a beautiful anthem of healing through nature.
*Once again, I'm using an abbreviated Fringe-style summary for my NYC 2025 trip, since I am in the greatest city in the world with much more exciting things to do than write! Click here to see all of my Broadway-related blog posts.
