Into the Woods is the newest production offered at Kimmel Cultural Campus. This was excellent on every level. From the production and stage imagery to the acting. Into the Woods hit the crowd with so much personality and powerful messaging. The children will listen always gets to me each and every time.
Before you Go to Into the Woods
This production is 2 hours and 45 minutes including an intermission. It will at least for me felt a little longer than normal to get to the intermission. It could have been me having a long day. My suggestion is to get tickets as close to the stage. This production pulls you in and being at the center of it all is amazing. If you have attended the Kimmel Cultural Center and got drinks and have the theatre cup-always pack it. You will save yourself of buying another one for $5.
The signature drink is Reverse the Curse. It’s made with Brandy, Ginger Ale, and Cranberry Juice. It’s not too strong and is delicious. Make sure you arrive at last 30 minutes before the show starts to give you enough time to navigate the bathroom, snacks, and more. It may be best to arrive about 40 minutes ahead if you want to be at the front of the line to get into the theatre
There is also amazing merchandise that you can buy to commemorate your experience. The show is in my opinion suitable for all ages. There are times when a display of a play knife will be used.
Messaging in Into the Woods
There are so many messages to take away. It honestly matters where you are. When I saw this production at another theatre the message that stuck out to me at the time was about being a great example to your children because they are watching. That message is still there. However this time the part that stuck out to me this me time was the Witch when she did all she could do to “shield” her daughter from the world. I have my oldest who is entering High School and the fear if I am doing enough to prepare her. My heart dropped when the Witch played by Montego Glover told the Baker’s wife how raising children basically doesn’t come with a manual. No matter what you do to protect your child, your child will still go out in the world and they need to be able to fly.
Again I can’t stress how timely this production is. Every character had their wish and something they were on the search for. Like us, in our everyday lives we are searching. Constantly re-evaluating the things that we say we need or want.
Full of Personality
This production had a slightly different feel. The characters demonstrated a level of care and attention to detail. I was blown away by the acting. I do not have a favorite character but if I had to elevate one character that stood out it would be Milky White played by Kennedy Kanagwa. The mannerisms in which Milky White moved was amazing. I hadn’t seen Milky depicted with an on stage puppeteer. The last time it was more of a cow that had two people walking and guiding themselves on the stage. Milky White came to life in a way that the audience needed him.
Of course I must give a shout out to Josh Breckenridge. I may be biased since I interviewed him on the podcast. However his ability to switch between Cinderella’s Father and Puppeteer was magical. One of the most outstanding parts was the Giant played by Ximone Rose. I had never seen such “shoes” be shown. It added a visualization that you have to see for yourself.
This production is one of the best versions of Into the Woods I have seen. Although I feel bad because I have seen this many times from other productions this will go down as the best. The cast worked well together. They took us along on the journey. It was funny and I must say, Katy Geraghty who played Little Red Riding Hood, was a show stopper. Unfortunately as good as this show is it will end at the Kimmel Cultural Campus on Sunday, April 9 at 1pm! Get tickets now.
