Review: INTO THE WOODS at TheatreLab Dayton

For our first interpretation of INTO THE WOODS, we start with TheatreLab Dayton. This group previously started out a decade ago as Dare 2 Defy Productions before rebranding a couple years ago. TheatreLab provides musical theatre to Dayton with the goal of employing and featuring local talent. This cast and crew features a mix of local Dayton actors with musical theatre students from Wright State University. This production is co-directed by Philip Drennen and Kaleb Smith, with stage management by Marley Masterson, choreography by Abby Kress, and music direction by Jeremy King.

As I sat down for the Saturday evening performance at the Kennedy Union Boll Theater at the University of Dayton, the curtain opened to an intrinsic, cottage-core set filled with antique furniture and decor that would later be featured as props and costume pieces in the storytelling. Smith provides a detailed set design with the construction by Zach King that employ smooth transitions out of the cabin setting and into the forest setting with cameos of Rapunzel's tower and the steps of the palace. R. Allen Frost Jr. provides lighting design that brings the vision all together with vibrant colors and crooked gobo patterns to embody the light peaking through the trees. Abby Latimer’s costume design is very clear and distinctive to each character, it’s easy to heighten details for fantasy characters, but Latimer makes sure the actors maintain their groundedness within their wardrobe. Kress’ choreography holds a traditional spirit to the Broadway movement with new additions of sharp poses and moments that help carry the vision, including the characters passing along the Narrator’s fairy tale book to the Baker in the end.

  Speaking of the Narrator, enter Luca Meyers as the Act One Narrator, giving us a young and curious outsider who enters the cabin setting and discovers the fairy tale book that brings these characters to life. Meyers maintains interactions with these characters and provides a sprite energy throughout the first act. When we return from intermission for act two, we see a different narrator take place. Jason Slattery, who was previously playing the Mysterious Man, is also playing the Act Two Narrator, now a grown up version of Meyers. Slattery’s adult narrator is reminiscing on his childhood self from act one as he returns to the cabin to tell these fairy tales again, but with a more insightful, three-dimensional perspective on these stories and these characters. At the end during “Children Will Listen” he looks on at his younger self (Meyers) running across the stage in a flashback moment that solidifies the vision of the directors, which is the toll that time takes on a person’s imagination and how the stories we are told at youth get altered and broadened, for better or worse, as we get older. 

The Baker and his Wife are portrayed by Kyle Channell and Mackensie King, each of them providing realistic choices and bursts of humor. Channell takes a more calm approach to his Baker, not always leaning into the frantic, nervous bits, but his pace allows the emotion to display in the right moments, and makes the Baker seem like a real person. King’s Baker’s Wife also feels like a real person, she’s constantly toying with the if/then decisions that go through her mindset, especially in her Moments In the Woods where it’s filled with flashes of regret and revelation. Madeline Stern as the Witch provides range from grouchy crone to delicate mother, her Witch’s Lament dives deep into her mourning and is able to project that onto the audience. Sarah Rowell as Cinderella takes a new spin on the typical princess type and gives the character a quirkiness with moments of cleverness in her On The Steps of the Palace. Griffin Greear as Jack is friendly and secure in his presence, his casual bond with Sean Stewart as Milky White provides an adorable comedy to the story. Stewart’s Milky White is hilariously interpreted in a non-literal way, as if Milky was a reactive human instead of an animal prop. Jessica Chase as Jack’s Mother brings practicality to this character, she feels like a real mother and is able to show the stark difference in character from desperate poverty in act one to her uppity rich setting in act two. Bella Marcigliano as Little Red embodies pure child energy without it coming off as a caricature, but is able to ground herself in real emotions of fear and anger. 

Skyler McNeely portrays the Wolf and Cinderella’s Prince, and is one of the many performers in this production that is creatively comedic in their delivery that brings a fresh sense of debonair attitude. John Cuozzo as Rapunzel’s Prince contrasts from McNeely enough to be his own suave prince, but connects perfectly with comedic energy in their Agony performance. Julia Walters also takes her Rapunzel in a new direction by making each of her small scenes into big moments, she provides hints of flirty lingering with her Prince and genuine care with the Witch. Nate Marcum as the Stewart also brings uppity comedy and matches very well with McNeely’s prancing bits. The step family are a comedic unit that also makes every single moment on stage count. Isabella Gentile is a housewife-esque Stepmother, Hannah Wilkerson and Roniece Hutchins as Florinda and Lucinda are both silly and bratty. All three have fabulous chemistry and vocal strength. Esther Hyland takes on the roles of Cinderella’s Mother, Little Red’s Granny, and the Giant, presenting her vocal range in making each character sound and act distinct. Props go to Adelyn Helms and Roz Hertenstein who portray the birds in a lyrical interpretation as well as Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, and help move the story along in smooth transitions. 

This production had a clear vision that I believe translated well with the audience and that made sense to the idea of the show. This show can be difficult with getting the timing right, and while there were a few moments it felt like the actors wanted to keep the pace up against certain technical factors, the performance never felt disconnected. I am curious as to the reasoning behind a lack of a sound designer, as this could have taken this production to the level that the other creatives were at. It was brilliant to have MD Jeremy King provide the stomping of the Giant in act two on the drums. However, when they slay the giant at the end, it should be a tremendous point of the climax that brings raucous noise, and to be left with no action or audible indication of that part of the story was uncharacteristic to what this production initially brought. But overall, I would say this version of INTO THE WOODS provides the aesthetic of a traditional version with fresh ideas on how to tell these familiar stories. You can tell the cast and creative team have a deep love for the material and that they’ve developed trust in each other on and behind the stage. 

If you are interested in learning more about TheatreLab Dayton, you can check their website for any updates at theatrelabdayton.org, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram. 

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