Review: Redwood

Review of the Sunday, April 27, 2025 matinee performance at the Nederlander Theatre in New York City. Starring Idina Menzel, with De'Adre Aziza, Michael Park, Zachary Noah Piser and Khaila Wilcoxon. Book by Tina Landau. Music by Kate Diaz. Lyrics by Kate Diaz and Tina Landau. Orchestrations by Kate Diaz. Additional contributions by Idina Menzel. Conceived by Tina Landau and Idina Menzel. Scenic design by Jason Ardizzone-West. Video design by Hana S. Kim. Costume design by Toni-Leslie James. Lighting design by Scott Zielinski. Sound design by Jonathan Deans. Dream choreography by Jennifer Weber. Vertical movement and vertical choreography by Melecio Estrella, BANDALOOP. Directed by Tina Landau. 1 hour 50 minutes with no intermission. 

Redwood is one of those shows that I am really glad I got to see; despite its (mostly) deserved mixed reviews, I really enjoyed it. But it's also one of those shows that I know could have been even better than it was. "Really good" isn't always good enough. That said, what was good about it was pretty terrific.

At its heart, Tina Landau's book is a rich examination of finding one's way through a labyrinth of emotions and coping in the face of profound grief. She parses out information about key events in bits and pieces, and not always in order, which keeps things interesting, and though not too much of what eventually transpires is surprising, it is affecting nonetheless. Her direction to that end is crisp and often exciting. On the other hand, the extended metaphor of the mighty tree being the key to life, is pretty much driven into the ground. It doesn't help that the score by Landau and Kate Diaz eventually becomes tedious in its repetitious sound and obvious lyrics, further stretching that metaphor. That said, it takes full advantage of the casts' unerring ability to belt extended notes, satisfying that itch audiences seem to have for American Idol-style vocal pyrotechnics. And there are a pair of songs that hint at what Ms. Diaz is fully capable of, "In the Leaves" and "Still."

But as I said before, there is some pretty great stuff going on at the Nederlander. First and foremost, the cast is exceptional, elevating the material at every turn. As the scientists whose passion for the redwoods is both humorous and profound, both Michael Park and Khailia Wilcoxon nail the perfect balance between functioning as scientific fact tellers and the sheer joy they get from being among the trees.In lesser hands, this could easily become didactic; instead, they offer perspectives as unique and opposing views on life - follow the rules vs living on instinct - which ultimately help our heroine find clarity, hope and, finally, peace. Woven in and out of the story are the parts of her life that she is running from: her son and her wife. The son, played with an enigmatic fervor by Zachary Noah Piser, haunts her literally and figuratively. Piser finally gets a chance to let loose his terrific voice in "Still," more than holding his own against his co-star. And there's the always reliably amazing De'Adre Aziza, who does fine work as the wife left behind to grieve alone while trying to save her marriage. What a voice. 

The entire reason this production even exists is its above-the-title-star (and co-conceiver) Idina Menzel who really is a force of nature. Her voice is in top form - dare I say it's never been better - and her interpretive skills are impeccable. You can feel every nuance in your soul with every note, every riff. She is fully in tune with the piece, and that connection is palpable. In a lesser season, she'd definitely be a contender for every major award. And even though there are times when she outshines the material, this is a performance I'm thankful I got to witness first hand. 

Any other year, the technical elements would also be garnering critical and awards praise, too. The lighting, sound and visuals (by Scott Zielinsky, Jonathan Deans, Jason Ardizzone-West and Hana S. Kim, respectively) are literally breathtaking and jaw-dropping. Seeing the tree, Stella, in pictures doesn't really do her justice. And the projections are next-level (even if you might get motion sickness watching them). When the aerial choreography (by Melecio Estrella and BANDALOOP) finally starts, you can see the promise, awe and wonder of Redwood could be. It was worth the wait.

Even though it isn't without its flaws, I am really glad I had the opportunity to see this heartfelt and beautiful production.

📸: M. Murphy/E. Zimmerman