DC Theater Arts

Tag: Vanessa Reseland

  • DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2016 #7: Best Performances and Ensembles in Musicals in Professional Theaters in DC/MD/VA

    DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2016 #7: Best Performances and Ensembles in Musicals in Professional Theaters in DC/MD/VA

    Here is the staff of DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2016 #7: Best Performances in Musicals in Professional Theaters in DC/MD/VA:

    Scean Aaron as Riff Raff in The Rocky Horror Show at Iron Crow Theatre.

    Scott Ward Abernethy as Doctor Madden in Next to Normal at The Keegan Theatre.

    Nicklas Aliff as Caldwell B. Cladwell in Urinetown at Constellation Theatre Company.

    Hasani Allen as J.D. in Heathers at Red Branch Theatre Company.

    Robert Ariza as Che in Evita at Olney Theatre Center.

    Jessica Lauren Ball as Belle in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at Imagination Stage.

    Henry Baratz as Colin Craven in The Secret Garden at Shakespeare Theatre Company.

    Andrew Baughman as Fred Graham/Petruchio in Kiss Me Kate at Washington County Playhouse Dinner Theater and Children’s Theater.

    Shannen Banzhoff as Louise in Gypsy at Washington County Playhouse Dinner Theater and Children’s Theater.

    Jessica Bennett as Kate in The Wild Party at Iron Crow Theatre.

    Jenna Berk as Little Sally in Urinetown at Constellation Theatre Company.

    Iyona Blake as Caroline Thibodeaux in Caroline, or Change at Creative Cauldron.

    Heidi Blickenstaff as Katherine Blake in Freaky Friday at Signature Theatre.

    Kelli Blackwell as Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray at Toby’s Dinner Theatre. 

    Kaylee Bloom as Jo-Jo in Seussical The Musical at Children’s Theatre of Annapolis.

    Kurt Boehm as Enoch Snow in Carousel at Arena Stage.

    Allison Bradbury as Queenie in The Wild Party at Iron Crow Theatre.

    Megan Bunn, Tiara Whaley, and Geocel Batista as the Three Heathers in Heathers at Red Branch Theatre Company.

    Ryan Burke as Stone in City of Angels at NextStop Theatre Company.

    Evan Casey as Floyd Collins in Floyd Collins at 1st Stage.

    Teresa Castracane as Susannah Mullally in Black Pearl Sings! at MetroStage.

    Reilly Claxton as Gertrude McFuzz in Seussical The Musical at Children’s Theatre of Annapolis.

    JP Coletta as Jerry Lee Lewis in Million Dollar Quartet at Infinity Theatre Company.

    Brevan Collins as King Triton and Chef Louie in Disney’s The Little Mermaid at Mount Vernon Community Children’s Theatre.

    Annlouise Conrad as Ursula in Disney’s The Little Mermaid at Mount Vernon Community Children’s Theatre.

    Amanda Jane Cooper as Galinda in Wicked at The Kennedy Center.

    Ben Crawford as Starbuck in 110 in the Shade at Ford’s Theatre.

    Teresa Danskey as Nellie Forbush in South Pacific at Toby’s Dinner Theatre.

    Katie Davis as Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance at Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre.

    Aaron De Jesus as Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys at Hippodrome Theatre.

    Wyn Jake Delano as Jud Fry in Oklahoma! at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts.

    Cleavant Derricks as Chimney Man in Jelly’s Last Jam at Signature Theatre.

    Susan Derry as Mary Shelley in Monsters of the Villa Diodati at Creative Cauldron.

    Matt Dewberry as Officer Lockstock in Urinetown at Constellation Theatre Company.

    Marcus Dowd as Ralphie, in A Christmas Story, The Musical at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts.

    Caroline Dubberly as Natalie Goodman in Next to Normal at The Keegan Theatre.

    Daisy Eagan as Martha in The Secret Garden at Shakespeare Theatre Company.

    Christine Nolan Essig as Penelope Pennywise in Urinetown at Constellation Theatre Company.

    Julia Fanzeres as Eve/Mama Noah in Children of Eden at Young Artists of America at Strathmore.

    Crystal Freeman as Bloody Mary in South Pacific at Toby’s Dinner Theatre.

     Bobby Gallagher as Japheth in Children of Eden at Young Artists of America at Strathmore.

    Eleasha Gamble as the Baker’s Wife in The Fiasco Theater’s Into the Woods at The Kennedy Center.

    J. Harrison Ghee as Lola in Kinky Boots at The Kennedy Center.

    Kari Ginsburg as Diana Goodman in Next to Normal at The Keegan Theatre.

    Ari Goldbloom-Helzner as Adam/Noah in Children of Eden at Young Artists of America at Strathmore.

    Andrea Goss as Sally Bowles in Cabaret at The Hippodrome.

    Christie Graham as Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray at Toby’s Dinner Theatre. 

    Leo Grinberg as Frank ‘N’ Furter in The Rocky Horror Show at Iron Crow Theatre.

    Sylvern Groomes, Jr. as Black in The Wild Party at Iron Crow Theatre.

    Ryan Haase as William Barfee in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at StillPointe Theatre Initiative.

    Kathy Halenda as Lita Encore in Ruthless! The Musical at Creative Cauldron.

    Kathy Halenda as Aunt Eller in Oklahoma! at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts.

    Randy Harrison as The Emcee in Cabaret at The Hippodrome Theatre.

    Russell Harvard as Tommy in The Who’s Tommy at Open Circle Theatre.

    Tracy Haupt as Janet in The Rocky Horror Show at Maryland Ensemble Theatre.

    Will Hayes as The Voice of Tommy in The Who’s Tommy at Open Circle Theatre.

    Corey Hennessey as The Narrator in Murder Ballad at StillPointe Theatre Initiative.

    Karen Heyser-Paone as Rose in Gypsy at Washington County Playhouse Dinner Theater and Children’s Theater.

    Autumn Seavey Hicks as Mrs. Walker in The Who’s Tommy at Open Circle Theatre.

    Matthew Hirsh as Frank Abagnale, Jr. in Catch Me If You Can at NextStop Theatre Company.

    Alan Hoffman as Ali Hakim in Oklahoma! at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts.

    Emma Hunton as Ellie Blake in  Freaky Friday at Signature Theatre.

    Erich Izdepski as George Banks in Mary Poppins at Encore Stage & Studio.

    Molly Janiga as Heather in American Idiot at The Keegan Theatre.

     Kristen Jepperson as Winifred Banks in Mary Poppin at Encore Stage & Studio.

    Ashley Johnson as Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act at Toby’s Dinner Theatre.

    Eric Jones as Frank ‘N’ Furter in The Rocky Horror Show at Maryland Ensemble Theatre.

    Nicole Jones as Ariel in Disney’s The Little Mermaid at Mount Vernon Community Children’s Theatre.

    Anne Kanengeiser as Madame Giry in The Phantom of the Opera at The Kennedy Center. 

    Isabel Keating as Madame Morrible in Wicked at The Kennedy Center.

    Katie Keyser as Gabby in City of Angels at NextStop Theatre Company.

    Katie Keyser as Hope Cladwell in Urinetown at Constellation Theatre Company.

    Lizzie Klemperar as Lily Craven in The Secret Garden at Shakespeare Theatre Company.

    Manu Kumasi as Absalom Kumalo in Lost in the Stars at Washington National Opera.

    David Landstrom as Gabe in Next to Normal at The Keegan Theatre.

    Nick Lehan as Harold Bride and William Hartley in Titanic The Musical at Signature Theatre.

    Bobby Libby as Stine in City of Angels at NextStop Theatre Company.

    Aarron Loggins as ASL Cousin Kevin, and Carl Williams as Cousin Kevin in The Who’s Tommy at Open Circle Theatre.

    John Loughney as Buddy Fidler in City of Angels at NextStop Theatre Company.

     Sam Ludwig as Frederick Barrett and Benjamin Guggenheim in Titanic The Musical at Signature Theatre.

    Brian Lyons-Burke as King Arthur in Monty Python’s Spamalot at Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre & Children’s Theatre.

    Chris Mann as The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera at The Kennedy Center. 

    Laura J. Martin as Lilli Vanessi and Katherine in Kiss Me Kate at Washington County Playhouse Dinner Theater and Children’s Theater.

    Dave Martinek as Horton in Seussical The Musical at Children’s Theatre of Annapolis.

    Justin Mazzella as Burrs in The Wild Party at Iron Crow Theatre.

    Kevin McAllister as File in 110 in the Shade at Ford’s Theatre.

    Darius McKeiver as Loganne Schwartzandgrubenierre in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at StillPointe Theatre Initiative.

    Katie McManus as Oolie in City of Angels at NextStop Theatre Company.

    Katie McManus as Judy Denmark in Ruthless! The Musical at Creative Cauldron.

    Mark G Meadows as Jelly Roll Morton and Elijah Mayo as Young Jelly Roll Morton in Jelly’s Last Jam at Signature Theatre.

    Todd Meredith as Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts.

    Lee Merriman and Russell Nye as the Gangsters in Kiss Me Kate at Washington County Playhouse Dinner Theater and Children’s Theater.

    Vaughn Ryan Midder as Bobby Strong in Urinetown at Constellation Theatre Company.

    Christian Montgomery as St. Jimmy in American Idiot at The Keegan Theatre.

    Christian Montgomery as Henry in Next to Normal at The Keegan Theatre.

    Lawrence B. Munsey as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray at Toby’s Dinner Theatre. 

    Alan Naylor as Sylvia St. Croix in Ruthless! The Musical at Creative Cauldron.

    Mackenzie Newbury as Brenda in Catch Me If You Can at NextStop Theatre Company.

    E. Lee Nicol as The Beast in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at Charm City Players.

    Henry Niepoetter as James in James and the Giant Peach at Adventure Theatre.

    Tracy Lynn Olivera as Lizzie Curry in 110 in the Shade at Ford’s Theatre.

    Tracy Lynn Olivera as Alice Bean in Titanic The Musical at Signature Theatre.

    Eric Owens as Stephen Kumalo in Lost in the Stars at The Kennedy Center.

    Jobari Parker-Namdar as Lumiere in  in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at Imagination Stage.

    Belle Perkins as The Vixen in Snow White at Encore Stage & Studio.

    DJ Petrosino as Jacob in La Cage aux Folles at Signature Theatre.

    Lawrence Redmond as J. Bruce Ismay in  Titanic The Musical at Signature Theatre.

    Ayana Reed as Carrie in Blackberry Daze at MetroStage.

    Vanessa Reseland as the Witch in The Fiasco Theater’s Into the Woods at The Kennedy Center.

    Russell Rinker as The Old Man in A Christmas Story, The Musical at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts.

    Russell Rinker as Carl Hanratty in Catch Me If You Can at NextStop Theatre Company.

    Russell Rinker as Emile de Becque in South Pacific at Toby’s Dinner Theatre.

    Kate Rockwell as Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel at Arena Stage..

    Nicholas Rodriguez as Billy Bigelow in Carousel at Arena Stage.

    Anya Rothman as Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden at Shakespeare Theatre Company.

    Matthew Schleigh as The Prince/The Beast in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at Imagination Stage.

    Kyle Schliefer as Jigger Craigin in Carousel at Arena Stage.

    Allison Semmes as Diana Ross in Motown: The Musical at Hippodrome Theatre.

    Thomas Adrian Simpson as Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts.

    Bobby Smith as Albin/Zaza in La Cage aux Folles at Signature Theatre.

    Bobby Smith as Thomas Andrew in Titanic The Musical at Signature Theatre.

    Lynn Sharp-Spears as Mother Superior in Sister Act at Toby’s Dinner Theatre.

    Yvette Spears as Pearl in Blackberry Daze at MetroStage.

    Russell Sunday as Sweeney Todd and Janine Sunday as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at Red Branch Theatre Company.

    Elizabeth Stanley as Francesca and Andrew Samonsky as Robert in The Bridges of Madison County at The Kennedy Center.

    John Sygar as Homer Collins in Floyd Collins at 1st Stage.

    Emily L. Taylor as Belle in  Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at Charm City Players.

    Frankie Thams as Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance at Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre.

    Ethan Van Slyke as Noah Gellman in Caroline, or Change at Creative Cauldron.

    Dawn Ursula as Grace Kumalo in Lost in the Stars at the Kennedy Center.

    Quinn Vogt-Welch as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts.

    Jessica Vosk as Elphaba in Wicked at The Kennedy Center.

    Tori Weaver as Lady of the Lake in Monty Python’s Spamalot at Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre & Children’s Theatre.

    Chad Wheeler as Dan Goodman in Next to Normal at The Keegan Theatre.

    Aidan White as Sebastian in Disney’s The Little Mermaid at Mount Vernon Community Children’s Theatre.

    Roz White as Alberta “Pearl” Johnson in Black Pearl Sings! at MetroStage.

    Laura Whittenberger as Johanna in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at Red Branch Theatre Company.

    Matthew R. Wilson as the Major General in The Pirates of Penzance at Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre.

    Juan Winans as BeBe Winans and Deborah Joy Winans as CeCe Winans in  Born for This: The BeBe Winans Story at Arena Stage.

    Kirsten Wyatt as Tammy Faye Bakker in Born for This: The BeBe Winans Story at Arena Stage.

    Rachel Zampelli as Eva Peron in Evita at Olney Theatre Center.

    ____

    BEST ENSEMBLES OF 2016:

    Black Nativity at Theater Alliance: Catrina Brenae, Frank Britton, Demitrus (Demie) Carter, Amaiya Holley, Jocelyn Jenkins, Derrionne Key, Branden Mack, Shanté M. Moore, R. Joshua Reynolds, and Awa Sal Secka.

    ____

    Come From Away at Ford’s Theatre: Jane Bunting, Geno Carr, Jenn Colella, Joel Hatch, Rodney Hicks, Kendra Kassebaum, Alyssa Wilmoth Keegan, Chad Kimball, Lee MacDougall, Kevin McAllister, Happy McPartlin, Caesar Samayoa, Q. Smith, Astrid Van Wieren, Sharon Wheatley, and Harry A. Winter.

    ____

    The Hypocrites’ Production of The Mikado at Olney Theatre Center: Mario Aivazian, Kate Carson-Groner, Eduardo Xavier Curley-Carrillo, Matt Kahler, Brian Keys, Amanda Raquel Martinez, Tina Munoz-Pandya, Dana Omar, Shawn Pfautsch, and Lauren Vogel.

    ____

    James and the Giant Peach at Adventure Theatre: Eli Shulman, Henry Niepoetter, Keith Richards, Karen Vincent, Awa Sak Secka, Suzanne Stanley, Jimmy Mavrikes, Joshua Simon, Emily Zickler, and Tobias Young.

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    Knuffle Bunny at Adventure Theatre: Scott Harrison, Suzanne Lane, Emily Zickler, Simone Lewis, and John Sygar.

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    Monsters of the Villa Diodati at Creative Cauldron: Susan Derry, Catherine Purcell, David Landstrom, Alan Naylor, and Sam Ludwig

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    Next to Normal at The Keegan Theatre: Kari Ginsburg, Chad Wheeler, David Landstrom, Caroline Dubberly, Christian Montgomery, and Scott Ward Abernathy.

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    Over Her Dead Body at Pinky Swear Productions at The 2016 Capital Fringe Festival: James Finley, Karen Lange, Rebecca Phillips, Rebecca Speas, Brittany Alyse Willis, Dead Men’s Hollow.

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    Shake Loose at MetroStage: Anthony Manough, Roz White, Lori Williams, Roz White, and Rayshun Lamarr. 

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    The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Symphonic Metal Version) at Landless Theatre Company: Alexis Turbat, Andrew Lloyd Baughman, Ally Jenkins, Andre Brown,Shaina Kuhn, Karissa Swanigan, Jason Hoffman, Matt Baughman, Mary Patton, Eric Jones, Dylan Ngo, and Malcolm Lee.

    ____

    Nick Fruit, Nick Fruit, Leo Grinberg, Brice Guerriere, Danielle Harrow, Kelly Hutchison, Nancy Linden, Chelsea Paradiso, Emily Small, Eduard Van Osterom.

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    The Secret Garden at Shakespeare Theatre Company: Alex Alferov, Brittany Baratz, Henry Baratz, Jared Michael Brown, Mary Jo Dugaw, Daisy Eagan, Catherine Flye, Jason Forbach, Charlie Franklin, Sean G. Griffin, Lizzie Klemperer, Maya Maniar, Happy McPartlin, Anya Rothman, Greg Stone, Hayley Travers, Vishal Vaidya, Ethan Watermeier, Billie Wildrick, Michael Xavier, and Josh Young.

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    The Who’s Tommy at Open Circle Theatre: Russell Harvard, Will Hayes, Autumn Seavey Hicks, Malcolm Lee, Carl Williams, Aarron Loggins, Mikey Cafarelli, Maggie Leigh Walker, Molly Janiga, Chloe Mitchiner, Kira Mitchiner, Joey antonion, Elver Ariza-Silva, Rachel Barlaam, Jen Bevan, Tina Ghandchilar, JP Illarramendi, Christian Kelly, Monica Lijewski, Jackie Madejski, Amy Maniscalco, Jose Martinez, Edward C. Nagel, D’Arcee Charington Neal, Lynley Peoples, Michelle Mary Schaefer, andEric Teran.

    ____

    The Wild Party at Iron Crow Theatre: Scean Aaron, Allison Bradbury, Jessica Bennett, Adam Cooley, Kathryne Daniels, Terrance Fleming, Fred Fletcher-Jackson, Nick Fruit, Sylvern Groomes Jr., Brice Guerriere, Rose Hahn, Valerie Holt, Jesse Marciniak, Justin Michael Mazzella, and Emily Small.

    ____

    Titanic The Musical at Signature Theatre: Hasani Allen, Iyona Blake, Christopher Bloch, E.J. Smith, Sean Burns, Matt Conner, Erin Driscoll, Jamie Eacker,Katie McManus, Nick Lehan, Florence Lacey, Sam Ludwig, Kevin McAllister, Katie McManus, Christopher Mueller, Tracy Lynn Olivera, Lawrence Redmond, Chris Sizemore, Charles Clarke, Bobby Smith, Stephen Gregory Smith, Russell Sunday, and John Leslie Wolfe.

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    HOW WE SELECTED OUR HONOREES

    DCMetroTheaterArts writers were permitted to honor productions and concerts, dance, and operas that they saw and reviewed and productions and concerts and dance performances that they saw but did not review. Every honoree was seen. These are not nominations. There is no voting.

    The staff is honoring productions, performances, direction, and design in professional, community, university, high school, and children’s theatres, and are also honoring the same in musical venues. We are honoring work in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia, Philadelphia, PA, New Jersey, and Delaware.

    LINKS:
    DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2016 #1: Best Musicals in Professional Theaters in DC/MD/VA.

    DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2016 #2: Best Musicals In Community Theaters in DC/MD/VA.

    DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2016 #3: Best Musicals in Professional Theaters in Philadelphia, New York, Delaware, and New Jersey.

    DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2016 #4: Best Plays in Professional Theaters in DC/MD/VA.

    DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2016 #5: Best Plays In Community Theaters in DC/MD/VA.

    DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2016 #6: Best Plays in Professional Theaters in Philadelphia, New York, Delaware, and New Jersey.

    DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2016 #7: Best Performances and Ensembles in Musicals in Professional Theaters in DC/MD/VA.

    The Complete List of The ‘Best of 2015’ Honorees on DCMetroTheaterArts.

  • Review: The Fiasco Theater’s ‘Into the Woods’ at The Kennedy Center

    Review: The Fiasco Theater’s ‘Into the Woods’ at The Kennedy Center

    I did not listen to my much-loved soundtrack of Stephen Sondheim’s and James Lapine’s classic fairy tale mash-up before heading off to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to see the Fiasco Theater Production of Into the Woods. I was afraid that reminding myself of how much I loved the original production would keep me from fully appreciating the new one.

    As it turns out, I need not have worried. The updated Into the Woods directed by Noah Brody and Ben Steinfeld is so fresh and innovative and so superbly acted that I was immediately swept up in the action and transported to a fairy tale world of witches, bakers, princesses, giants, and mysterious men. From the moment you enter the Eisenhower Theater and spy the gorgeous set by Derek McLand sitting ready and waiting on the stage you will know that you are in for a different type of retelling than the original. Filled with everyday objects that are later put to good use as innovative set pieces (think a dress dummy that becomes a tree and a ladder that serves as Rapunzel’s tower), the set somehow manages to be both opulent and spare at the same time, reminding me of both of my grandmother’s attic and the most beautiful antique store I’ve ever seen.

    The Company of ‘Into the Woods.’ Photo by Joan Marcus.

    Before the show even officially begins you know the actors are going to make it something special. Casually walking around the stage or strolling through the audience, they develop an instant connection with those who have come to see them. Unlike every other show I’ve ever seen, all of the actors are on stage throughout the entire show, sometimes standing quietly in the background, sometimes playing one of the few instruments used in the show (Bonne Kramer, for example somehow managed to play Cinderella’s step-mother and Jack’s mother and the bassoon) and sometimes transforming themselves into another part right before your eyes. With Evan Rees at the helm as the Music Director and Pianist, the cast took just a handful of instruments and make it seem like a full orchestra was playing.

    Many of the characters play more than one role in the show making quick costume changes a necessity and challenging the actors to create several very different personas right in front of the audience’s eyes. I was wondering, for example, how Anthony Chatmon II (so charismatic as Cinderella’s stepsister Lucinda, the Wolf, and Cinderella’s prince…I am totally crushing on this adorable actor) would manage a scene featuring both Lucinda and Cinderella’s prince, but once again this was no problem, as this actor, and all the others, are perfectly capable of playing more than one character at the same time.  Similar challenges were successfully tackled by Darick Pead, who managed to play Milky White (yes, that’s right, the cow), Florinda, and Rapunzel’s Prince without missing a beat. The combination of Chatmon and Pead as the dueling princes was another of my favorite parts of the show and with their easy comradery it was easy to believe the two had been trying to outdo each other since childhood.

    Speaking of the performances, each of the actors brought something special to this production. Eleasha Gamble’s rendition of the Baker’s Wife paired perfectly with Evan Harrington’s Baker, with Gamble’s “Moments in the Woods” being a high point in the show for me. Harrington and Fred Rose (as the Mysterious Man) made the song “No More” really come alive by literally bringing the song down to the audience’s level.

    Vanessa Reseland as the Witch was perfection. Without using the heavy makeup and costuming of the original, Reseland makes the part her own using only the strength of her acting. Laurie Veldheer was just as amazing as Cinderella. This actress has a Jennifer Garner-esque girl-next-door quality that makes her immediately appealing and sympathetic. She uses her charms to full effect in the song “On the Steps of the Palace” where she barely moves from one spot and yet manages to completely engage the audience in her angst and indecision.

    The parts of Jack and the Steward were both played by Philippe Arroyo and he did such a good job of differentiating between the two characters that it wasn’t until I read the Playbill that I realized both were the same person. Arroyo’s “Giants in the Sky” was perfectly sung and his relationship with his best friend Milky White is heartwarming.

    Lisa Helmi Johanson was perfect as Little Red Ridinghood, a deceptively difficult role, and as poor Rapunzel, kept locked in her tower until she is banished to the desert by the Witch for her transgressions.

    One more piece of the show I must mention is the addition of, “Our Little World” sung by Johanson as Rapunzel and Reseland as the Witch. (The song was introduced in the 1990 West End Production). This beautiful song pulled at my heartstrings as the mother of a preteen and is the perfect foil for the “Witch’s Lament” later in Act II.

    With very few set changes but several different settings to convey, changes in location and mood often fall to Lighting Designer Christopher Akerlind, who has nailed the use of lighting to transmit a feeling of place. In one scene in Act II that took my breath away, the lighting perfectly showcased Reseland’s performance of “The Last Midnight” and as the show descends deeper into its darker themes, the lighting works with the actors to take the audience to the darker place.

    The sound design by Darron L. West as I have never been to a show with clearer, crisper, sound. Every word out of the actor’s mouths is audible and understandable. This is not a show where you will be saying, “What did he say?” to your companion or straining to hear what the actor said. Instead you’ll be able to relax and enjoy the full effect of Sondheim’s poignant and often hilarious lyrics.

    I realize I am gushing over this production and it deserves to be gushed over. I could go on and on about the merits of this show but instead I encourage you to see it for yourself. Don’t hesitate to make the trip to the Kennedy Center to see Fiasco Theater’s Production of Into the Woods. It is likely to be the theater highlight of your year.

    Running Time: Two hours 45 minutes, including a 20-minute intermission.

    Recommended Ages: 8 and up.

    Into the Woods plays through January 8, 2017, at the Eisenhower Theater at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts– 2700 F St NW, Washington, DC. For tickets, call (202)-467-4600, or purchase them online.

    LINK:
    ‘Into the Woods’ at The Kennedy Center by John Stoltenberg in his column ‘Magic Time.’

    RATING: