This review offers some tough love. Love for Kokandy Productions, for its ambitions and scope, for its actors and musicians. But I'm also going to add a tough critique for what are becoming some consistent missteps for the company.
Let's start with the love. Kokandy is presenting Sondheim's Into the Woods, directed and choreographed by Derek Van Barham, from now until December 22 in the ramshackle basement of the Chopin Theater. The company is full of talented singers, some sharp acting and two wonderful musicians playing the show's lush score on a pair of "dueling" grand pianos. For both Sondheim fans and those new to the show, this is a great opportunity to see it up close—very close in the Chopin's tight basement—and enjoy becoming almost part of the action in a production that is at once both intimate and expansive.
The show's story is Sondheim's answer to the old fairytale question: What happens after you get your wish? For Cinderella... for Jack (of Beanstalk fame)... for Little Red Riding Hood... for Rapunzel... for princes... for wicked witches... and for two new characters, a baker and his wife... getting what you want isn't always the end of the story or a glittering perfect future. Instead, it leads to unexpected challenges and some moral dilemmas. For all the show's characters, wishes come with a price.
In this production, that harsh lesson is most effectively delivered by three of the actors: the poignant performance of Kevin Webb as The Baker, Sonia Goldberg as his wife, and Stephanie Stockstill as their worst-of-all-possible next door neighbors, the Wicked Witch. Each brings depth and power to their roles, helping the audience feel the weight of their characters' journeys.
Webb, who previously starred in Kokandy's Sweeney Todd, excels here as well. His Baker is touchingly vulnerable—and his beautiful voice in one of Sondheim's best, "No More," is plaintive and ruefully wise. Goldberg, as his wife, brings considerable humor to the role while also knowing how to pluck more than few heartstrings.
Stephanie Stockstill’s Wicked Witch is a force to be reckoned with. She brings a commanding presence to the stage, balancing the character’s fearsome exterior with moments of surprising vulnerability. Stockstill’s portrayal highlights the Witch’s multifaceted nature, making her more than just a villain but a deeply flawed and ultimately sympathetic character.
The show features lighting and scenic design by G "Max" Maxin IV, sound design by Matt Reich, and costumes by Rachel Sypniewski.
There is much to love in this production. But I also feel the need to offer a tough critique.
For the last few seasons, Kokandy productions have exhibited an increasingly twee, self-referential "let's put on a show" sensibility. This approach, while charming and endearing at times, can start to feel tiresome and intrusively whimsical. It is a style that can be forgiven once or twice, but should be outgrown by a theater company with the aspirations and reach of Kokandy, even as a non-Equity company. This is not 1972, and we are not continually watching neighborhood productions of Godspell.
As Kokandy Productions continues to grow, it is crucial for them to evolve beyond this self-referential style. The company has demonstrated its potential through ambitious projects and talented casts, but to truly make a lasting mark in Chicago's storefront theater community, they need to embrace a more mature and varied approach to their productions.
Into the Woods has been extended until January 12 at The Chopin Theater, 1543 W. Division St. The show runs two hours and 45 minutes, with one intermission. Tickets for $35-$55 are available at www.kokandyproductions.com.
For more information on this and other productions, see theatreinchicago.com.
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