Redwood on Broadway
Walked on air out of the theater, feeling like I’d just climbed a giant tree. It was such a treat to see Idina Menzel at the Nederlander, just belting this entire show. (I don’t know how her voice does it every night!) The set (mostly huge digital screens) and climbing stunts were spectacular. The story was a heart-wrencher. I was not the only one with my tissues out.
I had gotten to hear demos before the show, and it was fun to notice how some lyrics had evolved. I appreciated a brief tribute to Julia Butterfly Hill, whose face came up on screen, and as someone who spent at least 100 hours watching Frozen with my kid, also liked a quick Elsa joke.
While it wasn’t a laugh-out-loud feel-good kind of show, I loved it. The story had so much heart, the staging was technically amazing and unlike anything I’d seen before, and the songs stick with you. Hoping for the original Broadway cast recording to come out soon.