A DESIGN AS IMPRESSIVE AS A REDWOOD ITSELF
The new Broadway musical Redwood, which opened on February 13, is a master class in tech theater. Set designer Jason Ardizzone-West makes this clear from the outset, enclosing the stage in a semi-circle of pinkish-white screens that extend beyond the proscenium arch, even covering the house-right and house-left box seats. This setup gives Video Designer Hana S. Kim full creative range, and the title itself hints at the challenge ahead: how else, besides projections, could a redwood forest be convincingly recreated on stage?
Idina Menzel and Khaila Wilcoxon
Yet, Ardizzone-West does more with the set than just rely on projections—he brings a breathtaking, climbable redwood tree to life up center stage. It extends above the performance space into the flies, offering a strikingly tangible contrast to the surrounding screens and white stage floor. But the ingenious, impressive design doesn’t stop there. The screens are not mere backdrops but rather LED screens with crystal-clear images of a redwood forest, creating an astonishingly realistic setting that elicits awe. The branches and leaves move with the wind, and as the characters climb the main redwood, the surrounding trees descend with the climb. It is awesome. Want more? The screens additionally play a major role in the storytelling with interior viewpoints from the protagonist. In the opening number, “Drive,” Jesse (Idina Menzel) flees her East Coast life, and the surrounding video flickers fragmented images of Jesse’s turmoil surrounding her. Scott Zielinski’s dramatic lighting intensifies this chaotic energy, turning the stage into a visceral, anxiety-ridden spectacle that builds to moments of near-overwhelming tension. Even Menzel’s voice becomes slightly shrill in her exhaustion to survive the upcoming journey.
Khaila Wilcoxon and Michael Park
Idina Menzel
Hints within this sequence suggest Jesse is fleeing a mysterious young man who appears and disappears rapidly across the stage. Jennifer Weber’s “Dream Choreography” enhances the non-realistic staging. When Jesse stops at a motel, she’s unable to commit to a length of stay. Locking eyes with the front desk clerk, a surge of panic overtakes her. He resembles the figure haunting her mind, prompting her to run again, continuing her desperate escape westward. Will she be able to outrun the chaos within her?
Idina Menzel
Jesse eventually collapses among the redwoods in Eureka, California. The next morning, two workers, Finn (Michael Park) and Becca (Khaila Wilcoxon), find her trespassing and try to send her away. Manic and persistent, Jesse pesters them into letting her stay and observe their work. Despite Becca’s reluctance, Finn allows it, indulging Jesse’s relentless curiosity. Through small talk, our suspicions are confirmed. She’s in deep mourning, having abandoned her wife (De’Adre Aziza) on the first anniversary of the death of their 23-year-old son (Zachary Noah Piser).
Khaila Wilcoxon, Michael Park, Idina Menzel, Zachary Noah Piser, De'Adre Aziza
As Jesse dons a harness and begins climbing the magnificent tree—Tree 237—her energy begins to shift. She listens, attunes herself to nature, and gradually finds solace in the quiet. The stunning vertical choreography by Melecio Estrella from BANDALOOP elevates these moments into breathtaking theatrical poetry. The transformation is tangible: the chaos within her settles, and the towering redwood becomes a sanctuary for healing.
Zachary Noah Piser and Idina Menzel
The one-act 110-minute show features 17 songs, mostly sung by Menzel, though the supporting cast also gets moments to shine. In Piser’s rendition, Spencer’s “Still” is a standout ballad, destined to become a favorite for audition pieces. The five-member ensemble impresses with finely tuned acting, vocals, and remarkable athleticism, many of whom scale the redwood multiple times per performance—Finn alone ascends at least four times per show, doubling that on two-show days!
Michael Park
Kate Diaz’s score blends pop, alternative rock, and folk, with lyrics co-written by Director Tina Landau. The songs primarily serve as character-driven interior monologues. While they may not be immediately hummable, the powerhouse performances ensure their emotional weight lingers.
De'Adre Aziza
Landau’s book doesn’t always maintain narrative momentum. The script occasionally detours into intriguing but digressive commentary on redwood ecosystems and the activism of Julia Butterfly Hill, who famously lived in a redwood for 738 days. These moments, while informative, disrupt the forward moving throughline, affecting Jesse’s emotional journey.
Idina Menzel
Redwood ends up feeling more intellectual and colder than warm and moving. The themes evoke the cathartic arc of the 1997 film Good Will Hunting, where Matt Damon’s character experiences a profound emotional release. “It’s not your fault,” his therapist Robin Williams teaches him. Unlike that film’s deeply shared catharsis, Jesse’s breakthrough feels largely her own. Perhaps this is due to Landau wearing too many hats—co-conceiver, co-book writer, co-lyricist, and co-director. Might a broader creative team have refined the material for greater emotional impact? Despite the flaw, I admire how Landau works from a place of artistry.
Khaila Wilcoxon
In the end, Redwood remains a visually and thematically stunning production. Even if it doesn’t bring tears, it offers a breathtaking spectacle and a poignant message: Grief can be survived by living. And in the majestic presence of nature, healing becomes possible.
photos by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Redwood
Nederlander Theatre, 208 W 41st St
for tickets, visit Redwood The Musical or Broadway Direct
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