This Week on Broadway for February 23, 2025: Redwood

BROADWAYRADIO

02/23/25

James Marino,Jena Tesse Fox,Michael Portantiere,Peter Filichia

This Week on Broadway for February 23, 2025: Redwood

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Peter Filichia, Jena Tesse Fox, James Marino, and Michael Portantiere talk about Redwood, Mint Theater Company’s production of Garside’s Career, Conversations with Mother @ Theatre 555, and The Last Time I Saw Caileigh @ The Tank.

Idina Menzel Redwood Portrait – Photo Credit Lensed by Emma Anderson

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Panel:

Peter Filichia | [email protected] | Facebook
PETER FILICHIA is a playwright, journalist, and historian with a number of books. Peter’s new day-by-day wall calendar – A SHOW TUNE FOR TODAY – 366 Songs to Brighten Your Year – has been released! Peter also has columns at Masterworks Broadway, Broadway Select, and many other places.

Show Tune for Today is: El Rey Que Hay En Madrid (My Bella Dama)

Jena Tesse Fox | Twitter | Instagram
JENA TESSE FOX has written about theater for many publications, including Playbill Magazine, BroadwayWorld, Time Out New York and HowlRound. She is a member of The League of Professional Theatre Women and the Drama Desk, and is a contributor to BroadwayRadio

Michael Portantiere | [email protected] | Facebook
MICHAEL PORTANTIERE is a theater reviewer and essayist. He is the founder and editor of CastAlbumReviews.com. He is also a theatrical photographer whose photos have appeared in The New York Times and other major publications. You can see his photography work at FollowSpotPhoto.com.

James Marino | [email protected] | Facebook
BroadwayStars

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Pre:

The Season, annotated by Peter is progressing. James saw it in person.

Reviews:

Khaila Wilcoxon and Michael Park in REDWOOD – Photo Credit Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman for Murphy Made

PF + JF + MP + JM: Redwood @ The Nederlander Theatre

Idina Menzel (Jesse), De’Adre Aziza (Mel), Michael Park (Finn), Zachary Noah Piser (Spencer), and Khaila Wilcoxon (Becca) — five person cast

Redwood, the new musical written and directed by Tony Award-nominee Tina Landau, with music by Kate Diaz, and lyrics by Diaz and Landau. Starring Tony Award-winner Idina Menzel, Redwood begins previews on Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street) on January 24, 2025 ahead of a February 13, 2025 Opening Night.

Redwood is a transportive new musical about one woman’s journey into the precious and precarious world of the redwoods. Jesse (Menzel) seems to have it all — a successful career and devoted family — until a life-altering event drives her far from everyone and everything she knows. When she finds herself at the foot of the redwoods in Northern California, a chance encounter and a leap of faith will change her life forever. Redwood explores the lengths — and heights — one travels to find strength, resilience and healing.

Zachary Noah Piser and Idina Menzel in REDWOOD – Photo Credit Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

Redwood is produced on Broadway by Eva Price, Caroline Kaplan and Loudmouth Media. The creative team for Redwood includes Jason Ardizzone-West (Scenic Design), Hana S. Kim (Video Design), Toni-Leslie James (Costume Design), Scott Zielinski (Lighting Design), Jonathan Deans (Sound Design), Matthew Armentrout (Wig Design), Melecio Estrella, BANDALOOP (Vertical Movement/Vertical Choreography), Jennifer Weber (Dream Choreography), Tom Kitt (Music Supervision), and Haley Bennett (Associate Music Supervision), with Orchestrations and Arrangements by Kate Diaz and Music Direction by Julie McBride. Kenneth Ferrone is Associate Director and Casting is by The Telsey Office/Patrick Goodwin.

Redwood is conceived by Landau and Menzel, with additional contributions by Menzel. It was originally developed and produced by La Jolla Playhouse (Christopher Ashley, Artistic Director & Debby Buchholz, Managing Director), where it premiered last year in a sold-out run.

Daniel Marconi in a scene from Mint Theater Company’s New York Premiere of GARSIDE’S CAREER by Harold Brighouse, directed by Matt Dickson. Photo credit: Maria Baranova

PF: Mint Theater Company’s production of Garside’s Career @ Theatre Row, through March 15, 2025
Mint Theater Company (Jonathan Bank, Artistic Director) presents the New York Premiere of Garside’s Career by Harold Brighouse (Hobson’s Choice), directed by Matt Dickson, opening Thursday February 20th for a limited engagement through March 15th. Previews now at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street). Tickets from $39 are on sale at minttheater.org.

Matt Doyle (Bobby) and Caroline Aaron (Maria) Conversations with Mother at Theater 555 Photo credit: Carol Rosegg

PF: Conversations with Mother @ Theatre 555, through May 11, 2025
Conversations with Mother, starring Caroline Aaron (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) and Tony Award winner Matt Doyle (Company), at Theatre 555 (555 West 42nd Street) written by Matthew Lombardo (High) and directed by Noah Himmelstein (A Midsummer Night’s Dream).

Lombardo’s semi-autobiographical comedy traces the relationship between Italian matriarch Maria Collavechio (Caroline Aaron) and her gay son (Matt Doyle) spanning the course of five decades. As they continue to test their lifelong bond, the play depicts the outrageously funny and sometimes completely infuriating dynamic between a domineering mother and her free-spirited son. Understudies Antoinette LaVecchia (u/s Maria) and John Jeffrey Martin (u/s Bobby) complete the cast.

PF: The Last Time I Saw Caileigh @ The Tank, February 15, 2025

The Last Time I Saw Caileigh is a dark, funny and heartfelt play that explores queer erasure through the lens of an unsolved mystery. When Caileigh Richardson goes missing, the three people closest to them point fingers at one another, and at the ever elusive “system”, as they recount their last few days with Caileigh and try to uncover what happened to them. It asks questions about gender, who we hold accountable for injustice… and fish sex changes. It was devised collaboratively by a small ensemble at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and in 2024 received a grant from Arts Council England for a UK tour. This will be the piece’s NYC premiere.

Written by Victoria Sasso & Harun Cehovic
Co-Created by Matthias Moret & Helen Percival
Directed by Michael Hernandez-Phillips
Stage Managed by Leandra Torres Santiago
Cast: Victoria Sasso, Arman Hakimattar, Matthias Moret & Helen Percival

MP: Norwegian Cruise to the Bahamas

Michael was on the Norwegian Escape

On ship show: The Choir of Man

News:

Eureka Day Joins Kennedy Center Cancellations Following Trump Takeover by Molly Higgins
A performance featuring the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. has also been removed from the organization’s schedule, with both productions citing financial circumstances.

Next Week:

Peter’s Brainteaser:

A musical revival currently on Broadway has a character who appears in one song only.

It is not a solo.

The character’s name is the same as the title of a show that once held Broadway’s long-run record.

What is the name that each has?

Michael’s Musical Moments

Music Opener:

OPENER: “In the Heights”