Redwood may be making its way to Broadway to the Nederlander Theatre this month, but the show has been 15 years in the making. Years ago, director and lyricist Tina Landau and Tony winner Idina Menzel were trying to think of a project they could create together. "I was obsessed with trees, she was obsessed with this story about a woman in the tree, and we thought, 'Oh! There's an intersection,'" explains Landau.
That mutual obsession has become Redwood, a new musical starring Menzel, with music by newcomer Kate Diaz and lyrics by Diaz and Landau. It begins performances January 24, ahead of a February 13 opening night. See the Redwood team discuss the new musical in the video above.
Of her redwood tree obsession, Menzel explains: "The redwoods are these incredible, wise creatures. They've seen the world for thousands of years, they're able to teach us so much about resilience."
Redwood has Menzel playing Jesse, who after a traumatic event finds healing while climbing a redwood tree. The new original musical premiered at La Jolla Playhouse last year.
Veronica Otim, Caroline Kaplan, Jessica Phillips, Bradley Dean, Daniel Brackett, Michael Park, Tina Landau, Idina Menzel, Zachary Noah Piser, Kate Diaz, de'Adre Aziza, Eva Price, and Khaila Wilcoxon
Veronica Otim, Caroline Kaplan, Jessica Phillips, Bradley Dean, Daniel Brackett, Michael Park, Tina Landau, Idina Menzel, Zachary Noah Piser, Kate Diaz, de'Adre Aziza, Eva Price, and Khaila Wilcoxon
Michael Park, de'Adre Aziza, Idina Menzel, Zachary Noah Piser, and Khaila Wilcoxon
Michael Park, de'Adre Aziza, Idina Menzel, Zachary Noah Piser, and Khaila Wilcoxon
The cast also includes De'Adre Aziza as Mel, Michael Park as Finn, and Zachary Noah Piser as Spencer. Newly joining the company is Khaila Wilcoxon as Becca. Standbys Daniel Brackett, Bradley Dean, Veronica Otim, and Jessica Phillips will round out the company. Casting is by The Telsey Office's Patrick Goodwin.
The production will also feature scenic design by Jason Ardizzone-West, video design by Hana S. Kim, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Scott Zielinski, sound design by Jonathan Deans, vertical movement and choreography by Melecio Estrella of Bandaloop, and orchestrations and arrangements by Diaz, all reprising their work from the La Jolla world premiere. New for the Broadway bow is music supervisor Tom Kitt and music director Julie McBride.
Visit RedwoodMusical.com.
