The La Jolla Playhouse world premiere of the new musical Redwood is currently playing the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre through March 31. Tony nominee Tina Landau, who penned the book and co-wrote the lyrics, also directs the musical, which officially opened February 25 following previews that began February 13.
Wicked Tony
winner Idina Menzel—who conceived the project with director Landau—heads the cast in the role of Jesse. Listen to the Broadway favorite perform "Great Escape," featuring music by Kate Diaz and lyrics by Diaz and Landau, live from the new musical above.
Menzel is joined in the cast by Tony
nominee De'Adre Aziza (Passing Strange) as Mel, Nkeki Obi-Melekwe (Tina) as Becca, Michael Park (Dear Evan Hansen) as Finn, and Zachary Noah Piser (Dear Evan Hansen) as Spencer, along with understudies Giovanny Diaz de Leon, Lance Arthur Smith, and Aja Simone Baitey.
Redwood, with a book by Landau, music by Diaz, lyrics
by Diaz and Landau, and additional contributions by Menzel, casts the
Tony winner as Jesse, a successful businesswoman, mother, and wife who
seems to have it all—although her heart is broken. At a turning point,
Jesse leaves everyone behind, gets in her car, and drives to the ancient
forests of Northern California, where a chance meeting and a leap of
faith change her life forever.
The creative team also includes music supervisor Kimberly Grigsby, music director Haley Bennett, orchestrator and arranger Kate Diaz, scenic designer Jason Ardizzone-West, costume designer Toni-Leslie James, lighting designer Scott Zielinski, sound designer Jonathan Deans, and media designer Hana S. Kim with vertical movement and staging by Melecio Estrella/BANDALOOP. Casting is by The Telsey Office's Patrick Goodwin and Jacole Kitchen.
The stage manager is Lora K. Powell, and the assistant stage manager is Topaz Cooks.
“What an absolute thrill to cap off our 2023-2024 season with this riveting new musical. The Playhouse has been developing Redwood
for several years, working with the
dynamo team of Tina Landau, Kate Diaz, and Idina Menzel—each a
visionary artist in her own right—to create an extraordinary work that
overflows with invention, inspiration, and empathy,” said La Jolla
Playhouse Rich Family Artistic Director Christopher Ashley in an earlier
statement.
Visit LaJollaPlayhouse.org.
Nkeki Obi-Melekwe and Idina Menzel in Redwood
Idina Menzel and De’Adre Aziza in Redwood
Michael Park and Idina Menzel in Redwood
Idina Menzel in Redwood
Zachary Noah Piser and Idina Menzel in Redwood
