This magnificent musical uses all our favorite characters from our childhood to tell a story about the importance of family and community – its pitfalls and its strengths – beginning with a childless Baker and his wife who learn that their childlessness has been caused by a witch’s curse. That Witch is willing to reverse the curse if they can bring her a cloak as red as blood, a cow as white as milk, hair as gold as corn, and a slipper as pure as gold. So off they go on a Grimm scavenger hunt that has them encountering Little Red (with her blood-red cloak), a boy named Jack selling his Milky White cow, the loony Rapunzel with lots of extra golden hair, and Cinderella who recently received some pure slippers from her fairy godmother.

By the end of the first act, all of our stories have been resolved and we appear to be ready to live happily ever after. But this story is only half over, and the widow of a certain giant is about to shake this small kingdom up, forcing the famous residents to run away, turn on each other, or go into the woods and face their fears together.

Director Ricky R. Allen and his cast at Young Actors Theatre are currently staging an amusingly enchanting production of this musical at the intimate Jean Isaac Pavilion in Spring Valley. Mark Urich and Kaila Honz star as the Baker and his Wife – the normal people of the fairy tale, and as such both do a very nice job of relating to the outrageous characters and circumstances in more realistic, occasionally humorous, and eventually poignant ways. Stephanie Parker clearly delights in the role of the sadistically and selfishly wicked Witch who melts only at the sound of music from her beloved but crazy adopted daughter Rapunzel (Shauni Gerner).

A supporting cast of recognizable denizens from fairy tale land is filled with memorable performances led by Tiffany Tanguay as Cinderella who adds great personality to the role, from her natural and not overdone humor to her genuine sympathy and strength when it is needed the most. Molly Johnson is a hoot as Little Red with a sweet tooth for pastries and an original and amusing way of throwing a tantrum when her blood red cloak is stolen, her mind so overwhelmed and detached that her feet begin slowly slipping apart where she stands. See Jay Lewis is a nicely shy Jack in love with his pet cow Milky White (played stiffly but effectively by Sort of White), and Stephanie Hable’s comedy and expressions make for a surprisingly humorous performance of Jack’s Mother. Nico Ramirez adds his charisma and character to create both a highly amusing Narrator and an old, Mysterious Man. The other two members of the Ramirez triplets, Emilio and Lonnie Ramirez, share a couple of the greatest scenes in this production as the vain, princely brothers who face Agony as they respectively chase Cinderella and Rapunzel, and later as they lament having caught them…

Performs through July 3, 2005.

Rob Hopper
San Diego Playbill