Redwood (musical)

Redwood
Music	Kate Diaz
Lyrics	Kate Diaz Tina Landau
Book	Tina Landau
Productions	2024 La Jolla Playhouse

Redwood is a musical with music by Kate Diaz and lyrics by Diaz and Tina Landau and a book by Landau.

The show tells the story of Jesse, a woman whose son Spencer dies after an accidental overdose of drugs laced with fentanyl. She does not fully acknowledge her grief, but memories come back to her in flashes. This causes tension with her wife who wants to openly grieve and remember Spencer. Jesse’s anguish and guilty feelings of not being able to prevent her son’s death lead her to abruptly leave her home and work. She drives across the country alone on a journey of self discovery. She finds herself in a redwood tree forest where she forms complicated relationships with arborists and one particular tree.

The show premiered in 2024 at the La Jolla Playhouse and opened on Broadway on February 13, 2025. ^[1] The musical was originally conceived by Landau and Idina Menzel. ^[2]

Productions

San Diego (2024)

Previews for Redwood began on February 13, 2024, at the La Jolla Playhouse. ^{[3] [4]} The world premiere of Redwood opened days later on February 25. ^[5] The production concluded its initial run on March 31. ^[4] The production featured direction by Tina Landau with orchestrations and arrangements by Kate Diaz, scenic design by Jason Ardizzone-West, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Scott Zielinski, and sound design by Jonathan Deans. ^[5]

Broadway (2025)

On June 13, 2024 it was announced the show plans to transfer to Broadway in the Winter of 2025, starring Menzel. Previews began January 24, 2025 at the Nederlander Theatre, before an official opening on February 13. ^[6]

Musical numbers

La Jolla

• "The Place" - Jesse
• "The Trees"
• "Climb" - Jesse, Finn, Becca
• "Little Redwood" - Becca
• "Dear Everyone" - Jesse
• "A Little Bit Wild" - Finn, Jesse, and Becca
• "Back Then" - Mel, Jesse
• "The Ascent"
• "Great Escape" - Jesse
• "Roots" - Finn
• "Little Redwood (Reprise)" - Finn, Becca, Jesse
• "Back Then (Reprise)" - Mel
• "Stella" - Jesse, Stella
• "Becca's Song" - Becca
• "No Repair" - Jesse
• "Let the Fires Come" - Jesse
• "Still" - Spencer, Jesse, The Trees
• "Finale" - All

Broadway

• "Drive" - Jesse, Mel, Spencer
• "The Trees"
• "Climb" - Jesse, Becca, Finn
• "Little Redwood" - Becca
• "The Stars" - Jesse
• "A Dream" - Spencer, Mel, Jesse
• "Big Tree Religion" - Finn, Becca, Jesse
• "Back Then" - Mel, Jesse
• "The Ascent"
• "Great Escape" - Jesse
• "Roots" - Finn
• "Little Redwood (Reprise)" - Finn, Becca, Jesse
• "Looking Through This Lens" - Mel
• "In the Leaves" - Jesse, Stella
• "Becca's Song" - Becca
• "No Repair" - Jesse
• "The Fires" - Jesse
• "Still" - Spencer, Jesse, Stella, The Trees
• "Finale" - All

Characters and original cast

Character	San Diego [7]	Broadway
	2024	2025
Jesse	Idina Menzel
Mel	De'Adre Aziza
Spencer, Clerk, Main in Rain, Mateo	Zachary Noah Piser
Finn	Michael Park
Becca	Nkeki Obi-Melekwe	Khaila Wilcoxon
Vocals for Stella, The Trees	Kate Diaz

References

1. Paulson, Michael (2025-01-28). "Idina Menzel Played Elphaba and Elsa. Now She's Back on Broadway". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2025-01-28.
2. Malkin, Marc (2023-01-12). "Idina Menzel to Star in New Stage Musical 'Redwood' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.com.
3. Gans, Andrew (February 13, 2024). "Idina Menzel Stars in World Premiere of Redwood Musical Beginning February 13". Playbill . TotalTheater.
4. "Redwood". La Jolla Playhouse . Retrieved July 16, 2024.
5. Kragen, Pam (February 26, 2024). "Idina Menzel inhabits a magical world in La Jolla Playhouse's moving Redwood". San Diego Union-Tribune .
7. "Michael Park, Zachary Noah Piser & More Join Idina Menzel in the World-Premiere Musical Redwood". www.broadway.com. January 5, 2024. Retrieved 2024-03-04.