Fans of Stephen Sondheim and fractured fairytales and people with little Disney princesses who need a dose of reality, don’t miss this stripped down version of “Into the Woods” now playing at the Ahmanson. This is essentially the best of those concert musical productions: few props, minimal but effective costuming and fabulously funny puppeteers, this cast presents the baker and his wife as their life is intertwined with some famous fairytales, all accompanied by a full and fully visible orchestra at the back of the stage.

While there are two princes (Gavin Creel as Cinderella’s Prince and Json Forbach as Rapunzel’s Prince), who are both charming and totally infatuated with themselves, the show is clearly stolen by Little Red Riding Hood (Katy Geraghty) who is what used to be called pleasantly plumb, but this gal isn’t pleasant. She’s thick and quick-tempered. When her words don’t convey sarcasm, her face and sassy body language does.

Besides Little Red Riding Hood, Puppeteer Kennedy Kanazawa as Milky White makes the cow a more essential part of the story. The audience knows why Jack (Cole Thompson) hesitates to sell the cow that is no longer producing milk. This one produces lots of laughs. (If you think I’m joking about Milky White, there is a 6 July 2023  post-show reception and meet & greet with Milky White for American Express members.)

This color-blind casting production has an evil witch (Montego Glover) who needs to regain her fabulousness and charges the Baker (Sebastian Arcelus) and his wife (Stephanie J. Block) with getting four items: A cow as white as milk, a cap as red as blood, the hair as yellow as corn and the slipper as pure as gold. That means the Baker and the Baker’s wife (played by a real married couple) must insert themselves into four fairytales: Jack (Cole Thompson) and the Beanstalk, Little Red Ridinghood, Rapunzel  (Jason Forbach) and Cinderella (Diane Phelan). The timing under the direction of Lear DeBessonet is impeccable. The cast does justice to the Stephen Sondheim music and lyrics and James Lapine’s book.

All of the tales will have happy endings by intermission, but wait! What happens afterward? Things are not so happy because, as Cincerella’s Prince says, “I was raised to be charming, not sincere.” While the second act is basically an unraveling of the fairytale endings, it does give ample opportunity for Glover’s Witch to vamp in her post powerful, but totally fabulous younger self (costume design by Andrea Hood). If you love purple dresses with drama, this gown has it.

There will be death and disaster, but, in the end, a family will be reformed from the survivors. If you were a fan of fractured fairytales and all of the many parodies of fairytales, this is a fun production. There were kids young enough to request booster seats and they were all well behaved on opening night. There’s enough on stage to interest kids and the music is wonderful.

When you go, you can always start your own fairytale. I did.

Once upon a time, I found myself lost amongst racks and racks of costumes as a costume rental place was closing and I found myself buying some costumes meant for the well-to-do 12-year-old wanting to do a cool historical report on the Renaissance or to visit a Ren faire. Nearly a decade later, at first, thinking that I had at least two cloaks and surely one was red, I discovered it was indeed hooded, but rather than go as Little Red Riding Hood (and I didn’t have a wolf), I decided to wear  a queenly costume. I went to dinner in my little black dress (from Gap Kids), and then I changed in the underground parking lot into my queen costume. Two strangers helped me with the modern innovation called a zipper.

Navigating the escalator requires someone else hold my purse as I hold my cape, but I still highly recommend, you find your cape, your tiara and/or your best fairytale or Ren Faire wear and go “Into the Woods” for a fun evening.

“Into the Woods” continues until 30 July 2023 at the Ahmanson Theatre. This production is recommend for ages 4 and up. Children younger than 4 are not allowed in the theater. Some material in Act 2, might frighten very young children. Running time: 2 hours and 45 minutes with a one 15-minute intermission. For tickets or more information, visit CenterTheatreGroup.org.