Strength and Resilience – Redwood

Mar 24, 2025 by Temporary Login

By Two Sues on the Aisle, Susie Rosenbluth and Sue Weston

Redwood trees are amazing. Their name comes from the beautiful reddish hue of their bark, which can be a foot thick allowing the tree to survive for thousands of years. These trees are a symbol of resilience that inspired the Broadway musical Redwood starring Idina Menzel playing at the Nederlander Theatre (208 W 41st St).

Redwoods are miraculous, growing into the tallest trees in the world, yet start from a small seed. Their roots are shallow, only 6 to 12 feet deep, but the trees support each other and get stability by intertwining their roots.

The Plot

The show begins by plunging the audience into total darkness with a crash followed by a series of flashbacks. Quickly we learn that Jesse (Idina Menzel) is a gallerist married to Mel (De’Adre Aziza) a photojournalist, who is her emotional opposite with “feet on the ground,” whereas Jesse has her “head in the clouds.” They raised a son, Spencer (Zachary Noah Piser) together, but are divided on how to deal with a crisis. Mel favors a direct approach while Jesse chooses avoidance. 

Presented initially with a stark stage, we watch as Jesse’s world unravels. She runs in search of solace driving from New York to California where she finds herself sleeping among the California redwoods. Jesse is awoken by Finn (Michael Park) and Becca (Khaila Wilcoxon) two environmentalists studying the redwood trees by ascending to the top, something no one has done before.

Each of the characters is dealing with demons from their past, using a harness to lift and support themselves. The trees’ strength inspires the ‘religion’ of the redwoods, a testament to their resilience, pushing them upward and forward. Just like the deadwood, the “heart” of a redwood tree (which is dead) provides structural support and guidance from the past and structure for the future.

Saving the World

The secondary theme is saving the environment and the world. Becca, a woman whose mother was Jewish, explains Tikkun Olam, repairing the world that encourages us to take action to improve society.  According to the story, evil came into the world because divine sparks of God’s creative light are scattered. To restore goodness man should focus on gathering them together. Becca dedicated her life to preserving the trees, while Finn is focused on helping individuals deal with trauma.

We learn from Finn that redwoods are endangered, 95 percent of California’s old-growth forests were cut down for lumber. Finn a rule-breaking hippie mountain man-type commented that corporations are ruining the world to make “their billions.” In contrast, Becca is an academic who is logical and detached. Jesse provides the missing connection by helping Becca open up and reminding Finn of the importance of family.

Life is fragile, but through their connections, they gain strength and stability – like the giant redwoods.

Great Production

The set was extraordinary, transforming as the story unfolds. It begins with a stark white stage and uses panels that turn and video projections to create the illusion of motion. We felt the sensation of moving up the giant redwood and were momentarily queasy, we experienced speed as Jesse traversed highways, while the rustling, and swaying of the branches left us chilled.

The tree itself, No. 237 ‘Stella’ was majestic filling the center stage. She was solid and imposing. Strong enough to be climbed using rigging and carabiners. She supported midair acrobatics, as the performers swung and climbed to a platform 30 feet above the stage.

Idina Menzel’s powerful voice is legendary and the combination of talent on stage was amazing. Redwood showcases the power of Broadway, filling the theater with hope. With simple, strong lyrics reinforcing the theme: “The trees’ most important lesson / Is that like the roots / We need connection.”

A Lesson

Redwood is a tapestry of sound and illusion. It focuses inwardly on human frailties and outwardly on the ability to be resilient by connecting with others. The giant redwoods teach us to turn negatives into opportunities, instead of being destroyed by fire, the redwood releases seeds allowing new saplings to grow. They show us the importance of community and connectivity for stability and how the inner strength of the deadwood supports the giant tree.

Redwood is a breathtaking performance, which emphasizes our ability to find connections and draw strength from others.  Sitting in the shadow of Stella ‘the tree’ we witness the healing power of nature and our responsibility to repair the world, one ray of light at a time.

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Two Sues on the Aisle bases its ratings on how many challahs (1-5) it pays to buy (rather than make) to see the play, show, film, book, or exhibit being reviewed.

Redwood received a 5 Challah rating

Running Time: 120 minutes without intermission