Photo credit: Paul Ruffalo
Upon hearing of a musical named Gretel!, I suppose all those familiar with a certain beloved and famous German fairytale written by the Brothers Grimm might ponder, “Where’s Hansel?” “In a way, this could be looked at as an origin story for Hansel and Gretel,” explains Jeff Frank, director and artistic director of this First Stage production. “Hansel has yet to arrive on the scene. Gretel is on her own for much of the adventure, but she is not without helpers and supporters along the way.”
First Stage is presenting Jason Tremblay’s and Suzan Zeder’s Gretel! as part of its “Foundry Stage Series,” which was launched four seasons ago. The Foundry Stage Series pilots new programs and presents readings of plays in various stages of development, thereby offering First Stage audiences a chance to be a part of the process by giving them a voice and an opportunity to help craft plays that may eventually become First Stage productions. Based on the overwhelmingly positive response First Stage received from the Gretel! play reading last season, Frank decided to include it in their 2019-’20 regular season. “Our audience raved about the power of the story, the music, the vivid characters and the incredibly strong protagonist,” he says.
First Stage also offers pre- and post-show workshops and discussions for their Gretel! audiences, as Frank explains. “As part of the Foundry Stage Series, with Gretel!, we wanted to provide opportunities for families to dive deeper into the world of the play. I think theater at its best provokes thought and discussion, and between Saturday performances, our education and academy staff will conduct workshops exploring creative storytelling, folk tales, the power of emotions and how we harness that power. We’re hoping families take advantage and join other families in some fun and enriching activities.”
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A Tale of Two Journeys
Gretel!, described as a “folk rock musical,” combines the tale of Hansel and Gretel with that of the far-less familiar Vasilisa the Brave (or the Beautiful, depending on which version you read), which is the Russian version of the time-honored Cinderella story. In this modern folktale reimagination, audiences encounter Gretel as a spirited, young, female protagonist with many hardships to overcome, including absent parents and a stepmother and stepsister who constantly belittle her. Then, with only a gift from her mother (and some hope in her heart), she treks into the wilderness to find the mysterious Baba Yaga—a witch-like character of Slavic folklore.
So, this is some sort of mixture between two fairytales? Well, whatever it is, it’s certainly intriguing, given the characters. “Gretel! follows much of the plot line of Vasilisa the Brave,” Frank says. “Both that story and our play feature the notorious Baba Yaga, but in our story, there is more to her than meets the eye. This is one of the things I love about the piece. Gretel’s journey is rich and complex—full of pain and joy, fear and wonder—and Baba Yaga is not merely a two-dimensional villain; her own journey is equally complicated.”
Music will not be provided by a plugged-in rock band nor a symphony orchestra in a pit, but by the rather unusual and fascinating combination of guitar, cello and ukulele. “The cello is the heartbeat of the piece—almost existing as another character while providing base themes for several of the other characters,” Frank explains. “The guitar propels the action forward (along with some percussion work), and the ukulele adds some gentle accents. The combination is simultaneously powerful and haunting, and I think just right for the intimate performance space.” Gretel!’s vocal and instrumental music was composed by Jenn Hartmann Luck; cello arrangements are by Nora Karakousoglou.
In describing their production, First Stage also references an element described as “found-object puppetry,” which surely invited the obvious question, “Huh?” Frank provided a very precise and helpful explanation that certainly added to this production’s allure.
“So, if you think back to the origins of folk tales, to oral storytelling, to the very first stories, you might imagine people sitting around a campfire sharing tales of wonder. Maybe, as they are telling the tale, they pick up a stick, a piece of rope or a cup to suggest a character from the story to help illuminate a moment. A puppet can really be anything that you pick up and bring to life, and I love the imaginative power of that concept. Tremblay—who started this piece on its journey before passing away at far too young an age—had a note in his first draft for an actor to represent the stepmother and her daughter with garden utensils. I thought that was amazing, and we’ve built on that concept in our approach. So, you’ll see actors creating characters using their bodies sometimes, but at others suggesting characters by manipulating a rake, a pail or a piece of cloth. I like theater that asks the audience to lean in and join us in our imaginings.”
