Emmy award-winning actor Michael Park (“As the World Turns,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” and “Stranger Things”) chatted about “Redwood” on Broadway, where he stars opposite Idina Menzel.
Background on ‘Redwood’
In “Redwood,” Tony winner Idina Menzel portrays Jesse, a woman who finds herself at a crossroads in a Northern California redwood forest after a life-altering event.
Following this traumatic event in her family life, Jesse finds healing while climbing a redwood tree.
Menzel co-conceived the musical with director, book writer, and co-lyricist Tina Landau.
Kate Diaz wrote the music and co-wrote the lyrics. The musical is being performed at the Nederlander Theatre in New York City.
Aside from Menzel and Park, the cast also includes De’Adre Aziza as Mel, Zachary Noah Piser as Spencer, and Khaila Wilcoxon as Becca.
Being a part of ‘Redwood’
On being a part of the new Broadway musical, he remarked, “It’s a very daunting task and very brave at the same time. This is a very personal story to Tina Landau; it really does highlight Tina and Idina’s friendship but what transcends all of that is how personal this is for Tina Landau.”
“I love this show, and I love this character,” Park said about playing Finn. “It is very rare for me to be in a role that very much mirrors my energy as a human. It’s a blessing. I am very grateful.”
Working with the cast of actors
On working with the cast, Park stated, “Idina Menzel is a slice of heaven. Khaila Wilcoxon is a star in the making! I simply cannot say enough wonderful things about her. We bounce off each other very well, and Khaila is killing the role of Becca in ‘Redwood’.”
“Zachary Noah Piser is great,” he said. “There are three ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ alums in this show. Jessica Phillips, who understudies Idina Menzel, and Zachary, who plays Spencer and my son in the musical.”
Park on learning how to climb trees
On learning how to climb trees, Park revealed, “I didn’t know I could do that either. That is one of the incredible aspects of this show. When they asked me to audition, I had to be physically fit to climb and I didn’t have any fear of heights because I didn’t have a script or any knowledge about what the character entailed.”
“Little did I know that I would be getting into the best shape of my life at 56 years old,” he said with a sweet laugh.
Lessons learned from ‘Redwood’
On the lessons learned from this musical, he shared, “It’s interesting. The show isn’t necessarily about grieving. It’s an adventure that this woman, Jesse, goes on, and doesn’t know that she is going to face her demons in a way. She learns a lot in the process.”
This story hits home for Michael Park
“Watching Idina tackle this every night, I learned that I never really fully grieved the loss of my sister Licia, who passed away from leukemia at the age of 14, and I was 16 years old,” he recalled.
“We come from a very Italian family, so we always had people in the house and people all around us all the time. So, I never had a chance to be alone in my feelings or alone with that loss,” he explained.
“Watching Idina go through this every night reminded me of what I myself have not gone through yet, and have not experienced, or have given myself the stage to grieve my sister’s loss when I was 16… This goes back 40 years ago,” he recalled.
Park continued, “I had a wonderful conversation with my mother at opening night about this fact, and in the process of rehearsals and even in previews, I never had the chance to sit down with this.”
“I actually had a moment to sit with my mom and say, ‘I’m sorry for never really telling you how grateful I am for the support you gave us as children through that experience’,” he acknowledged.
“We sat and we cried a little bit, and this show allowed me — finally — to realize that I was storing that for four decades,” he noted.
‘Redwood’ — A cathartic show for Park
“This show is very cathartic, and it’s an ongoing process too,” he admitted. “We are finding new and deeper ways to tell the story, and it is growing. It is kind of amazing how enriching this storytelling is, and that is benefit of having great writing.”
“80 percent of our success on stage is because of the writing and the songs, so I give major props to Tina Landau and Kate Diaz. Many thanks to Idina and Tina for coming up with this concept,” he acknowledged.
“The show is not only about loss; it’s about connection,” he underscored. “It is hopeful, and it is a beautiful adventure that Jesse goes on… and what we all learn, as characters, is kind of impressive when you think about it. This show is about connection at its heart.”
“Connection to ourselves, connection to nature, connection to others, and spreading that connection. Don’t we need a lot of that right now?” he said.
“The set design is insane, and the lighting is just spectacular,” he added.
Park on living his dream
“I am very blessed,” he expressed. “I am a kid from Canandaigua, New York. I am a community theatre kid. I didn’t go to school for this. To be lucky enough to be in New York City doing what I’ve always dreamed of doing is really incredible. I pinch myself every day.”
Park on Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham
Park had great words about Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham and friend, who is starring in the Off-Broadway show “Beckett Briefs.”
“I did have the good fortune to work with F. Murray Abraham, and he showed me his Oscar. He is certainly the king. He is such a character. I just love him,” Park said.
“Whenever people ask me ‘how do I climb a tree?’ I turn into F. Murray Abraham and I tell them… I do it because I have to, and that’s the gig. Wouldn’t anyone else be lucky to do it?” Park added.
Coastal Entertainment Zoom event with Maura West
During the COVID pandemic, back in 2022, he did a Zoom fan event with fellow Emmy winner Maura West (and former co-star), which was produced by Coastal Entertainment, where both actors (and “As the World Turns” alums) were able to interact with their fans virtually.
“Maura West holds a very special place in my life,” he admitted. “We had great chemistry, and it turned into a marvelous 13 years of working together. Maura is one of the best in the business.”
“The fans are the reasons we have jobs. That goes without saying. We love the fans,” he added.
Park on Alex Hurt
Park also complimented Emmy-nominated actor Alex Hurt (“The Rehearsal”), the son of the late Oscar winner William Hurt, who was a part of “Patriots” on Broadway.
“Alex Hurt and I did ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ together with Scarlett Johansson. Alex is another great dude, and he is a fantastic actor in his own right. Alex cannonballs everything he is in; he doesn’t toe dip at all,” Park said.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Park said, “The people we’ve lost are the heart of the living.”
“That’s the current chapter of my life,” Park admitted.
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, Park said, “Success means a healthy family and healthy children. Also, making sure that my mother and my in-laws are looked after.”
“Also, the peace of mind that comes with it, because that gets me to sleep at night,” he added.
Closing thoughts on ‘Redwood’
For fans and viewers, he remarked about the show “Redwood,” “I want the audience to make space for themselves to sit in nature. There is a healing power of nature. Just sit in nature and just be and breathe.”
“You’ve never been truly alone as when you are 300 feet up in a redwood tree, where you are able to face the problems that really matter to you,” Park concluded.
To learn more about Emmy winner Michael Park, follow him on Instagram.
For more information on “Redwood,” check out its official website.
Read More: “Redwood” review.
