The Woodsman ***

James Ortiz is a man of many talents. He is not only the playwright, but the set and puppet designer, co-director (with Claire Karpen) and star of this imaginative version of the back story of the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz. After three previous productions, the play has settled in at New World Stages. After a short prologue, words cease and the tragic tale is told through movement, mime, nonverbal exclamations, percussive sounds and marvelous Bunraku-like puppetry. The action is accompanied by Edward W. Hardy’s evocative score played by violinist Naomi Florin with lyrics by Jen Loring. The talented cast of nine portray Mick Chopper (Ortiz), his parents (Will Gallacher and Lauren Nordvig), his true love Nimmee (Eliza Martin Simpson), the tinker (Gallacher, Alex Gould and Amanda A. Lederer) and assorted munchkins (Benjamin Bass, Gould, Meghan St. Thomas and Sophia Zukoski).The actors also manipulate life-size puppets of the Wicked Witch of the West, a terrifying kalidah (half bear, half tiger) and the tin man. The lovely immersive set has lots of bare branches, dozens of hanging mason jar lights and a back wall of thick tree trunks. The lighting by Catherine Clark and Jamie Roderick adds greatly to the atmosphere. The forest sounds that greet the audience upon arrival also help set the mood. The peasant-like costumes by Molly Seidel are described as blue but looked gray to me. The play’s various elements blend seamlessly to produce an enchanted world. The use of puppets is the finest I have seen since War Horse. If you are intrigued by inventive stagecraft, you will have a fine time. If you prefer your storytelling more conventional, you may be unhappy. It is not recommended for children under eight. Don’t sit in the front row if an axe swinging near your head would make you nervous. Running time: 75 minutes, no intermission.

The Heir Apparent ***

I wish I had been able to approach the CSC production of David Ives's "translaptation" (his neologism) of Jean-François Regnard's 1708 comedy unburdened by expectations. Unfortunately, I could not drive away the memory of CSC's brilliant 2011 production of "The School for Lies." Ives's riff on Moliere's "The Misanthrope," which I thought was one of the best plays of that year. The problem with this work is that Regnard is no Moliere. The humor is broader, less witty and more scatological. Although it makes for an enjoyable evening, the play doesn't reach the heights of Ives's best adaptations or original work. The plot is an old standby -- scheming to win the inheritance of an allegedly dying miser. The major source of the fun is in Ives' delightful rhyming couplets in iambic pentameter. His verses are filled with delightful anachronisms and modern cultural references, e.g. soccer moms, the 99%, CPR. The entire cast is excellent, first among them the always hilarious Carson Elrod ("The Explorers Club," "All in the Timing") as the servant whose crazy plans drive most of the action. Suzanne Bertish, Paxton Whitehead and David Pittu, ever the reliable actors, shine in their roles. Dave Quay, Amelia Pedlow and Claire Karpen are all fine too. John Lee Beatty's set is marvelously cluttered and David C. Woolard's costumes are appealing. Director John Rando keeps things moving along briskly, but I didn't like the choice to have an actor break character and address the audience a few times. I liked the play, but I would have liked it more if I had not seen other better work from Ives. Running time: 2 hours including intermission.