Meet Kennedy Kanagawa, the Puppeteer Behind 'Into the Woods' Scene-Stealing Milky White

When "Into the Woods" first played on Broadway in 1986, Milky White – the cow to whom Jack (of Beanstalk fame) is bff with – was a prop cow rolled onto the stage. But in the current revival, which recently closed on Broadway and is currently on the road at Boston's Emerson Colonial Theatre through April 3, Milky White takes a human form in puppeteer Kennedy Kanagawa, who manipulates a puppet of the cow to great acclaim. "The puppet, which is mostly made of recycled cardboard, steals the hearts of audiences in the acclaimed Broadway revival of the classic Stephen Sondheim musical," wrote Broadway World. The New York Times put it simply: "That cow still kills."

The Washington Post recently wrote "(N)o prior Milky White has embodied the captivating creative spirit of the musical to the degree this one has. That imaginative evolution expresses the valuable essence of revisiting timeless material, and the ways new generations of artists reinvigorate the inspired ideas of their predecessors."

Born in Tokyo and raised in Virginia, the 37-year old Kanagawa made his Broadway debut in the role, manipulating Milky White (designed by James Ortiz). He began his stage career at 13 in
a 1998 off-Broadway revival of the musical "Falsettoland" by the National Asian American Theater Company. "Although he'd land other roles, including those of several of the children in a once-annual "A Christmas Carol" at Madison Square Garden, the Muhlenberg College graduate has spent much of his career offstage, waiting tables," adds the Post.

And while he had never been a puppeteer before, Ortiz told the Post," I really wanted to make sure I had a performer who could do this. It had to be a musical performer. Kennedy had never puppeteered, but I thought he would be the one."

EDGE spoke to Kennedy about his love of "Into the Woods," being a puppeteer, and what the iconic musical means to him.

EDGE: Do you have a first memory of Into the Woods?

Kennedy Kanagawa When I was 12 years old, I was at a friend's birthday party, and we watched the VHS of the original Broadway cast. I remember thinking, this is my favorite new thing.

EDGE: Tell us about your character Milky White.

Kennedy Kanagawa Milky White, Jack's cow, was prop in the original production and in the 2002 revival they made her a human in a cow costume. This time around, she is a puppet. She is an adorable puppet designed by the great James Ortiz. And she's Jack's best friend.

EDGE: Have you done puppetry work before?

Kennedy Kanagawa I haven't. This is my first foray into this field and it's just an absolute laugh. It's really hard, though. I was not expecting it to be so hard, but it is so much fun.

EDGE: Could you describe the relation between acting and being the operator of an unanimated object in your hands?

Kennedy Kanagawa Milky White was not initially represented by an actor in any capacity, it was a very fun and interesting exploration that I went through along with James Ortiz, who designed it. He made the puppet directions from Milky White's perspective and figured out the character arc. If you're familiar with the show's plot, spoiler alert, she dies in ACT I, but not for long. We figured out and integrated how she would die. She's sick, so let's introduce some coughs to kind of foreshadow that. How does she feel about these other characters onstage? For "It Takes Two", the duet between the baker and the baker's wife, she's actually on stage for that. So, when she is brought to life, how does that affect the storytelling? It is ever evolving, especially when new actors come on and how she will interact with them.

EDGE: Do you have a new respect for cows?

Kennedy Kanagawa I don't know if I'd go that far, because cows in real life are cute but they're kind of boring. All they do is stand around all day and eat. They even sleep standing up. In creating the physicality of Milky White, we really looked more towards cats and dogs and embodying their physicality, because we wanted the audience to connect with Milky Way on a more personal level. We wanted everyone to kind of be like, "Oh my gosh, she reminds me of my dog at home." That is the kind of relationship that Jack has with Milky Way. To answer your question -it makes me appreciate cats and dogs more than cows.

EDGE: Do you have a favorite moment on stage?

Kennedy Kanagawa I do love when she dies, but the way we comment on the cow's death in a meta-theatrical way is really satisfying for me as the actor and the puppeteer. It's just so much fun.

EDGE: How does Stephen Sondheim's music speak to you?

Kennedy Kanagawa Since that birthday party when I saw it, I have truly been obsessed with this show. I think that it resonates with me in a way that it does for others. It's bringing these classic fairy tales to life which everyone loves and has a connection to. We joke that you can flip through the script and blindly point to a page and find something that you could probably tattoo on your body, and it would have a deep resonant meaningful connection for you.

EDGE: The original Broadway production of "Into the Wood"s debuted in 1986. Looking back 37 years later, is the message of the show still the same?

Kennedy Kanagawa Yes and no. Something that we have learned about this show that I think is so important is how healing it can be. Stephen Sondheim pointed out to us how the original production happened amid the AIDS crisis and then the first revival on Broadway happened right after 9/11 and our Broadway revival happened after a global pandemic. It is as almost this show finds itself coming back into our lives in times when we need it the most. It deals with so many important life moments like grief, loss, healing, and growing that is why I feel like no matter who you are or who what you are going through there is going to be a character in the show whose perception you share and resonates with you. There is something very comforting about that.

EDGE: What has the theater done for you?

Kennedy Kanagawa OMG! Well, how long do you have? I was a theatre kid growing up and as a gay kid the theatre was a perfect space for me to feel safe and escape the judgment I felt from a broader society. I could delve into whatever fantastic world was being created for me in a play. I could be whoever I wanted to be and transform myself and exist in bunch of different worlds without judgment.

EDGE: What are you looking forward to in 2023?

Kennedy Kanagawa I am looking forward seeing the country. This tour will be the longest time that I will be away from New York. It is such a blessing, and it speaks to the heart of our show. It's like the golden age of Broadway when after a limited engagement the entire company would hit the road. All of these people that I have built a family with over the last 6 months are all going to get to see America together and I could not be more grateful for them.

For more information about Kennedy visit, www.kennedykanagawa.com and to purchase tickets to see Into the Woods at the Emerson Colonial Theatre March 21st – April 2nd visit, www.emersoncolonialtheatre.com