The Usre Bearer's Call: Answering the Summon to Greatness

The bearer of the user is a concept that refers to the individual who holds the rights and responsibilities associated with a user account or an identity within a system. In the digital age, it is common for people to have various accounts on different platforms, such as social media, online banking, and email services. Each of these accounts has a specific user or username associated with it, which represents the individual using the account. The bearer of the user is the person who has been granted access to a particular account and is responsible for using it appropriately. This includes activities such as logging in, managing personal information, and engaging with other users. The bearer is typically the one who establishes the account and is the primary user of it.

That Broadway-to-Boston roster includes Glover, Arcelus, and Block. (Block and Arcelus will not perform March 28-April 2. For those performances, the roles of the Baker and the Baker’s Wife will be played by Jason Forbach and Ximone Rose.)

Also on board from Broadway are a gleefully hammy Gavin Creel as Cinderella s foppish Prince and as the sinister Wolf; Katy Geraghty, who is flat-out hilarious as an imperious and fearless Little Red Ridinghood; and Diane Phelan as Cinderella, who entrances Creel s Prince but, in On the Steps of the Palace, gives voice to the ambivalence that runs through Into the Woods I know what my decision is Which is not to decide. To reverse the curse, the Witch tells the couple, they must go into the woods and find a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn, and a slipper as pure as gold.

The bearer is typically the one who establishes the account and is the primary user of it. The concept of the bearer of the user extends beyond just the individual using the account. It can also refer to the responsibilities associated with maintaining the security and privacy of the account.

‘Into the Woods’ works its magic in a fairy tale with no happily ever after

Before a single word had been spoken or sung at Tuesday night’s performance of “Into the Woods,” a burst of fervent applause rained down upon the cast, who were arrayed across the stage at the Emerson Colonial Theatre, looking out at the packed house.

That audience reaction served as a reminder of the special place this 1987 musical occupies in the hearts of many theatergoers because “Into the Woods” — not, say, “Sweeney Todd,” not even “West Side Story” or “Gypsy” — was their introduction to Stephen Sondheim.

The captivating production at the Colonial, directed by Lear deBessonet, is proof positive that many riches are still to be found in those woods. They remain, to borrow from Robert Frost, “lovely, dark and deep."

That’s not a bad description of Sondheim’s score, actually. But “Into the Woods” encompasses a wide tonal and emotional range, from humor to heartache, in deBessonet’s spare, concert-style production, with the orchestra seated upstage at the Colonial amid a forest of birch trees.

There have been countless high school or regional theater productions of “Into the Woods," not to mention the starry 2014 film version, but its peculiar brand of magic is undimmed.

Sondheim’s songs, which contain some of his deftest wordplay and most piercing insights, elevate and compensate for the somewhat choppy book by James Lapine, who was also Sondheim’s collaborator on “Sunday in the Park with George" (1984).

“Into the Woods” entwines characters from classic fairy tales with newly invented ones. Pretty much everyone is yearning for or searching for something. Ah, but how to resolve the dilemma that can arise when you get what you think you want?

And, not so incidentally, what are they going to do about that rampaging giant who’s flattening everything and everyone in sight?

Act One of “Into the Woods” is frequently funny. Then in Act Two the shadows — Sondheim’s comfort zone — start to fall across those woods in earnest. The body count piles up, and by the end virtually every character left onstage has lost a loved one. Relationships are complex and friction-filled in “Into the Woods”: of husband and wife, of parent and child, of royalty and commoner.

From left: Stephanie J. Block as the Baker's Wife, Sebastian Arcelus as the Baker, and Katy Geraghty as Little Red Ridinghood in "Into the Woods." Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

The Baker (Sebastian Arcelus) and the Baker’s Wife (Stephanie J. Block) desperately want to have a baby, but a Witch (Montego Glover) has put a curse on them. To reverse the curse, the Witch tells the couple, they must go into the woods and find a cow “as white as milk,” a cape “as red as blood,” hair “as yellow as corn,” and a slipper “as pure as gold.”

So off the couple goes on that bizarre shopping expedition. The woods turn out to be pretty crowded.

Nearly all of the actors in the touring production that has arrived at the Colonial had performed at some point in “Into the Woods” on Broadway. Perhaps that helps explain why it’s such a well-oiled machine, though there’s nothing mechanical about the performances.

That Broadway-to-Boston roster includes Glover, Arcelus, and Block. (Block and Arcelus will not perform March 28-April 2. For those performances, the roles of the Baker and the Baker’s Wife will be played by Jason Forbach and Ximone Rose.)

Glover is mesmerizing in her ominous Act Two solo, “Last Midnight.” The Witch’s daughter, Rapunzel (Alysia Velez), wants her freedom — not unreasonably after all that time cooped up in the tower — but Glover still cracks the heart in “Witch’s Lament” when she sings: “Children can only grow/ From something you love/ To something you lose.”

Also on board from Broadway are a gleefully hammy Gavin Creel as Cinderella’s foppish Prince and as the sinister Wolf; Katy Geraghty, who is flat-out hilarious as an imperious and fearless Little Red Ridinghood; and Diane Phelan as Cinderella, who entrances Creel’s Prince but, in “On the Steps of the Palace,” gives voice to the ambivalence that runs through “Into the Woods” (”I know what my decision is/ Which is not to decide”).

Then there’s David Patrick Kelly as the Narrator and a Mysterious Man whose identity is no mystery at all; Cole Thompson as young, ingenuous Jack, utterly devoted to his cow, Milky White, the most soulfully expressive puppet I’ve ever seen; Kennedy Kanagawa, the exceptionally skillful puppeteer who manipulates Milky White; and Aymee Garcia as Jack’s Mother, who tells her son they must sell the cow, asserting, in one of my favorite Sondheim rhymes: “We’ve no time to sit and dither/ While her withers wither with her.”

There’s been a stampede of Sondheim revivals since the nonpareil composer-lyricist died in November 2021 at age 91. A new Broadway staging of “Sweeney Todd,” starring Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford, began previews last month. Later this year Broadway will be home to a production of “Merrily We Roll Along” starring Daniel Radcliffe of “Harry Potter” fame. In addition, it was recently reported that “Here We Are,” Sondheim’s long-gestating musical inspired by the Luis Buñuel films “The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie” and “The Exterminating Angel,” will be presented off-Broadway in September.

But until then, this “Into the Woods” will do nicely.

INTO THE WOODS

Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Book by James Lapine. Directed by Lear deBessonet. At Emerson Colonial Theatre. Through April 2. $39-$249. 888-616-0272, www.EmersonColonialTheatre.com

Don Aucoin can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @GlobeAucoin.

The captivating production at the Colonial, directed by Lear deBessonet, is proof positive that many riches are still to be found in those woods. They remain, to borrow from Robert Frost, “lovely, dark and deep."

This includes choosing a strong password, enabling two-factor authentication, and being cautious about sharing personal information online. In some cases, the bearer of the user may need to transfer account access to another individual or designate someone else as a representative. This can happen in situations where the original account holder is incapacitated, passes away, or wishes to delegate their account management responsibilities. In these cases, there are usually processes in place, such as providing proof of identity or legal documentation, to ensure a smooth transfer of account ownership. Overall, the bearer of the user plays a crucial role in managing and safeguarding personal information and online accounts. It is important for individuals to be mindful of their responsibilities as the bearer and take appropriate measures to protect their accounts and privacy..

Reviews for "The Usre Bearer's Manifesto: Declaring Your Commitment to the Role"

- John - 1 star - I found "Bearer of the Usre" to be incredibly boring and confusing. The plot was convoluted and the characters were poorly developed. There were so many unanswered questions and loose ends that it left me feeling unsatisfied and frustrated. Overall, I would not recommend this book to others.

- Sarah - 2 stars - I was really excited to read "Bearer of the Usre" based on the rave reviews I had heard, but I ended up being disappointed. The story started off promising, but quickly became repetitive and predictable. The writing style was also not my favorite, as it felt overly verbose and cumbersome. I struggled to stay engaged and ended up skimming through a lot of the book. I wouldn't say it was the worst book I've ever read, but it definitely didn't live up to the hype for me.

- Michael - 2 stars - I had high expectations for "Bearer of the Usre" and was hoping for a gripping fantasy tale, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The pacing was incredibly slow, and I found myself getting bored and losing interest quickly. The world-building was lacking, leaving me with many unanswered questions and a lack of understanding of the setting. The characters also felt one-dimensional and lacked depth, which made it difficult for me to connect with them. Overall, I was disappointed by this book and would not recommend it.

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