Ariana DeBose to lead THE BAKER'S WIFE at Classic Stage Company- Page 3

[The Bandstand]

Posted: 9/22/25 at 1:03pm

Extended through December 21

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 10/24/25 at 1:36am

Any reports from the first preview(s)?

[dan94]

Posted: 10/24/25 at 10:13am

I was there last night.

It's very charming. They've thrown what looks like a lot of money into it. It's the most set I've seen at a CSC show. And 9 musicians in the pit is the most I've seen/heard over there. (I think Passion might have had 9?) They even had a couple of merch items.

The ensemble is incredibly strong. One of the problems with this piece is that it's called The Baker's Wife, but it's about the townspeople. The main character in the movie are the townspeople, and I don't think they've ever been able to replicate that on stage - until this cast. You want to follow Sally Murphy. You care what happens to Judy Kuhn. You're actually charmed by Kevin Del Aguila. Can't be understated how much the townspeople elevate the material here.

Schwartz was in house and looked very happy after the performance.

[somecheapfrenchthing]

Posted: 10/24/25 at 12:44pm

dan94 said: "I was there last night.

It's very charming. They've thrown what looks like a lot of money into it. It's the most set I've seen at a CSC show. And 9 musicians in the pit is the most I've seen/heard over there. (I think Passion might have had 9?) They even had a couple of merch items.

The ensemble is incredibly strong. One of the problems with this piece is that it's called The Baker's Wife, but it's about the townspeople. The main character in the movie are the townspeople, and I don't think they've ever been able to replicate that on stage - until this cast. You want to follow Sally Murphy. You care what happens to Judy Kuhn. You're actually charmed by Kevin Del Aguila. Can't be understated how much the townspeople elevate the material here.

Schwartz was in house and looked very happy after the performance."

 

That’s awesome to hear. Interesting, your note re: the ensemble characters. How was Ariana DeBose and how did she sound on the score? (And mostly what I’m asking is: how was Meadowlark?) Also, how involved in the action are the front row cafe table seats?

 

[dan94]

Posted: 10/24/25 at 3:19pm

Ariana DeBose is a phenomenal dancer. They actually added a dream ballet type thing to the second act so she could dance. That piece frankly could be longer.

The table seats seem like a normal added row. You're right up against the actors, but it's not an immersive experience type show, if that's what you're asking.

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 10/25/25 at 12:47am

dan94 said: "I was there last night.

It's very charming. They've thrown what looks like a lot of money into it. It's the most set I've seen at a CSC show. And 9 musicians in the pit is the most I've seen/heard over there. (I think Passion might have had 9?) They even had a couple of merch items.

The ensemble is incredibly strong. One of the problems with this piece is that it's called The Baker's Wife, but it's about the townspeople. The main character in the movie are the townspeople, and I don't think they've ever been able to replicate that on stage - until this cast. You want to follow Sally Murphy. You care what happens to Judy Kuhn. You're actually charmed by Kevin Del Aguila. Can't be understated how much the townspeople elevate the material here.

Schwartz was in house and looked very happy after the performance."

Thank you for this. Sounds like there’s a chance of a transfer 🤔

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 10/25/25 at 1:05am

transfer unlikely. 

Updated On: 10/25/25 at 01:05 AM

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 10/25/25 at 4:42pm

LOL to this:

Q:   "How was Ariana DeBose and how did she sound on the score?"
 

A:   "Ariana DeBose is a phenomenal dancer."

 

Reminds me of:

Jenna Maroney:  "So what did you think?"

Liz Lemon:  "The lighting was really neat."

[HJ2]

Posted: 10/26/25 at 9:44am

Rentaholic2 said: "LOL to this:

Q: "How was Ariana DeBose and how did she sound on the score?"


A: "Ariana DeBose is a phenomenal dancer."

I saw the first preview performance, too, and thought Ariana did a great job vocally. The audience was quite pleased with her rendition of Meadowlark.

 

Scott was impeccable. Sure made you root for Aimable.

 

The ensemble, as mentioned earlier, was superb and definitely took the experience to another level. It wasn’t townspeople vs romance. This edition of the show blended the 2 beautifully and made it come alive. 
 

I miss some songs, too, but, admittedly, their omission tightened it up.

Reminds me of:

Jenna Maroney: "So what did you think?"

Liz Lemon: "The lighting was really neat.""

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/26/25 at 9:58am

I saw a photo on social and the set looks gorgeous and seems to envelop the theatre.

It has commercial producers behind it: Aaron Glick (of the David Stone office) and the verrrry deep-pocketed C. Graham Berwind III. Whether that makes a transfer likely or not remains to be seen based on the run here. 

[Falsettolands]

Posted: 10/26/25 at 10:07am

A cast recording has been confirmed internally.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/26/25 at 12:07pm

If it is built for that space maybe it just continues into a commercial run?

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 10/26/25 at 12:19pm

RippedMan said: "If it is built for that space maybe it just continues into a commercial run?"

They might have some room for another extension, but Marcel on the Train is scheduled to start February 5, and also any extensions would probably be dependent on cast schedules etc.

[Kad]

Posted: 10/26/25 at 2:05pm

I'm sure CSC would be over the moon for some kind of commercial transfer- they have been struggling badly the last few years and they've never had a production transfer before. But it's such a small and unique venue that it's hard to imagine anywhere else their productions can land. 

[Dan6]

Posted: 10/26/25 at 2:28pm

chrishuyen said: "RippedMan said: "If it is built for that space maybe it just continues into a commercial run?"

They might have some room for another extension, but Marcel on the Train is scheduled to start February 5, and also any extensions would probably be dependent on cast schedules etc."

FYI I'm going to be in NY the first week of January, and I wrote to CSC last month asking if there's a possibility of a further extension so I know whether to keep a slot open. They responded that "given existing commitments, a further extension appears unlikely." However, they added that "as with all things in theater, nothing can be stated with absolute finality until officially announced." I'm still keeping my fingers crossed because I desperately want to see this! 

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/26/25 at 5:28pm

Falsettolands said: "A cast recording has been confirmed internally."

Oh good, we really need one.  The only complete recording--the London--doesn't have the best cast.  I'll miss (as always) Endless Delights, but...

[WindyNewYorker]

Posted: 10/27/25 at 12:09pm

The very thin orchestration seems too weak to support the score….if they are doing a cast album, I hope the music team would make new arrangements. Not a good idea to do a violin/viola book, high register playing on a viola is never ideal. You can simply add an extra violin chair, Oboe/EH, and a bassoon chair to enrich the sound.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/27/25 at 12:35pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "I saw a photo on social and the set looks gorgeous and seems to envelop the theatre.

It has commercial producers behind it: Aaron Glick (of the David Stone office) and the verrrry deep-pocketed C. Graham Berwind III. Whether that makes a transfer likely or not remains to be seen based on the run here."

Can you link? In all my years of living in NYC I never saw anything at CSC. 

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 10/27/25 at 2:28pm

EricMontreal22 said: "Falsettolands said: "A cast recording has been confirmed internally."

Oh good, we really need one. The only complete recording--the London--doesn't have the best cast. I'll miss (as always) Endless Delights, but..."

Agreed on all counts. When I did this show in college (1994 so a million years ago), Endless Delights was already gone from the licensed version we had. Our director just put it back in because it really is an essential bridge from the last time we see Genevieve (Meadowlark) to Where is the Warmth. Her singing that glorious ballad has no impact if we don't get to see that the passion the feel is only physical, with no actual affection underneath. 

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 10/27/25 at 6:41pm

Kad said: "I'm sure CSC would be over the moon for some kind of commercial transfer- they have been struggling badly the last few years and they've never had a production transfer before. But it's such a small and unique venue that it's hard to imagine anywhere else their productions can land."

It’s basically a Menier chocolate factory transfer from London . 

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/27/25 at 7:48pm

CoffeeBreak said: "Kad said: "I'm sure CSC would be over the moon for some kind of commercial transfer- they have been struggling badly the last few years and they've never had a production transfer before. But it's such a small and unique venue that it's hard to imagine anywhere else their productions can land."

It’s basically a Menier chocolate factory transfer from London ."

Well, not really.  Same director and I assume same version of the show, but different set and costume designer, different choreographer, different cast...

 

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/27/25 at 7:56pm

SonofRobbieJ said: "Agreed on all counts. When I did this show in college (1994 so a million years ago), Endless Delights was already gone from the licensed version we had. Our director just put it back in because it really is an essential bridge from the last time we see Genevieve (Meadowlark) to Where is the Warmth. Her singing that glorious ballad has no impact if we don't get to see that the passion the feel is only physical, with no actual affection underneath."

EXACTLY.  I get that with the original production, apparently audiences found it beyond the pale that we actually SEE Genevieve enjoying sex with the guy she's left her husband for.  The nerve of the slut!  I'd hope modern audiences could get past that, because, well, I think we should see the reasons WHY she left (given her situation maybe she's never had any sort of extreme sexual chemistry like that before--although DeBose being an older Baker's Wife does make that less likely, I suppose.)  And then what she finds lacking, once the sexual urges are dealt with, is shown so well in Where is the Warmth, which lacks much of its impact without Endless Delights.

Also, I love this show, but there's always been a structural flaw, I think.  Once we have Meadowlark, the audience is on board (ideally) to follow Genevieve's story--it sets her up to be the key character, really.  And then we have a second act where she's literally no where to be seen for most of it--even less so if we cut Endless Delights (and Schwartz has said on the record that he will never let ie back in...)  I suppose now she also gets an Act II dance moment (?)  But still, I think that aspect loses audiences--who are led to believe she's the main character due to having this lengthy, important solo number (and the title doesn't help.)  

It does sound like this might be one of the first times where the villagers are genuinely compelling to watch (it looks like they were smart to fill those roles with such accomplished performers.)  Sure, the original movie makes it clear that the village itself and its people is the main character, but the musical has always had trouble with this (not helped by the fact that the first recording dropped all of their material, except Chanson if that counts and the fact that, as much as I truly love the score, the villagers' songs are definitely not at the same level as the stuff for the three leads.)

 

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 10/29/25 at 8:25am

I found this production charming, though admittedly a bit slight. It was my first time seeing the show, and I was only familiar with "Meadowlark" beforehand. The rest of the score is pleasant, though not especially memorable, and the book is uneven but serviceable.  The sets and costumes are beautiful, and while the orchestrations are lovely, they did sound a bit thin.

Ariana sounded good for the most part, though she seemed to struggle a bit with some of the more vocally demanding moments. She’d hit the money note, but then kind of taper off after holding it. I appreciated the couple of dance sequences she has in Act Two, which she (obviously) nails. The ensemble is fantastic, particularly the always-excellent Judy Kuhn, and the genuinely hilarious Arnie Burton and Nathan Lee Graham. Sally Murphy also has some truly lovely moments—what a treat to see her in a musical!

Unfortunately, Kevin William Paul was not up to par. No shade, but I understood why his presence in THE OUTSIDERS was so minimal. Mess. 

Overall, this is another solid—but not especially remarkable—revival from CSC. I’ll just keep hoping for something that hits me the way their brilliant PASSION did. That said, there are certainly worse ways to spend an evening at the theater. 

Updated On: 10/29/25 at 08:25 AM

[inception]

Posted: 10/29/25 at 10:54am

What's the running time?  The program on their site just says there is a 10 minute intermission without actually listing the run time yet.

I'm seeing this on a Friday night, and thinking about going over to the Comedy Cellar afterwards.  The schedule there isn't out yet. Google shows walking through Washington Square Park to get to the Village?  Is that safe at night?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 10/29/25 at 11:21am

Definitely safe! Running time is advertised as 2 hours and 30 minutes - it ran maybe a couple minutes over. It does take a second to get out of the theater itself, as the only exit is one narrow pathway.