INTO THE WOODS Reviews- Page 16

[Plexsis]

Posted: 9/8/22 at 3:20pm

It was updated for a second, but the official site graphic has gone back to having Sara, Brian, and Phillipa above the title on the official site, even though the cast list has changed below.  

[Emmeline Carter]

Posted: 9/8/22 at 3:45pm

I'm starting to think that the chance of the full original revival cast returning and recording a ProShot before closing the show is not so out of the question anymore... I don't know if that's just wishful thinking though. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/8/22 at 10:45pm

Getting home from the show tonight. You’d think after seeing this production so many times, I’d be sick of it. lol

I’ll just get right into my thoughts on the new cast  

Stephanie - Perfect. As perfect as Sara was but in a totally different way. I’ve said a million times how I think it’s the hardest role in musical theater to get right and how Sara was the first person I’d ever seen live to actually be good. I’ve honestly hated every other person I’ve seen do it so to have two people in a row just nail it is kind of extraordinary to me.

Sebastian - Loved him. I think he really got better as the show went on and by the time he sang “No More”, I was in tears. A bit of a different Baker than I’d seen before but I really enjoyed every second of it. That last moment with him and Stephanie was like a gut punch.

Krysta - I enjoyed her more in act two than act one and I think she’s one who will get better with some time and finding her way with the character. But she sounds gorgeous and in act two has a couple gorgeous acting choices that she made her own. Can’t wait to see her again in a couple weeks.

Montego - This is the one I…just didn’t care for, sadly. My friend said you really know the Witch is a supporting role now  and I agree with that. I think she comes off as too young and not jaded and angry/mean/whatever adjective you want to use for the character. I just don’t feel like she has any of it. I think I’ll make sure to go to a Patina performance next time.

Andy - ANDY  ANDY  ANDY. Damn, he’s good. The best so far, hands down. There’s just no words for how great he is - hilarious and touching and gorgeous  (of course). 

Katy - I’d read a lot that she’s just giving a copy of Julia and while I suppose that’s fair, I think a lot of it is in the direction. But either way it doesn’t matter because she’s hilarious and even finds places to add to the humor that wasn’t there before and THAT surprised me. You won’t be disappointed with her, I promise.

The house also seemed pretty full from where I was sitting in the front mezz, hopefully it was like that in the orchestra and Balcony. But I had a great time again. I bet I break the 20 visit mark by the time is (sadly) closes.

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 9/8/22 at 11:36pm

Montego was just out of her league here, unfortunately. She’s talented, but the potential for this role is so great! A disappointment to say the least. 
 

i can see her doing quite well as Cinderella, but she she barely scratched the surface as the witch. 

[Plexsis]

Posted: 9/9/22 at 9:45am

This is definitely not a confirmation that there will be a pro-shot (wait for an official announcement), but this popped up in IMDB

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt21654136/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_6

It lists the current cast, but take that as a grain of salt as it’s lists both Patina and Montego as the Witch and Andy and Gavin as the Prince/Wolf.

It would probably make more sense that they bring back the original cast, even if it’s just for a few performances, but I guess we shall see if this pans out at all.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 9/9/22 at 10:59am

BroadwayNYC2 said: "Montego was just out of her league here, unfortunately. She’s talented, but the potential for this role is so great! A disappointment to say the least.


i can see her doing quite well as Cinderella, but she she barely scratched the surface as the witch."

She clearly can sing, but she just uses it in a very underwhelming way- at least she did in Les Mis and Hamilton. Still very curious to see her as she develops in the role, hoping to catch her/new cast later this month.

[Hamilfan2]

Posted: 9/9/22 at 11:28am

SJB has confirmed on Twitter that she will be with the show through closing on Jan 8th: https://twitter.com/stephaniejblock/status/1568254251960520704?s=46&t=jaBlgLJrJCPFBknffRXvOg

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 9/9/22 at 12:16pm

TBH, I wouldn't mind if we got a cast recording of one cast and a proshot of another. 

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 9/9/22 at 10:33pm

PipingHotPiccolo said: "BroadwayNYC2 said: "Montego was just out of her league here, unfortunately. She’s talented, but the potential for this role is so great! A disappointment to say the least.


i can see her doing quite well as Cinderella, but she she barely scratched the surface as the witch."

She clearly can sing, but she just uses it in a very underwhelming way- at least she did in Les Mis and Hamilton. Still very curious to see her as she develops in the role, hoping to catch her/new cast later this month."

For these prices I don’t want to see people rehearse for the few weeks they are in the show. I think the original cast was lightning in a bottle. Incredible. Throwing all these other people in and out doesn’t excite me. While it may be exciting to people who know Broadway actors, these replacement castings won’t sell tickets. 

 

[quizking101]

Posted: 9/10/22 at 4:50am

Kennedy Kanagawa also said that he will be remaining as Milky White through the end of the run.

https://instagram.com/stories/thisiskennedy/2923774376995737116?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[Georgeanddot2]

Posted: 9/10/22 at 3:24pm

This production's interpretation of The Witch just doesn't really work at all, especially when everyone else is playing their roles to the fullest potential.  The Witch feels really weirdly secondary.

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 9/10/22 at 3:34pm

Georgeanddot2 said: "This production's interpretation of The Witch just doesn't really work at all, especially when everyone else is playing their roles to the fullest potential. The Witch feels really weirdly secondary."

I haven't seen Patina or Montego, but I can attest it felt anything but secondary with Heather Headley. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/10/22 at 3:44pm

Montego was the first time since City Center that I felt it was a secondary character. That’s why someone like Orfeh (and I’m gonna say it every day until I get it) is so badly needed in there. 

[Dark_Vader]

Posted: 9/10/22 at 4:58pm

I would love to see Orfeh take on the role of the Witch.

I just have to ask out of curiosity are no other actresses outside of women of color considered for this role anymore? 

 

[spicemonkey]

Posted: 9/10/22 at 5:52pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Montego was the first time since City Center that I felt it was a secondary character. That’s why someone like Orfeh (and I’m gonna say it every day until I get it) is so badly needed in there."

Orfeh would be great in the role

 

Or can we get Katrina Lenk 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 9/10/22 at 7:33pm

Georgeanddot2 said: "This production's interpretation of The Witch just doesn't really work at all, especially when everyone else is playing their roles to the fullest potential. The Witch feels really weirdly secondary."

I saw Heather and I saw Patina. While I liked choices both of them made, I agree it might be a production issue. Neither really tied together the relationship with Rapunzel and the interaction with the other characters. There were good moments more than a fully realized characterization. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/10/22 at 8:20pm

Hamilfan2 said: "SJB has confirmed on Twitter that she will be with the show through closing on Jan 8th:https://twitter.com/stephaniejblock/status/1568254251960520704?s=46&t=jaBlgLJrJCPFBknffRXvOg"

Love this. Trying to SJB / Strange Loop / and Kimberly Akimbo in one trip. 

[Ke3]

Posted: 9/10/22 at 8:40pm

Dark_Vader said: "I would love to see Orfeh take on the role of the Witch.

I just have to ask out of curiosity are no other actresses outside of women of color considered for this role anymore?

"

I think the actress playing the Witch in the west end is also Black. Obviously these are only two productions but I have noticed that oftentimes a "major" production casts a non-white actor in a role and in subsequent productions of the work you're more likely to see that character cast with a non-white actor. And oftentimes, only that character. I noticed this first with Les Miz. Fairly high amount of non-white actresses as Éponine. Not as many Cossete's or Fatine's.

Also after Queen Latifah's performance in the film version, I've noticed Chicago is more likely to stunt cast Black actresses as Mama. A trend I also see in local and regional productions.

Nothing wrong with any of this. Just really interesting!

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/10/22 at 9:08pm

Phylicia Rashad who replaced Bernadette was the first Black Witch. It's not like it's anything new, nor was Vanessa Williams the first. 

Updated On: 9/10/22 at 09:08 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/10/22 at 11:15pm

Still no release date for the cast album?

[MagicalMusical]

Posted: 9/11/22 at 5:49am

Thank you [b]kurtal[/b] and [b]Jordan Catalano[/b] for your in-depth reviews of the new cast! And thank you for anyone else who saw them and reported that I missed! I'm glad you really enjoyed the new cast! I have premium seats in the Orchestra for this show in one more week and I was worried this new cast wouldn't be as good as the original. I am glad to hear I was wrong! I am seeing it Saturday so I should get Patina! Can't wait for her, Stephanie, Sebastian, and the others!

[g2]

Posted: 9/11/22 at 9:16am

I don’t recall seeing this before — but wondering if it’s been done all along in this production and I just didn’t catch it on previous visits: when SJB got to “Just remembering you’ve had an ‘and’” she made a little gesture with her right hand and then she gestured with her left on “when you’re back to ‘or’” … and at the moment she got to “or”, we saw her notice her wedding ring on that hand. And as she sang “makes the ‘or’ mean more than it did before” she held her ring hand, looking at it, realizing what it represented …

Many moments in the relationship of this real couple were especially touching, and it made this an especially moving choice I don’t recall having seen before. 

Updated On: 9/11/22 at 09:16 AM

[Plexsis]

Posted: 9/11/22 at 9:43am

CATSNYrevival said: "Still no release date for the cast album?"

If they’re sticking with the September release date for the digital/streaming release, I wonder if it will be a quick announcement to release turn around.

[kurtal]

Posted: 9/11/22 at 11:44am

g2 said: "I don’t recall seeing this before — but wondering if it’s been done all along in this production and I just didn’t catch it on previous visits: when SJB got to “Just remembering you’ve had an ‘and’” she made a little gesture with her right hand and then she gestured with her left on “when you’re back to ‘or’” … and at the moment she got to “or”, we saw her notice her wedding ring on that hand. And as she sang “makes the ‘or’ mean more than it did before” she held her ring hand, looking at it, realizing what it represented …

Many moments in the relationship of this real couple were especially touching, and it made this an especially moving choice I don’t recall having seen before."

I caught that moment, too, and was very moved by it.  I haven't noticed any other Baker's Wives make that choice.  A lovely little moment in the woods.

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 9/12/22 at 8:11am

Heather gave clarity to the witch more than any other witch before her. Even Bernadette.

It’s a mistake she didn’t transfer with the show.