INTO THE WOODS and AS YOU LIKE IT official for Shakespeare in the Park- Page 4

[theatrefreak0109]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 9:53am

After watching the London version (thank you digital theatre) I am in love with this production, especially the boy as the narrator. It really makes the story fit together and make it far more cohesive then previous versions. i am saving my money now this is going on my must see list

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 11:15am

Since when is the Narrator being played by a little boy?
http://www.playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/41987.html


Edit: Oh never mind. Leaving this for the link anyway.

Updated On: 1/27/12 at 11:15 AM

[Kad]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 11:28am

"Kad, i meant for streeps range, those keys are too high/low. I also meant that if at this stage in her career she wants to do into the woods, the only role for her is jacks mother otherwise it's not possible."

I wasn't even addressing that. I don't believe she even wants to do Into the Woods.

But if at this stage in her career she wants to do Into the Woods, people are going to bend over backwards to make it possible for her to play the Witch.

She is not ever going to be playing Jack's Mother. Ever. She is regarded as the greatest living actress. She just collected a Kennedy Center Honor. She has more award nominations than any other living actor. She's not playing a comic supporting role that isn't all that meaty, does not have a standout solo song, and has relatively little stage time. She's Meryl F*CKing Streep. And honestly, I don't even think she's well-suited for the role.

[Pippin]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 11:49am

OK, SPOILER ALERT!!!!! but really, if you haven't seen it by now, something's wrong with you.






I'm intrigued by the casting of a little boy for the narrator. It is shocking enough to have the Narrator as an old man get killed in the second act, but how will the audience react when a 12 year old boy is murdered? Isn't the general rule in entertainment "no child murders"? This potential casting is inspired, and will put a whole new spin on the second act, and really add a certain gravitas that it hasn't had before.

[theatrefreak0109]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 12:13pm

Pippin i agree with you that scene is far more powerful and it gives the whole scene a greater urgency and it really makes you ask yourself what is going to happen as the story comes from the boy and it feels like the story gets derailed after his death.

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 1:28pm

How do they handle the dialogue following his death though? In the original and subsequent productions it was treated as sort of comedic when it was an old man but surely they won't do that with the boy.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 1:33pm

It'd be great if Streep was involved with this, she'd be marvelous as the Witch and she's very good friends with Sondheim. At the same time, I cannot imagine she'd be involved in this, it has a "too good to be true" factor. I think in terms of A-listers (apart from Streep and sticking to age range provided in the breakdown) I'd love to see Toni Collette, Catherine Z. Jones and Gwyneth Paltrow have a go at it. If they go for Broadway performers, Donna Murphy is at the top of my list, I think she'd be incredibly fabulous in this part and it seems like she's only doing revivals in short run forms nowadays. Can Marcia Gay Harden sing? She'd have a blast with a part like The Witch too and it's clear, after her turn in GOD OF CARNAGE, that she could perfectly handle the physicality of the role.
Kate Winslet--has she ever expressed interest in doing stage work?--would be my ideal Baker's Wife. Though I'd also love to see someone like Anika Noni Rose get cast in the role.
Love Lauren Ambrose as Cinderella.

[theatrefreak0109]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 1:36pm

they cut most the dialogue before his death they begin with "i just tell the story" and "you need an objective observer to pass the story along" he acts scared and very frightened after his death the dialogue i believe remains the same as previous versions. the audience really didn't know how to react most of it is uncomfortable laughter

[Kad]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 1:37pm

These questions can all be answered if you have spare two and a half hours and ten bucks and you go and download the recording of this production.



But anyway: Spoilers, I guess.

The "death" of the narrator in this production works very well within the conceit of the production. The first act is the boy's playtime fantasies. The second is a nightmare. So while he "dies", he doesn't actually perish.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 3:59pm

Collette is a great choice for the Witch. Paltrow is too bland.

And I have absolutely no desire to hear or see Catherine Zeta Jones attempt to sing Last Midnight.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 4:01pm

Collette and Zeta Jones won't be involved if we are to take literally the press release that this will be an "All American cast"

[random person 112]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 4:04pm

Lauren Ambrose is a bakers wife she's skewiking a little too old for cinderella. I still am holding out for Laura Benanti as the wife. Meryl as the witch just dosn't make sense to me, i don't get it in the 90's or 80's hell yes, now no way. CZJ, just no, after the lambasting she got in the media for her tony performance.. i don't think to many people would want to see her in woods. Paltrow is intresting, and i bet she's free. Her last midnight and lament would be amazing.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 4:06pm

Michael Bennett, by "an all American cast," I think all the press release was referring to was that no one from the London production would be transferring with the show to New York.

Updated On: 1/27/12 at 04:06 PM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 4:07pm

That's right. If Catherine Zeta Jones were in this, absolutely nobody would go. They'd be in a position of facing an empty theatre every night and would probably have to resort to giving tickets away to homeless people just so there would be some kind of audience.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 4:09pm

skewiking

Random Person, I tried. I've seen a lot of creative spellings in my profession, but I have absolutely no idea what that word is supposed to be.

Do you not have spell check on your computer?

[random person 112]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 4:10pm

No i'm saying she lost part of her audience with that tony performance. I'm saying they'd be having trouble with seats, but they've lost a good portion of the ticket buying public with that effort. And if was sondheim i wouldn't let her near this.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 4:11pm

OH GOD. That random person who appears to not have spell check is on his CZJ bashing routine again.

[random person 112]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 4:11pm

Not bashing it's just true.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 4:15pm

Well, the tickets to the shows in the park are free, so not sure where you are going with the losing ticket buyers comment.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 4:20pm

random person, you seem to be forgetting that Zeta-Jones received relatively positive reviews (and, you know, the Tony Award itself) for her work in NIGHT MUSIC. The performance on the telecast was a bit of a debacle, yes, but it is hardly significant enough to warrant any of the extremes you're correlating it to.

[random person 112]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 4:28pm

I also don't where you are all thinking her reviews were overwhelmingly positive, the ones i read before i went were very mixed, it seemed you either loved her or hated her. I don't know why everyones acting like she got raves. Second due to that performance the casting directors would most certainly think twice before giving her the part.

Updated On: 1/27/12 at 04:28 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 4:30pm

Reading comprehension. Somethingwicked said "relatively positive" reviews. Not "overwhelmingly positive" or "raves."

CZJ did MAJOR business for Night Music. Besides, ticket sales don't matter for SITP shows.

[random person 112]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 4:32pm

ljay, it was Lansbury doing the heavy box office lifting with night music, not CZJ.
Also refrencing the way others on here act about her, not something wicked. Updated On: 1/27/12 at 04:32 PM

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 4:34pm

Hahahahah!! Oh that's funny. How was the box office for Deuce? Right.

Zeta Jones was rather terrific in Night Music, Tony performance notwithstanding. And I think she'd be great as Glam witch. Not sure how she'd be in the first half of the show, but I certainly would be willing to give her a shot.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 1/27/12 at 4:38pm

MichaelBennett, I was imagining the all-American cast referred to the fact they're not transferring people from the London run and assumed that at least some actors who have sort of been adopted by the American acting community were considered (people like Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Zeta-Jones, etc). I wouldn't be surprised if they do take it at face value though.
Zeta-Jones was *on* the night I saw her in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, giving what was undeniably a star turn. The production was misdirected, IMO, but she gave a spectacular Broadway debut completely deserving of the Tony that year. Yes, her Tony performance was bizarre to say the least, but her actual turn as Desiree was nothing at all like that, at least early in the running when I caught the show. She's also arguably more of a natural fit for the Witch (who's glamour, presence and toughness are characteristics I generally associate with Zeta-Jones' performance) than she was for Desiree.
Not really sure why Paltrow has so much backlash, she's anything but bland, IMO, I think she'd have a blast playing a role like the Witch. I think she's stunning, has a very wicked sense of humor, knows how to have fun with a role, knows how to sing (and can sell a number like others can't), and is a wonderful actress. I'd so see an INTO THE WOODS with Paltrow as the lead; the time seems like a perfect fit since I imagine her kids would be out on summer break so she'd probably be okay being in NY for a short run.