Into The Woods

[TTL]

Posted: 8/26/03 at 6:37pm

Hey peeps! Did you think the Into The Woods revival was brought back too soon? I never saw the revival, just the video with Bernadette Peters. I just thought why did they revive it when Ms. Peters is still alive and well, and could easily perform the Witch again. I just wonder how she felt also. Seeing a role she created done, while she's still in PERFECT performing condition! How was Vanessa?? (For those who saw the revival)

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/26/03 at 6:38pm

well geez, why did they revive Peter Pan with Sandy Duncan while Mary Martin was still alive.

[sondheimfreak]

Posted: 8/26/03 at 6:39pm

I really hated the revival. Vanessa Williams was nowhere close to Bernadette.

Posted: 8/26/03 at 6:42pm

Whoever hates the revival is a moron. Stop comparing Bernadette and Vanessa. That isn't the point. It's like comparing Apples and Oranges. Both interpretations were a completely different take on the character. Vanessa made the Witch her own. The revival was amazing. It had some awesome choreography (from which I know by heart ) and beautiful new orchestrations. It was a very powerful cast as far as vocal goes.

[sondheimfreak]

Posted: 8/26/03 at 6:48pm

Sorry. I wasn't comparing Bernadette and Vanessa. I was just saying that Vanessa's take on the witch wasn't as good as Bernadette's. Bernadette created the role, so her mark will always be on it, just like Ethel Merman with Rose and Joel Grey with the Emcee. And I appreciate you calling me a moron. Maybe you should take a second look at yourself before you go making erroneous claims.

Updated On: 8/26/03 at 06:48 PM

Posted: 8/26/03 at 6:53pm

Oh I'm sorry I offended you. "Close Minded" is a better term. Ethel Merman? Joel Grey? From the people I've talked to, the Ethel Merman recording wasn't very good and Alan Cumming is the one who made his mark for Emcee.

" Vanessa Williams was nowhere close to Bernadette "

Oh yeah that's right. You weren't comparing the two! My erroneous claim!

[sondheimfreak]

Posted: 8/26/03 at 6:55pm

Can you not read? I explained Vanessa and Bernadette in my last post. Joel Grey created the role of the Emcee and it was played by everyone the same way UNTIL Alan Cumming did it. Joel's mark will always be on it. And the same goes with Ethel Merman. I HATE HER, as most people who post here know. But nevertheless, Merman will ALWAYS be associated with the role of Rose.

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 8/26/03 at 7:27pm

I own the video and was lucky enough to catch the revival. Vanessa's version of the Witch was very thrilling. The set was also very exciting. Not to say that I don't enjoy the original. That will always hold a special place in my heart.

[Starlight]

Posted: 8/26/03 at 7:29pm

Well, I once read an interview with Bernadette where she said that she doesn't like to revist roles and would probably never perform the same role twice. So I doubt she took any offense to them reviving ITW while she's still performing.

[QueenS]

Posted: 8/26/03 at 7:41pm

TTL- yes, I thought that Woods was brought back too soon. And after seeing the show, I was convinced that the only reason that they did the revival was because they finally figured out how to do the cow. Other than his extraordinary performance, I found the rest of the revival sorely lacking.

Despite several leads not being able to sing, I found the choreography ludicrous. I could see the embarrassment on the faces of several of the actors when they actually had to do a jazz square.

Judi Dench was so brilliant as the giantess that I found myself hoping that they would feed the obnoxious Jack to her. The 3 pigs were more interesting in their crossover than Little Red was in her entire performance, so I was also wishing that we could perhaps get more of their story and less of hers.

Vanessa looked and sounded absolutely beautiful. Too bad its actually a plot point that in the 1st act, she shouldn't be. And any show with a magical transformation at the climax of an act, now has to be at least as good as the Beast's in B&tB. And if it's not, spending 3 minutes behind a tree just isn't going to cut it.

Posted: 8/26/03 at 7:56pm

Which actors were embarresed from doing the jazz square? What leads were not able to sing besides Adam? Updated On: 8/26/03 at 07:56 PM

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 8/26/03 at 7:57pm

I didn't see the revival, but I do own the recording of the new cast, and the video of the original. I loved the original cast- I think they were all absolutely perfection. The new cast, and I'm judging by their voices, was not as good as the original. The new Jack, Adam Wylie couldn't sing as well as the original, Ben Wright, and I HATE the new Little Red Riding Hood. Ugh! Molly Ephraim. Danielle Ferland was unfogettable and PERFECT for that role. Laura Benanti was amazing. She has a great voice. And the new woman who played Jack's mother is so boring to listen to, as opposed to the original who had a lot of great character. I also do not like the new Baker, Stephen DeRosa. I think Chip Zien was better in the old cast.

Posted: 8/26/03 at 8:00pm

Yeah it's been debated that Little Red has been stereo-casted into a plump young girl and Molly couldn't pull off some of the lines because of her trim figure.

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 8/26/03 at 8:10pm

not only that- I really can't comment on the way she delivers the lines since I haven't seen the show, but I can't stand her singing voice. It's horrible.

[Benzy92]

Posted: 8/26/03 at 8:38pm

I found from the video that Bernadette overacted very much. Maybe it was just her take on the role. I hated Vanessa in previews but got MUCH better into the run.
I also LOVED Kerry O'Malley. So much warmth brought to the role. I liked her soooooo much more than Joanna Gleason only in the sense that it was warmth vs. coldness.

Posted: 8/26/03 at 8:50pm

Benzy rocks the house. A true Kerry fan spoken! Did you see her pic at the California site yet? She looks so prim and proper in her victorian "Mother" gown hehe

[Benzy92]

Posted: 8/26/03 at 8:53pm

Nooo whats the link>! I wish I could get to CALI! And yes, I am a devoted fan :)
In the club in fact.
She sent me a personalized letter, signed headshot, and a whole cast signed playbill from ITW when I told her how much I enjoyed her performance!

Posted: 8/26/03 at 8:56pm

OMG That's awesome! Signed headshot and all. Jeez.

Lol. In the club. Yeah it's me, Nic. Moderator of the Club. hehe. Did you see my Chris Sieber site yet? Http://chrissieber.cjb.net . He's gonna check it out soon.

[Benzy92]

Posted: 8/26/03 at 8:58pm

oops i knew that lol. wait what is the link to the pic u were talking about Kerry in her Mother costume>?!

Posted: 8/26/03 at 9:00pm

I don't have it on me, but if you go the Yahoo Group, Farin posted it in a message. You can ask her for it as well. Just go to Google.com and type in Ragtime - Kerry O'Malley and maybe somethin will pop up

[dotmarie]

Posted: 8/26/03 at 9:02pm

californiamusicaltheatre.com. Kerry will be an AMAZING Mother. Can't you just hear her "Back to Before"? She'll be incredible. Too bad I won't be able to see her, ugh. 6 hours away! Just 6 HOURS!

Anyway. I loved the revival. I saw it in LA and *coughidontremembermuchofthedetailscough* because you know how it is, seeing a Sondheim show for the first time. But I do remember that I thoroughly enjoyed it. And I love the recording. I thought that ultimately they had a strong cast. Vanessa got bashed a lot because she was compared to Bernadette. She had a different interpretation of the Witch, and I think she did a great job. She was so "divaish." And same with Kerry. She was not as loved as she would have been if Joanna had been terrible in the original...most people were simply disappointed because "Kerry was not Joanna." I love Kerry and I give her so much credit. She's amazing.

By the way Nic, I cannot look at your signature without laughing.

[skingdom]

Posted: 8/26/03 at 11:06pm

The revival should have run longer. How dare a show like 42nd Street run longer than this gorgeous masterpiece. I loved Kerry, Laura and Stephen, and I didn't find Joanna and especially Chip pleasing at all. It was a beautiful show. The revival will always have a special place in my heart, so I guess there's my answer.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/26/03 at 11:07pm

I loved Joanna, but Kerry was great also. Stephen had it all over Chip. What a rich voice. And I saw all of em doing it live, not just the tape of the first cast.

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 8/26/03 at 11:10pm

How dare a show like 42nd Street? What makes this show so bad?

[TheBalladeer]

Posted: 8/27/03 at 1:46am

Namo,

If you were serious about your post, I absolutely agree. However, I liked Kerry better than Johanna.

The reason I prefered Kerry over Johanna in general is that, besides her just being an amazing performer/singer/actress overall, I liked the vulnerability that she brought to the role. And by her doing that, she was much more pitiable, and the audience I feel, was much more shocked in general, when the Giant kills her, after "Moments". And her line: "Just remembering you've had an 'and' when you're back to 'or' makes the 'or' mean more than it did before" seemed like a genuine revelation, and not some smug/almost wise-cracking comment.

Vanessa - She was just fantastic, and I am glad that she made the role her own. I too, have found Bernadette to overact as the Witch, and to me, that defeats the whole purpose of the role. Her interpretation resulted in her coming across as too "schticky". Bernadette probably could get the audience to crack up with the raise of an eyebrow....that's how carried away it got, and the Witch does have moments of humor, but I don't think the Witch is a comedic role. Her purpose is to basically say and know the things that all the other characters don't want to. Vanessa, had funny moments, but overall, I think she took the role seriously, and I feel, in her interpretation made the Witch more three dimensional. Her "Last Midnight" was definitely the highlight of the production.

As for all of the other supporting roles, I really had no problems with them, except for Adam Wylie, because he couldn't sing at all, and he was just too weird-looking, and I enjoyed the cast much more towards the end of the revival run - with the additions of Nora Mae Lyng as Jack's Mom, and Joy Franz playing the role of the Stepmother again.

Just my humble opinion.

Cheers,
The Balladeer