Into The Woods. Revival

I know im afew years late, so please forgive my tardyness on the subject. Just a few hours ago, I pulled out the revival cast recording of ITW. Alot of fond memories came flooding back on how it was one of (if not) the best production I had ever seen. Dont get me wrong...'Wood's' has always been special. But I particularly felt THIS production, captured the magic, humour, heart & opened so many doors that the previous production never had done (disregarding the obvious minor changes to the score & plot). I remember some of the changes were wonderful, yet a number of them didn't need alteration. I found Vanessa Williams's approach to the witch, extremely refreshing. Seeming like she was standing back with the crowd most of the time, becoming one of the 'ensemble', which was extremely effective to watch (particularly with that character). It was my first introduction to Laura Benanti, I wasn't disapointed. My faviroute character's have always been The Baker and (Baker's) Wife. Stephen DeRosa and Kerry O'Malley showed me why. And I wanted to take Milky White home...

What were people's thought's on the production...?
anyone agree? or not?

Updated On: 2/5/05 at 05:04 AM

I agree 100%. This production still remains my favorite out of everything I have seen. I'm glad to hear this support, because I know a lot of people didn't like it. I was crushed to see it close. I only got to see it twice, which wasn't nearly enough.

I loved it. It is the best thing I've ever seen on Broadway. Period. I absolutely loved it.

This was the first Sondheim show I ever saw. I didn't like the production all that much. I much prefer the 1988 one.

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Aphexis, I think the reason we followed the Baker's Wife in the 1988 production was because of Joanna Gleason's performance. I first saw the show on tour in 1989 or 1990, and found I was focusing on Cinderella and the Baker's Wife equally (maybe a little more on Cinderella). With the revival I was even more drawn to Cinderella because of Laura Benanti's talents in that role. But pop in the video of the original cast, and its the Baker's Wife's story--Joanna Gleason dominates every scene she's in, and draws in the audience's affections.

However, all this proves is how amazing Into the Woods is as a show--it is so flexible and malleable in its dramatic trajectory, and is compelling theatre no matter who is starring, and which main characters come to the fore.

Woods was the first show I fell in love with, so, finally seeing this revival made it a WONDERFUL expierence. it was SO GREAT! i loved it!

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i like the revival better except for the screwing up of last midnight. everytime it comes on i cover my ears and skip it. it is HORRIBLE! HORRIBLE! TERRIBLE I SAY! the f*cked up Last Midnight. dear me, along with Hello Little Girl- but Laura, Greg, and Kerry are SO BRILLIANT!

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I loved the staging of "Last Midnight." Vanessa Williams was stunning and haunting.

I really despised the revival - I thought Vanessa Williams, Marylouise Burke, Molly Ephraim, Kerry O'Mally, and the kid that played Jack to be extremely lacking and terrible. I hated the "storybook" concept and they tried to make it too "kid-friendly," which it's not - it's a scary show and nothing captured it more brilliantly than the original. It doesn't work when you try to turn it into a lighthearted piece of fluff - I thought the direction was just terrible. The lighting was amazing, and the sets were good (for what they were.) The only thing I truly liked about this production was how at the end they all weaved around the story book and disappeared inside - I thought that was magical. Laura Benanti was wonderful as always, and even Greg Edelman and Stephen DeRosa weren't bad, but the production was just so flat and so lacking that I can't imagine how people who saw the original enjoyed the revival...just terrible.

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"not as awful as ugly chuck wager in the orginal"

First of all, I'm not sure why a comparison is being made between the actor who played Rapunzel's Prince and the actress who played Little Red.

Second, it's Chuck WagNer. He's certainly not ugly, but that's besides the point; there's no need to resort to attacks on someone's appearance.

I didn't see the revival, but the only things I find worthwhile on the revival recording are Benanti, McMartin, and Our Little World.

I saw the same high school production of it twice and now it's among my favorite shows. Most of the people who saw the show said that it was long and boring but I thought it was amazing.

I saw the revival once, and I wasn't dissappointed.... but I wasn't blown away either. I think that I'm still partial to the Origional Cast. I will say that the staging was very good, and I absolutely loved Lauren Benanti's take on Cinderella. It was very refreshing and I think that was probably the only performance that I enjoyed over the OBC performance. I think that I'm a little baised because Bernadette was so amazing as the Witch. Vanessa just didn't do it for me... I thought that Bernadette was stronger.

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Vanessa Williams did it for me in every single way, she was a wonderful witch. I saw the original version and loved it. I saw this revival and I continue to love it.

There is nothing so boring as to go see a revival and see every aspect of the original show re-done. I'm all for changes (when they make sense and work to benefit the show) and I felt the changes made to "Into the Woods" for it's revival were good. They didn't hurt the piece at all.

Laura Benanti as "Cinderella" and John McMartin as "The Narrator" were oustanding among the cast.