Into The Woods- Sondhiem AND Jonthan Larson?

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 10:11am

I read here a few weeks ago that Jothathan Larson was involved in the creation of Into the Woods. I understand that he was influenced by Sondheim and worked closley with him on Rent but does anyone know as to what extend he was involved with ITW? Did he just listen to the songs or did he have creative input ect? Thanks!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 11:28am

I believe he was the basis for the character "Jack," and Jonathan's then-girlfriend (who would later go on to inspire the "Maureen" character in RENT) was the basis of the character "Milky White," owing to her gorgeous complexion. This led Larson and Sondheim to stumble on the inspired casting of Bernadette Peters, herself with a milky white complexion, to replace Daphne-Rubin Vega, the original choice for The Witch.

Wild how it all overlaps, no?

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 1:25pm

Would anyone recommend- Sondheim on Music: Minor Details and Major Decisions ? It seems to contain alot more information on ITW than Sondheim:A Casebook(which I have).

Updated On: 1/2/06 at 01:25 PM

[Kringas]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 2:05pm

So, it isn't called that. You changed your message.

Updated On: 1/2/06 at 02:05 PM

[bluesoprano]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 2:52pm

Yes, the book is actually called that. I went to amazon.com and found it, it is like $72. There is also a book called How Sondheim Found His Sound, it sounds interesting.

[BWAYboi_yes]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 2:55pm

I must be confused. What about Betty Buckley? She insists that the witch was written for her... and she did play the role in the workshops.

[wiggum2]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 3:09pm

Betty was involved for a few weeks. I always assumed Sondheim did write some songs with her in mind because she always sings Children will listen at sondheim concerts

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 3:14pm

Didn't Betty and Jonathan have a fling during this period?
I also heard that Larson NOT Sondheim actually wrote Children Will Listen.

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 4:10pm

"I also heard that Larson NOT Sondheim actually wrote Children Will Listen. "

Wow. This needs to be confirmed because as much as I respect Larson, I think my heart will break if this turns out to be true. Crazy.

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 4:12pm

I never heard any of this info before...I might love Jonathan even more than I did previously

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 4:14pm

Are you kidding? Why would Sondheim need Jonathan Larson to ghost write Children WIll Listen? The lyrics and music are obviously Sondheim.

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 4:15pm

Suleen is being SARCASTIC

[Feathah]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 4:29pm

All I ever heard was that Larson was working with Sondheim at the time Into The Woods was written but that his involvement was minimal.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 4:30pm

Wasn't he just an assistant or something?

[almostxfamous]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 4:31pm

According to a letter Jonathan wrote to Jim Nicola that's included in the RENT bible, Jonathan was Sondheim's observer. He won the Rodgers and Sondheim awards and was able to do that. There is no documentation that Jonathan wrote any songs or influenced casting. This is all speculation.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 4:53pm

It's dumb speculation. Why would Sondheim need Larson to write anything for Woods? All of the music is trademark Sondheim, and nothing in the score sounds remotely like Larson's compositions.

[almostxfamous]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 5:13pm

Exactly. No need to make it more than it was. Sondheim was one of Jonathan's idols, as you can tell from 'Sunday' in ttB. However, saying he wrote songs and a character was based on him is stretching the known information. He was an observer, which basically says he went to rehearsals and did what Sondheim did. Doesn't say he changed the direction of casting or anything.

[Plum]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 5:15pm

Larson didn't write songs in Into the Woods any more than Sondheim wrote songs for...god, I don't know...South Pacific or something because he was being mentored by Oscar Hammerstein.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 5:32pm

Larson didn't write songs in Into the Woods any more than Sondheim wrote songs for...god, I don't know...South Pacific or something because he was being mentored by Oscar Hammerstein.

Now there is a theory that I have heard before. Listen to Twin Soliloquies it sounds more like early Sondheim than anything Rodgers ever wrote. And it is totally different than anything else in the South Pacific score.

[riv]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 5:41pm

So is Dites-Moi. Does that mean Rodgers didn't write it. Let's cut the crap.

[jv92]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 5:44pm

After listening to "Sondheim Sings Volume 2", I don't think Sondheim could have written something as good as "Twin Soliloquies" back in the late 40s.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 5:45pm

Dites-Moi was written my Richard Rodgers but he actually based it on a Jaques Brel song and changed just enough of the notes to keep from getting sued.

[riv]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 5:58pm

Brel had just turned 20 when South Pacific opened in 1949. He was unknown and didn't begin his song writing career seriously until the early 50s.

What's this all about?

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 7:16pm

As many of you know I am a Sondheim fan and I must report that Jonathan Larson did not in fact write "Children Will Listen" it has a clear Sondheim ring to it. I can say with 100% certainty, however, that Larson did write the majority of "No One Is Alone" and all of "Giants In The Sky" the main indicator being the button hits after Jack sings "big" "awesome" "wonderful" the sort of button hit adored by Larson but despised in the depths of his soul by Sondheim.

[EverythingIsRENT]

Posted: 1/2/06 at 7:24pm

Sum, I hope that post isn't sarcasm?? You know, I ALWAYS thouight 'Giants' sounded VERY Larson-esque, before I realized he was ever involed with that show...The music is just SO like him, with the pretty "do DO do do...." opening notes! This just further confirms the fact that Larson was a genius.