Into the Woods Delacorte Theater Rumors: Meryl Streep as The Witch? - Page 3

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 3/8/12 at 11:27am

I totally agree, Michael Bennett, but I find The Witch to be most successful when played by an actress who comes on stage and completely takes over. Streep has made a career on being one of the most generous actors ever, and even when she shines, she's always giving something away to those around her. Not that that wouldn't work for The Witch, obviously, but, as you say, my point was that The Baker's Wife is closer to who she is as a person.

I also think the masterful gift of her artistry is what depth she's able to give you with small, quirky subleties, and that's all over The Baker's Wife's material, which is also an ideal match for her vocally (her belt lacks the color and the sheer power required of The Witch.) I can only imagine the poignancy and range of feeling she'd be able to wring out of something like "Moments in the Woods."

Updated On: 3/8/12 at 11:27 AM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/8/12 at 11:37am

Somethingwicked, I see what you're saying and it's hard to disagree that Streep would have made a brilliant Baker's Wife. I just saw BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY for the first time yesterday (trying to catch up with some of her nominated performances that I haven't seen to celebrate her third Oscar...dorky I know) and was so fascinated by her mix of vulnerability, sensuality and emotion behind the performance.
However, she is a force in THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA where I feel she basically mops the floor with everyone around her (well, mainly poor Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci hold their own). It's a performance that I don't think many people expected from her for the same reasons you listed below, but I think it proves that she would be a wonderful Witch, especially on stage where her presence as such a legendary star would become key to her dynamics with the rest of the cast. I'd love to see her in the role, she's good friends with Sondheim and I can't believe she's never worked with him on stage before, it's a shame she's probably not doing this either.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/8/12 at 11:42am

Truth is, she would probably be pretty delightful in either role, even at this age.

One thing that I think would probably play in Streep's favor in terms of the Witch, is that she just has enormous charisma on stage. Its a pretty common story (one of which is repeated earlier in this thread) that even early in her career, when she was playing essentially walk on roles, people in the audience immediately took notice that she was something special.

I think she still has that incandescent magic on stage and that and in terms of sheer presence, which is as important to the role of the Witch as anything, there is no denying that you probably wouldn't ever be able to find another actor to top Streep in the role.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 3/8/12 at 11:54am

ray, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA is exactly what I'm trying to reference in what I'm talking about. There isn't any "self indulgent bravado" to Miranda Priestly at all. What's incredible about the performance (and the character, really) is how Streep's able to be so genuinely powerful, magnetic, and terrifying without ever once raising her voice. It's all in the subtlety, and that's what she does like no one else. As I said, I have no doubt she'd be a remarkable Witch, but I'm just trying to convey that the material for The Baker's Wife is much more suited to her biggest gifts.

As Michael Bennett said, she's certainly played more "larger than life" roles in her career (Madeline Ashton and Mary Fisher come to mind,) but no matter what she's doing, there always seems to be a poise and a composure to Streep that makes me inately skeptical when she's talked about for a role that requires a high amount of volatility on an unhinged level. It's the same reason I question her being cast as Violet Weston in AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, and the same reason she almost never plays lower class or less intelectually expressive characters: she just radiates with regality.

Updated On: 3/8/12 at 11:54 AM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 3/8/12 at 1:39pm

I think there are many people that hope for a success like The Pirates of Penzance which went from the Park, to Broadway, to a movie. That model ties in with the need for an Into the Woods movie. And I think that there are many people that think Meryl Streep is the only one that can make that happen.

[greensgreens]

Posted: 3/8/12 at 2:36pm

Sure, The Witch is larger than life and can be self-indulgent, but "unhinged" and extremely volatile don't fit with any interpretation I've ever seen of the character (or at least how I remember the various incarnations). Vanessa Williams especially played many of those moments that could be portrayed as unhinged and volatile in exactly the opposite fashion - cold, restrained and in complete control. This made those moments five million times more effective and frightening. A crazy "villain-esque" character is scary - a "villain-esque" character who exhibits complete sanity, clarity and pre-meditation is far more interesting to watch and ultimately scarier. Although The Witch certainly voices a great deal of her personal frustrations and gets exasperated with the other characters, I would never want to see her become fully unhinged. Perhaps maybe in the final moments of Last Midnight - but up until then, she should be the showrunner and remain calm and cool. That being said, Meryl would be absolutely magnetic. She could whisper the whole darn libretto in Latin and it would still be every bit as mesmerizing.

[mar97]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 10:28am

Meryl Streep is not doing this. The actress who is will be excellent and no she has never done the role before.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 12:08pm

^ Hint, please??
Is she a name or a Broadway name?

[Owen22]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 1:17pm

Okay, if Meryl isn't doing it (I had so convinced myself that she was that previously I didn't even entertain an idea of another actress) I can only think of one diva who hasn't done it, is the correct age, who has the voice, the comic chops and the regality: Donna Murphy. Am I right?

[random person 112]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 4:36pm

There are many women who could and haven't played the witch yet. I personally would love to see Kate Shindle, Sherie Rene Scott, Idina Menzel, Heidi Blickenstaff, or Megan Hilty play the witch. Heck i'd love to see someone we'd never expect them to get like Maya Rudolph. So it's not like donnas the only choice.



Updated On: 3/10/12 at 04:36 PM

[lizabombs]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 5:21pm

Please let it not be Donna Murphy. I don't understand all the adulation thrown her way. I find her hopelessly mannered in practically everything she's ever done.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 5:24pm

I like her, but I'm hoping it's not Murphy.

[Owen22]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 6:10pm

"Kate Shindle, Sherie Rene Scott, Idina Menzel, Heidi Blickenstaff, or Megan Hilty"

Of these women only Kate had the regal quality needed but not the star power (I'm not saying these other women couldn't handle the role, they just wouldn't be as good as Murphy).

The role is complex, you just can't program your favorite diva into it.

[random person 112]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 6:26pm

I'm sorry but i disagree strongly about the 'regal' aspect. I don't think it would be hard at all for any of them. i love murphy i know many people want to see her play the role, but this criticism seems foolish when many of the women listed above have been lauded for there roles as powerful or once powerful rulers, (in the case of Scott, Hilty, and Blickenstaff)
Updated On: 3/10/12 at 06:26 PM

[Jon]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 7:55pm

How about Marin Mazzie - the original Rapunzel?

[random person 112]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 8:24pm

Marin was actually an understudy, stand by witch at the end of the original productions run. I don't know, we'll have to see if Carrie gets another extension.

[Owen22]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 8:46pm

"many of the women listed above have been lauded for there roles as powerful or once powerful rulers, (in the case of Scott, Hilty, and Blickenstaff"

um...playing a ruler is not the same thing as being "regal"...

[random person 112]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 8:58pm

For those roles 'regal' is front and center for several moments think 'no one mourns the wicked' for Hilty in wicked she really played that aspect of the solo up. Though she doesn't get a whole song to do this aspect Amneris is Aida is incredibly so during the last scenes of the show. Menzel can be regal and have that kind of queenly quality when she needs it, for example on glee especially in the first few episodes you can see that aspect shine, particularly in her scenes with Michele. Blickenstaff was the picture of former elegance and class as Ursula. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with Donna, i'm just saying she can't play EVERY Sondheim woman.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 9:33pm

I really like Marin Mazzie, but I cannot see her as the Witch in Act I at all.

[Owen22]

Posted: 3/11/12 at 2:04pm

"For those roles 'regal' is front and center for several moments think 'no one mourns the wicked' for Hilty in wicked she really played that aspect of the solo up. Though she doesn't get a whole song to do this aspect Amneris is Aida is incredibly so during the last scenes of the show. Menzel can be regal and have that kind of queenly quality when she needs it, for example on glee especially in the first few episodes you can see that aspect shine, particularly in her scenes with Michele. Blickenstaff was the picture of former elegance and class as Ursula."

Okay...if you say so....