Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon?

[diebob21]

Posted: 6/2/11 at 10:36pm

Hey guys, I was wondering if there was any news on a 2012-2013 revival of Into the Woods? I think we need a new revival since the last one was in 2002 with Vanessa William Do you guys think its time for another revival production of this musical?

Posted: 6/2/11 at 10:41pm

No. Why? While I didn't think much of the last revival or (most) of its changes, it was fairly recently, and hardly got a huge audience. I'd wait a while longer. That said, I loved the London outdoors production this Summer (the one you can view from that mess of a Digital Theatre site), and there was talk of somehow bringing it to New York apparently.

[Overkill]

Posted: 6/2/11 at 11:16pm

I think it would be good to do in maybe a concert staging right now, but not a major revival. Not yet. I would love it more than anything, but like Eric said, it hardly got a huge audience.

ALTHOUGH, due to other re-telling of fairy tales doing very well in recent years (especially WICKED), maybe it would have more of a following?

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 6/2/11 at 11:44pm

The recent London revival was simply breathtaking. I was so happy to see the show finally staged as an environmental theatre piece. Jenna Russell should definitely play the Baker's Wife on American shores, maybe reuniting with her Sunday in the Park costar Daniel Evans as the Baker? And I know Patti LuPone is the obvious choice for the Witch, but I'd love to see a younger, sexier interpretation of the character. Sherie Rene Scott would be outstanding.

Wishful thinking, I suppose.

[lull89]

Posted: 6/2/11 at 11:46pm

Sutton Foster's expressed a LOT of interest in playing the Baker's Wife, so expect to see her name thrown around the next time they start talking about a revival.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 6/2/11 at 11:50pm

I hate to be that person throwing around the same names over and over again, but I think Kate Baldwin would make a fantastic Baker's Wife.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/2/11 at 11:58pm

The show will be 25 years old next year and I would MUCH rather have a reunion concert than taking the chance of another theatrical abortion like that last revival.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 12:43am

Jordan...Did you actually SEE the 2002 revival?

I'll admit there were some changes I could have lived without (the altered ending to "On the Steps of the Palace", Adding the 3 little pigs and the 2nd wolf) but it was far from an "abortion." The book motif built into the set was (I thought) quite brilliant, and although the original 1987 cast could hardly be bettered, the cast for the most part performed the roles just fine. I would have given the Best Revival Tony to OKLAHOMA! (which I saw the matinee the same day in July 2002) but the revival of WOODS was quite good. When the source material is THAT strong even the alterations (mentioned above), can't ruin it for me.

Updated On: 6/3/11 at 12:43 AM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 12:48am

I did see the revival. I'm not like a lot of people who talk shlt about things I've never seen. I was beyond excited for that show, since the original production is one of the finest things ever put on the stage and was what got me interested in theater.

Of all the things I thought ruined the show, the worst offense was Kerry O'Malley. One of the worst performances I've ever seen of one of the greatest roles ever written.
Updated On: 6/3/11 at 12:48 AM

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 1:07am

Ugh. Frontrowcentre's post just reminded me of the altered ending, the 2nd wolf, and those damn pigs. Awful awful awful.

[WalkingInSpace]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 1:22am

Speaking of weird changes and veering ever so slightly off topic...i just saw a production of into the woods done at northwestern university where they made the entire show take place in a refugee camp of sorts. At first it sounded weird, but eventually I got into its odd groove. It added a very dark and creepy spin, the musical was more of a "show" that the actors were putting on for the prison guards. At the beginning they were told "you can play now." Throughout the entire thing there were noises of airplanes and bombs flying over. (SPOILERS) when the characters die in the show they actually made it seem like the actors themselves died due to explosions of sorts(instead of the giant, steward, etc). By the finale/reprise of Into the Woods there was such tension and anger because it was as if the refugee's friends in the camp actually died. They seemed to slow down the song and added a heavy drum beat while everyone marched with blank stares in synch like a death camp march. It was very creepy but something I will never forget. Putting a twist, maybe not this exact one, but something like it, on Broadway, would be really interesting.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 1:25am

Um....is that legal?

[WalkingInSpace]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 1:48am

hahah idk, the script was the exact same otherwise. Just the opening line was "go play" and then "once upon a time"....it was just a setting change and altered the mood, but the script was entirely intact with a few lines added otherwise.

[CurtainCall]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 3:40am

The Regent's Park Open Air production used both the three little pigs and the revised ending of Steps of the Palace - the former are hardly on the stage for any length of time, I can't fathom, why they attract such hatred!!

I remember friends being fixated/outraged by them when I saw it on Broadway, frankly the show suffered more from Lapine's habitual leaden directing, than fleeting porcine additions.

The latter change, makes the dramatic point of the three children learning, a great deal stronger than in previous versions, so wins points with me.

If I have complaint, it would be to the ending of Last Midnight, which muddies the end of the song, which really had been perfect in the previous productions. However, with Hannah Waddingham singing it, one tends to forgive that.
Updated On: 6/3/11 at 03:40 AM

[chewy5000]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 3:42am

makes the dramatic point of the three children learning

thus making "I know things now" and "Giants in the sky" redundant...

Posted: 6/3/11 at 3:44am

Lapine directed the revival, and I can only think he waqnted to approach the piece differently than when he directed the original, but I really can't fathom why, to use one example, he added back in the three little pigs who were cut from the original San Diego workshop (with Steinman fave Ellen Foley as the Witch no less), with good reason. Making the Last Midnight lyrics cleaerer kinda ruins part of the point too, at least for me (although I do like the London addition of Our Little World and would use it in any subsequent edition).

Are both versions available for performance now, or? The London production seemed to use some of the new lyrics. I actually wouldn't mind if they tried to put back in 2nd Midnight as heard on those demo recordings (which actually apprently were made for an aborted children's audio version)--it's terrific stuff and sets up Children Will Listen later on, but I get that it also slows down the first act which needs to be played fast to take advantage of the farce feel.

[CurtainCall]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 4:22am

'thus making "I know things now" and "Giants in the sky" redundant'

If by redundant, you mean that you could cut those two songs and keep the few lines that are added to Steps of the Palace, and the audience would understand Jack and Little Red Riding Hood's development - then I think you run the risk of throwing the baby out with the bath water. All the reprise of the lines does is connect their collective learning and/or themes. However,you couldn't make the other two songs redundant.

[romgitsean]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 7:51am

walkinginspace, my boyfriend almost music directed that production! He was too busy so he couldn't. And yes, it was legal. I like how here on BWW, we have to ask that whenever someone does something, you know, just the slightest bit different to a production.

That being said, I agree it's too early for a revival, but definitely would love to see Sutton have her take on the BW someday. Lupone is an awful choice for the Witch though. I'd sooner vomit then see her play it.

[OhTossums2]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 7:56am

I agree, doing a concert staging would be a very good idea. The revival would not do so well.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 7:57am

romgitsean- Aren't you still in high school and in the Florida area?

I actually like the revised "Last Midnight" that Regent's Park did, especially how the combined the last verse with the original and revised lyrics to give some of the ambiguity back.

(Updated since my arrow was misleading)

Updated On: 6/4/11 at 07:57 AM

[OhTossums2]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 8:20am

Me? No, I am a college student in New York.

[Katia2]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 10:27am

I liked the "Last Midnight" Williams did, thought that the shifted focus was interesting. That said, can't see much interest in a full out revival, but personally I would definitely go to a concert staging if there were one. Who the hell knows though, by 2012-13 a whole year will have passed and there's a good chance there will be a significant amount of more interest in a revival.

[newintown]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 10:31am

Sweet Jeebus, can't you just do the dang show at your local community theatre and be happy with it? Why keep bringing the same old shows back to Broadway every ten years?

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 10:41am

LuPone as the witch, now? I might be imagining this, but I thought I read on here that she was offered the role in the original production but wanted to be Cinderella instead so she stalled the process and ended up getting involved with Anything Goes instead. She might've been right for the role then, but I don't know about anymore. Sherie would be inspired, though, I think.

[Kad]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 10:44am

I recall reading something similar about LuPone. I don't think she's right for Witch as this point in her life. The window of opportunity has closed. Sherie would be an interesting choice.

I think Laura Benanti could be the Baker's Wife now, though.