Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon?- Page 10

[someone.else's.story2]

Posted: 1/11/12 at 3:38am

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YES, Donna Murphy is a really intriguing option! I would love to see that.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/11/12 at 7:16am

Though she could also play Cinderella (as I said earlier,) the more I think about it, Lauren Ambrose is quite an ideal choice for The Baker's Wife. She's already done two shows in the park before, the nature of the material suits her well, and I'm sure she'd love the chance to take on an iconic musical theater role in New York so soon after the FUNNY GIRL debacle.

It would certainly present a nice opportunity for her to quiet the skeptics of her musical talent in a high profile setting, since she's someone who very clearly wants to pursue musical theater. Prior to FUNNY GIRL, she was almost set to do SOUTH PACIFIC before her television pilot for FOX went to series, and she'd been attached to the Michael Grandage revival of GUYS & DOLLS before that until it ultimately fell apart. It's about time she finally has her moment.

Opposite someone like T.R. Knight as The Baker, perhaps?

Updated On: 1/11/12 at 07:16 AM

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 1/11/12 at 7:58am

Can we quit calling either The Witch or The Baker's Wife "iconic?" For something to be "iconic" it would have to be instantly recognizable to the vast majority of the population. Like Carol Channing as Dolly, Judy Garland as Dorothy or Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch.

I love the show, too, but they aren't iconic roles to anyone outside the theatre community.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/11/12 at 1:00pm

...which is exactly what I meant when I said "iconic musical theater role," meaning it was iconic to those within the world of musical theater.

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 1/11/12 at 1:49pm

Saw this a few pages back and I have to say, I think Menzel would be superb as the witch. Saw her in concert and her voice can be extremely bright but at the same time it can have a dark quality to it. I think she would be magnificent. And in terms of vocals, from what I have heard she could handle it. She sang up to an E at the concert without trouble, and up to an F I think towards the end.

[random person 112]

Posted: 1/12/12 at 6:13pm

If they want a movie star how about Charlize Theron?

[Jon]

Posted: 1/12/12 at 6:23pm

The casting of Cinderella is CRUCIAL to this show. I've seen productions that were ruined by a dull Cinderella. She must sparkle. The audience has to love her, to root for her.

[sarcadam88]

Posted: 1/14/12 at 1:04pm

Can we get Katie Finneran as the Baker's Wife? Love her.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/14/12 at 1:19pm

Though Finneran would be great, she'll be giving birth to her second child around the time this production will begin, so she's unavailable.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/18/12 at 3:59am

I'm listening to an audio of the Regent's production (I have not see the video). I am pleasantly surprised to hear that they used the full LAMENT. It is so unnecessary when they truncate this song, as it hardly affects the running time.

I am also surprised to hear they are using a combination of the original and 2002 LAST MIDNIGHT lyrics. If they were going to combine them, I would have structured the lyric placing differently.

They also used the 2002 ending of ON THE STEPS OF THE PALACE. I quite like it, but I know some hate it.

I expect that the transfer/SITP production will also follow this.



Updated On: 1/18/12 at 03:59 AM

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/18/12 at 4:48am

For what it's worth, I heard from a friend at the Public over the weekend that this production is by no means a done deal. It's something they very much want to make happen, but nothing has been finalized, so this leak seems to be pretty premature for now.

Here's hoping it all works out. They have some other exciting options on the table as well, but this would certainly be an "event" if ever there was one.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/18/12 at 5:56am

10 years is only 'long enough' if you are under a certain age.

I love the show, but theater isn't tv/movies -- there needn't always be a version to see. I would much rather limit the revivals (and I don't dislike revivals) and get more new works going. The last few years I feel like we've been inundated with revivals. (And that's common in a bad economy -- but I don't have to like it.)

[SingingChef]

Posted: 1/18/12 at 6:17pm

Donna Murphy WOULD be fanatastic, but I've always thought that Chenoweth would be an interesting choice for the Witch. Give Cheno something a little meatier and darker to play with. I think she'd be a revelation.

[lull89]

Posted: 1/18/12 at 7:49pm

Oskar Eustis certainly hinted at it being a reality at last night's Kushner/Sondheim forum, referring to BWW as "The Gutter Papers" in the process, I believe, and then telling the audience not to reference it again.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 1/18/12 at 8:00pm

Ambrose would be great as the Baker's Wife! I'd love to see that.
Murphy would be my top choice for the Witch, but she's not enough of a name to do the show if they are, in fact, looking for a "name." She'd be ideal in a full-blown revival though, even if she apparently is not doing revivals anymore (wonder if she has changed her mind after the poor critical reception of the last two original shows she has done).
Chenoweth might be good, she reminds me of Bernadette Peters sometimes with all the cuteness (though by this point in her career, Peters had shown more range and versatility than Chenoweth has but it's never too late). She'd definitely nail the comedic aspects of the role, and it's not as dark a role as Fran in PROMISES, PROMISES. She's certainly more of a name than Murphy, but still not big enough I imagine for what the Public is going for.