Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon?
Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon? #225
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.
Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon? #226
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?
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon? #227
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.
Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon? #228
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.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon? #229
Posted: 1/11/12 at 1:49pmSaw 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.
Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon? #230
Posted: 1/12/12 at 6:13pmIf they want a movie star how about Charlize Theron?
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon? #231
Posted: 1/12/12 at 6:23pmThe 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.
Chorus Member Joined: 1/24/05
Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon? #232
Posted: 1/14/12 at 1:04pmCan we get Katie Finneran as the Baker's Wife? Love her.
Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon? #233
Posted: 1/14/12 at 1:19pmThough Finneran would be great, she'll be giving birth to her second child around the time this production will begin, so she's unavailable.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon? #234
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
Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon? #235
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.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon? #236
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.)
Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon? #237
Posted: 1/18/12 at 6:17pmDonna 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.
Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon? #238
Posted: 1/18/12 at 7:49pmOskar 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.
Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon? #239
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.
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