Into the Woods Revival? Anytime Soon?- Page 2

[SingingChef]

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

It's almost been ten years since that last revival. I don't think it is too soon at all.

Personally, I think Sutton Foster would be marvelous as the Baker's Wife. Max Von Essen would be a fantastic Baker. And I've always thought that Chenoweth would be such an interesting & unique choice for the Witch. Would love to see Chenoweth do some darker material.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 12:04pm

My list of Baker's Wife possibilities/dreams:

Sutton Foster
Jenna Russell (in the US)
Susan Blackwell
Audra McDonald
Debra Messing.

Not sure if a revival should happen, but it would be nice nonetheless...

[Jon]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 12:06pm

I hated all the "improvements" to the book/score in the last revival. And the performances paled in comparison to the original. The cow was cute, but distracting.

The only things I liked were the sets and the special effects (the lady giant, the witch transformation, etc.)

[artscallion]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 12:14pm

I saw the revival and thought it was one of the most miscast, misguided, flat, devoid of any personality messes I've seen on Broadway. There were only two things of value in that production...the set and Vanessa Williams. Even the poster sucked.

[SingingChef]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 12:46pm

Audra would KILL as the Witch.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 12:55pm

Audra as the witch is a great idea. No offense to Patti, but she can hardly be considered in a state of "youth and beauty."

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 3:19pm

The show is done so often by local groups - check an issue of SONDHEIM REVIEW and you will see it is one of his most performed shows - IN a way I think this helped the box office for the 2002 revival in summer tourist season (The performance I attended seemed to have many people who had done the show at a community/high school level judging from some comments I heard and a few conversations I had)and then when tourist season ran out the box-office went into free fall. The reviews for Lapine's re-imagined staging were mostly favorable, and the revival did win the Tony for Best musical revival of the season.

Maybe a summertime run in central Park?

[Kad]

Posted: 6/3/11 at 3:26pm

A summertime run at the Delacorte would be fantastic, but I don't think that would ever materialize. It wouldn't follow the Public's mission to do so.

Posted: 6/3/11 at 9:14pm

I think that's my prob with the last revival. As Brantley said in his (fairly positive) review, they seemed to be going after a family audience more than ever. I like my ITW fairly dark (though I adore the original production, I'm one of the very few who enjoys the London cast album, and wqhat I've seen of it on youtube and in pics, even more--and I *love love* the recent Regent's Park production--if only Digital Theatre would get their **** together, I'd recommend any even mild fan check it out).

I wonder if there's been any more thought kicking around about a movie? As everyone prob knows--there was a movie in the works, I believe the finished script was by the writers of Splash, Jim Henson Productions were involved in the creatures, sondheim did a few new songs (one called Rainbow), and there was an all star reading (Robin Williams as the Baker, Roseanne as Jack's Mom, etc) before it came to nothing. This version was meant to seriously up the fmily/comic "fun" and dispense with most of the second act altogether. Which as a fan I think is a terrible idea, but if it had been done right, I could have seen it being a mild hit with family movie goers.

At any rate the very idea of LuPone, even in her younger years, playing Cinderella perplexes me.

[pinoyidol2006]

Posted: 6/4/11 at 1:04am

The Patti as Cinderella is really weird for me to think about. Whenever I imagine her singing No One is Alone, I shudder. I think her voice is better suited for big, dazzling numbers rather than soft moments.

Anyway, I doubt Laura Benanti would consider playing Cinderella again. She was the only reason I listen to the 2002 Revival Cast Recording. I wouldn't mind if Laura Osnes played it.

If we could get Raul Esparza as Baker, I'd love it. Jessica Walters for step mother.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 6/4/11 at 3:26am

Why would anybody think Patti should have played Cinderella at any point in her career, past, present, or future?

Posted: 6/4/11 at 3:37am

I am hardly Raul's greatest fan, but I think he does some things well. I found Chip as the Baker's Husband at times a tad too analytical--I'd HATE to see what Raul would do with it.

Patti as Cinderella more and more seems like a subject for (RIP) Forbidden Broadway. I mean, could you imagine her fighting over the slipper with Cinderella??

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 6/4/11 at 9:59am

Patti has been approached to be the Witch multiple times, the original (where she asked for specific billing, was told no and then Bernie got it), for the Donmar revival (where she backed out last minute) and at least one more that I know I'm forgetting.

And my comment was meant for romgitsean, not the person I ended up posting after...since I'm pretty convinced romg makes things up as he goes along.

[romgitsean]

Posted: 6/4/11 at 10:25am

husk, I am in college and in New york, and I don't make things up as I go along, so there's no need to be condescending. I didn't say that Patti HADN'T been approached, I just said she shouldn't be the Witch.

Agreed on the film version, but I wouldn't want it if there's no second act. I want a film of the full version, not the junior version.

[Broadwaywest2]

Posted: 6/4/11 at 12:01pm

I would agree with a revival of Into the Woods, since there's been a huge resurgance of sondheim shows in the past 5 years on broadway.

I will always have a softspot for this show, as the original production was the first broadway show I ever saw, and what got me hooked on theater. I did see the revival and I actually enjoyed it. I found it fascinating how in the revival the focus did shift to cinderella's story. I actually did care about her and the prince's marriage. I absolutley loved the new lyrics to last midnight and how she sang it to the baby, made it much more darker and creepier.

As for a new revival, I think Into the Woods is great fare for any director to bring something new and amazing to it. I would also assume it has to be a set designer's dream show. I am curious do see what a director like Michael Greif could do with the material

As for a film version, I always thought it would make a great stop-motion animate film. What's Henry Selick did to coraline, would love to see him tackle into the woods

[random person 112]

Posted: 6/28/11 at 5:36pm

I agree with the idea of sherie as the witch it's genius and she would be completly perfect if you ask me. But wouldn't chenoweth make a better bakers wife instead of the witch, she could do a killer 'maybe their magic' and "moments in the wood' as would mcdonald but if so the revival better be soon or they won't be belivable as women capable of bearing a child. As for cinderella laura michelle kelly anyone? As for jack i'm not quite sure about this role, i mean realistically jack could be anywhere from his teens to his early to mid twenties in the play, so i'm not sure. As for jacks mother elaine paige, she would be fantastic in the part i don't know if she would accept it but maybe.

[PennybankBill]

Posted: 6/28/11 at 8:24pm

An Into The Woods Reunion Concert with the original cast already happened. Bernie had a fake nose she took off when she became beautiful. I would love to see either a stop motion animated version of ITW or a revival.
And now comes a far-fetched dream cast for a revival:
Narrator - Simon Russell Beale or Sir Thomas Allen
Cinderella - Laura Michelle Kelly
Baker - Daniel Evans
Baker's Wife - Nicole Parker or Jenna Russel
Jack's Mother - Maria friedman
Witch - Donna Murphy
Cinderella's Father - George Hearn
Cinderella's Mother - Donna Murphy
Mysterious Man - Simon Russell Beale
Wolf/Cinderella's Prince - Julian Ovenden
Rapunzel's Prince - Andrew Rannels
Grandmother - Donna Murphy
Giant - Maria Friedman
All other ones I couldn't figure out.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 6/28/11 at 8:29pm

Debra Messing as the Baker's Wife. Yes. Yes. YES.

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 6/28/11 at 9:51pm

I wish they would kind of do what they did at Regents Park in England and do a outdoor production in Central Park during the summer

[ILOHTFAHA (Aida Man)]

Posted: 6/28/11 at 10:11pm

My Dream Cast:
The Narrator/Mysterious Man-John O'Hurley
Witch-Marion Cotillard
Baker-Joey Fatone
Baker's Wife-Kate Baldwin
Cinderella-Sierra Boggess
Jack-Christopher Wood
Little Red Riding Hood-Kathrine Leigh Dorhety
Rapunzel-Emily Mechler
Wolf/Cinderella's Prince-Aaron Lazar
Rapunzel's Prince-Josh Franklin
Cinderella's Stepmother-Carolee Carmello
Florinda-Tari Kelly
Lucinda-Shina Ann Morris

[rougeduck]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 1:04pm

I heard whisperings for summer...

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 1:19pm

For Summer what?

[Jon]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 1:21pm

I'd like to see Chip Zien as Narrator/Mysterious Man amd Marin Mazzie as the Witch - (sons and daughters become fathers and mothers).

Marin was Rapunzel in the original LaJolla cast.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 1/9/12 at 3:20pm

The Regent's Park Open Air Theatre production is likely to play at Central Park this summer.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/EXCLUSIVE-Regents-Park-Theatres-INTO-THE-WOODS-to-Play-Central-Parks-Delacorte-Theater-in-2012-20120109

ETA: If any cast members from the London production were to transfer, they probably won't get Helen Dallimore as Cinderella since she is 40.

Updated On: 1/9/12 at 03:20 PM

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 1/9/12 at 3:26pm

This made my day. I am beyond excited!!!!