Into the Woods Revival: Let's Try This Again — Page 3

Michelle Pfeiffer? Really? I mean, she wouldn't even take that role in a movie version.

I would love to see this done as a TV movie, maybe like the Once Upon a Mattress one was.

---

She was fine as Fantine.

---

Though I think there are so many people out there who could play the Baker's Wife (my it-will-never-happen-but-it-keeps-me-going-with-smiles-and-rice-krispie-treats idea is Susan, just because when I saw her onstage doing her best Gleason twice, I flipped), the problem the revival made clear is that Gleason OWNS this role.

Though I have a special place in my heart for every member of the OBC of Into the Woods, most of the other revival replacements range from adequate to superb (except, of course the dreadful Jack's Mother, but that's another point). But I felt no sympathy whatsoever for the plight of The Baker and (more importantly) his wife. And I totally blame Gleason being so damn lovable for this. So I agree with the above poster, she doesn't really look that much older and since so much of HER plot revolves around her not being able to have a child, this actually would work. True we would hit a slight problem with the logic introduced about The Baker's approxcimate age, but it's a musical based on fairytales, thus realism kind of has to be thrown out the window (or we could just cast an older Rapunzel, an idea I think would be quite funny. Imagine a Rapunzel about ten-fifteen years too long in the castle. A little rough around the edges, not quite a princess. Could work. But now I'm rabling. I apologize. Just an idea.

Oh, and for the witch I absolutely love the idea of Catherine. I think some people are forgetting that the entire point of the witch is that she needs to be BEAUTIFUL. With any makeup and acting prowess, one can do the aged hag well, but it takes a Bernadette or (on a lesser level) a Vanessa to really show off that "I'm Back!" look. And no offense, but some of the people mentioned here could NOT pull that off.

And on a vocal note alone (though I personally do think she's beautiful, she doesn't really fit the mold for the HOLY-CRAP-MAGIC-POTION-WORKED-WELL standard I just set up), I actually agree (*gets ready to get flamed*) that Idina would be kind of ideal in this role. I've heard Kristen suggested and while I love her, I think her voice and general look are all wrong. But Menzel could easily navigate the hag territory and then transcend into Act II with such grace.

Just some cray ramblings though.

Anyhoo...

i really do not like when 'young' Witches are cast. I mean, this is a small minor detail, but if I were to cast a revival of into the woods, this is something that would play a factor.

Assuming that Rapunzel was about 25 during the main action of the play (locked in a tower for 14 years, starting at puberty). The witch would have been ugly for 25 years.

when a 30 year old is cast, that would make the witch approximately five when the beans were stolen and the lightning flashed.

Now I understand. It's a fairy tale, suspension of disbelief, blah blah blah. But I really do think an older, but still equally as attractive, witch could work wonders with the role. Im not saying we need a sixty to seventy year old woman, but a mature, motherly, (fr lack of a better word) 'cougar' type actress>

Someone like Kim Catrall, or Catherine Zeta Jones, or Cristine Ebersole, or Audra McDonald perhaps would be, in my mind, the ideal witch...

Beverley Klein was the Witch in the recent London production of ITW at the Royal Opera House. God love her, she's not what you might call a stunner, but she worked well. There aren't many women who don't scrub up nicely once you take warty old witch costumes off 'em and make them all glamour-puss. Besides, as timesquare01 just said, the Witch has been this way for a while. Why not cast an older woman who may not be a stunner now but can give the impression that she was at some point?

---

"Though I think there are so many people out there who could play the Baker's Wife (my it-will-never-happen-but-it-keeps-me-going-with-smiles-and-rice-krispie-treats idea is Susan, just because when I saw her onstage doing her best Gleason twice, I flipped), the problem the revival made clear is that Gleason OWNS this role. "

I love Gleason in the role, but I think Imelda Staunton (sp?) is equally magic in her different interpretation on the London cast album (but I *love* the dark London version, in some ways more than the original, and I know a LOT of people don't).

In a few years we really do need a good revival of the show. The problem with it though is that the original performances are so iconic (especially Joanna's) that it's always going to be tough not to compare. I was devastated at how they butchered it in 2002 with that production. It is my favorite musical for many reasons and that was the first live production I'd ever had the chance to see, unfortunately.

Cyndi Lauper is a very interesting choice for the witch and one I'd like to see!

CATS, you can't be serious.

I am serious! I thought the design was improved by leaps and bounds with the set, costumes and especially the lighting giving off really eerie feeling at times making you feel like you were really in a forest. Plus I'm one of the very few who actually liked Vanessa Williams as the witch and I liked the changes Sondheim made to "On the Steps of the Palace" and especially "Last Midnight" starting out singing the song to the baby and then consuming the beans. I thought it was terribly frightening when the witch started tearing at her flesh and pulling out all her hair before she vanished. It was a scary feeling I'll never forget.

Updated On: 8/7/09 at 11:26 PM

I gotta agree with CATS.

I think it was bad timing that was to blame for its closing. It won Best Revival, no?

Laura was definitive.

Judi Dench as the Giantess was tons of fun, as was the Giantess in general.

I think the original dates VERY poorly and some of the performers do not come off as well as we may remember them. Check out the VHS/DVD.

I preferred the revival for many reasons, and I usually do not enjoy all the tinkering with shows like this.

That being said, Sondheim needs to record a commentary for ITW. We get ones for PASSION and SUNDAY but not ITW? WTF?

P

P.S. Cyndi as the Witch is inspired. I'd love to see her finally do Mrs.Lovett (as she once almost did).

Updated On: 8/8/09 at 12:15 AM

I know that Lapine and Sondheim had asked Billy Porter to audition for the role of the Witch in the revival and I have always been curious as to how they were planning to work that. And Cyndi Lauper as the Witch just makes me happy! And who ever thinks that the only point to this character is that she has to be a knock out beauty needs to step away from this show cuz damn!

Thanks for that article! I had always wondered if they planned on changing the character's gender or of he would have played the role in drag. As I know, there have been productions that have done both. Thanks again!