Riedel: The Public already wants to bring WOODS to Broadway...- Page 2

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 1:02pm

I would very much like to see Benanti as the Bakers Wife and LuPone as Jacks Mother.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 2:15pm

Yes, please

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 2:20pm

I would love to see Benanti as the Baker's Wife and Sara Ramirez as the Witch.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 2:23pm

Besides Kate Baldwin who is tied up with GIANT, I can't think of a single actress other than Laura Benanti I'd like to see as the Baker's Wife (one of the hardest roles in all of American Musical Theater to pull off successfully, I think). But whoever ends up playing it needs to be great to erase that disgustingly atrocious performance by Kerry O'Malley in the last revival.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 2:42pm

If Ramirez isnt available, I vote for Emily Skinner as the Witch.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 2:45pm

Jordan-
Baldwin is done with Giant until at least the fall, and I'm not sure she'd be wise to stay with it. While I thought she was excellent, the role isn't as high profile as it probably should be.

[PurpleFanta]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 2:53pm

I would love to see Benanti as the Baker's Wife. I think Katie Finneran would be a fun choice too.

[broadwaybabytn]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 2:57pm

Finneran sounds like a brilliant idea. (As does Benanti, but that's been floated before.)

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 3:22pm

While not big names really I guess, could any of the Uk cast come over? I loved particulrly the Baker's Wife and the Witch (though i see the Witch being cast with a star)

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 3:25pm

No. The Public already announced that none of the previous cast would be transferring.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 3:58pm

I would LOVE to see Kate Baldwin as The Baker's Wife, but I keep thinking they're going to want a higher-profile name for the role. And Finneran could also be great, but she's having another baby in the Spring, which could potentially keep her from taking the role.

And, again, not a big enough name, but I would like to see Lauren Worsham as Cinderella. I absolutely adored her in Where's Charley? last season and know she's done the role before, but I'd like to see her do it here.

Updated On: 2/22/12 at 03:58 PM

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 3:58pm

I don't see Benanti as Cinderella in this version . . . more that she doesn't seem edgy enough for this artistic take than age. I like the idea of her as Baker's Wife, but just question her comedic chops. What worked so well with Baker's Wife in the Open Air version as well as Gleason in the original is that the dry humor was just so 2nd nature, which isn't necessarily an easy talent to have. I haven't seen this from Benanti, but she may possess a natural skill in this arena.

I'd love to see Victoria Clark's take on The Witch, but I'm sure she doesn't have the following that they are going for in this role. I just LOVE what she brings to a character and think she could tear it up! She'll be in Follies, though (correct?) so she has a conflict.

Would Matthew Morrison do Cinderella's Prince / Wolf? Or even Aaron Lazar, for that matter. Or pair them up as the 2 princes.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 4:06pm

I like the idea of her as Baker's Wife, but just question her comedic chops.

Did you miss her in VERGE?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 4:16pm

The idea of Cheno as the Witch has always intrigued me. With Benanti as the Bakers Wife, Sierra Boggess maybe as Cinderella, Cheyenne Jackson as Cinderella's Prince...

Updated On: 2/22/12 at 04:16 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 4:41pm

Finneran as the Baker's Wife sounds like a brilliant idea. Isn't she pregnant again, though?

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 4:50pm

She is, and she's due right around the time the production would be going into rehearsal. So we can pretty much count her out, wonderful though she might be.

[jansalrose2]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 9:54pm

So, to clarify: the London cast is NOT transferring to the Park?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 9:57pm

No, they are not transferring.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 11:32pm

Damn. When is Hannah Waddingham going to be allowed to bring one of her shows to New York?

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 11:32pm

I don't think any "big names" will be in the production if they're eyeing Broadway. There's no way a major star could make a transfer work so easily. I'm sure they'll get some "big" Broadway names like Foster or something, but I doubt we'll be seeing Zeta-Jones or anyone.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 11:36pm

Sutton Foster has no place in this show.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 11:41pm

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing. Just saying I'm sure they're going for a more Broadway friendly cast.

What about Beth Level as the Witch? I think she could kick some ass at that. I guess she's too "old" for it though?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 11:44pm

I love Beth but thought she was just "ok" as the witch when I saw her in it.

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 2/23/12 at 9:48am

ljay, I didn't see VERGE, unfortunately. It's kind of why I said I wasn't sure if she had the natural comedic skill. She's an UBER-talented gal, so I'm not surprised to hear she's good at comedy, too. I guess it goes to show that we shouldn't ASSUME things about a particular performer.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 2/23/12 at 10:11am

Would love to see Lauren Ambrose as The Baker's Wife, and I think she'd be very good opposite Morton.