Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods- Page 11
Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
herewegoabc
Leading Actor Joined: 1/26/08
#250Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/4/22 at 1:12pm
I still have a ticket for this Friday that I can't use. I'm out of state and can't make it. It's a $275 center orchestra seat Row G. I'm willing to take $100 off the face price if anyone wants it.
tyleramullen
Understudy Joined: 10/31/11
#251Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/4/22 at 1:23pm
I have a pair of balcony seats (Row F) for tomorrow's (May 5) performance and the person I was going to go with is unable to attend. If there's anyone with a pair of tickets for next week who would want to trade, please let me know.
Note -- I won't be selling tomorrow's tickets, just trying to see if I can make it to the show with my friend.
Thanks!
Sutton Ross
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/13
#253Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/4/22 at 1:57pm
I really enjoyed this at Dress Rehearsal. It is running long but I'm sure that will tighten up. (Start times were also not prompt.) This success will do lots to make up for previous Encores misses. Most inventive use of Giantess boots & Milky White puppets. Jordan Donica was out as Rapunzel's Prince but understudy was very good replacement.
Updated On: 5/4/22 at 01:57 PM
#254Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/4/22 at 3:28pm
forgetmenotnyc said: "Jordan Donica was out as Rapunzel's Prince but understudy was very good replacement."
Uh-oh...
Does anyone know anything more about this? I'd be sad to miss him, but does anyone know if this is an isolated incident or if it could turn into something more?
#255Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/4/22 at 4:00pm
Cast wise (as of the other day), I’m told it’s just him.
#256Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/4/22 at 5:45pm
In my seat and so excited!!
Hunter: Your teeth need whitening./ Heidi: You sound weird./ Jeff: You taste funny.
-Jeff Bowen's worst onstage line flub.
-Jeff Bowen's worst onstage line flub.
Sutton Ross
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/13
#257Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/4/22 at 6:25pm
Have a wonderful time!
#258Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/4/22 at 7:01pm
The understudy for Jordan IS Jason Forbach and he is on again this evening.
Dan6
Leading Actor Joined: 8/7/10
#259Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/4/22 at 11:53pm
Well, that was loads of fun. (tl;dr - I loved it)
I should preface by saying that Into the Woods has never been among my favorite Sondheim musicals. I've seen it several times, including the original Broadway production, the first national tour, the 2002 Broadway revival, the 2017 Fiasco Theater production, and the 2019 Hollywood Bowl production. (Plus the movie, but let's not talk about that.) There are parts of the show that always move me deeply (mostly the final 20 minutes or so), but I always feel the first act is overlong and that (with a couple of notable exceptions) the songs aren't among Sondheim's greats. But when I saw the cast announced for this one I knew I had to sign up for one more production. And I'm very glad I did.
I live in Los Angeles so haven't been to previous Encores! productions (we had a similar annual concert series, Reprise, that folded a few years back), but I was tremendously impressed with what they were able to pull together in so short a rehearsal period. The pacing was a bit off, particularly in the first act, which often seemed to drag due to some pregnant pauses between lines, but it picked up as the evening progressed. (The show ran about 2:55, plus some pre-curtain speeches.) The set is nothing to speak of...three small risers leading up to the orchestra, several trees flown in early on, and a couple of small set pieces...but I didn't feel the show suffered for it. The staging of the giant's appearances in Act Two (no spoilers here) was original and extremely effective. The 15-piece orchestra sounded terrific. And although the cast carried scripts or scores in certain scenes, they were decoratively bound in a way that was consistent with the storytelling theme and were completely unobtrusive.
As for the performances, they were everything you would expect from this cast. Everyone was so solid that it's hard to single anyone out, but if I were forced to I would particularly commend the work of Denée Benton (a gorgeously voiced Cinderella), Julia Lester (a hilarious Red Riding Hood), Gavin Creel (Wolf and Cinderella's Prince), Jason Forbach (an excellent understudy performance for the absent Jordan Donica), Cole Thompson (who absolutely nailed "Giants in the Sky" ), and Kennedy Kanagawa (whose puppetry of Milky White and others was consistently artistic, clever, and captivating). Heather Headley was stunning vocally (her "Stay With Me" was everything you would expect if you saw the rehearsal video), but seemed to have the most problems with pacing and line pickups; I'm sure that will improve over the next few days. And although I confess that the Baker and his Wife are forever linked in my mind with Chip Zien and Joanna Gleason - and although I was really looking forward to seeing Christian Borle's take - Neil Patrick Harris and Sara Bareilles both did beautiful jobs, with Sara particularly strong in "Moments in the Woods" and NPH delivering a deeply moving "No More" (with the equally wonderful David Patrick Kelly).
I can attest that there were many sniffles (and a few choked sobs) in my vicinity during "No One is Alone," particularly in Sara's reprise leading into "Children Will Listen." As for the community chorus for the finale, about which some on this board have voiced strong feelings, it was perhaps unnecessary but ultimately sweet and consistent with the intergenerational themes of the show. (Chorus members dressed in black lined the aisles in at least the orchestra and mezzanine and the sides of the stage; there was some minimal echo effect between the chorus members standing immediately next to me and the voices traveling from the stage, which I imagine varies depending on seat location.)
To sum up, the things I love about Into the Woods I loved a lot in this production, and the things I'm not so crazy about I really didn't mind so much because of the tremendous talent involved. And I'm very glad I planned my NY trip around this.
Ke3
Broadway Star Joined: 6/25/20
#260Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/5/22 at 12:02am
I'm so excited for reactions to roll in. So far I've seen mention of Sara breaking out a little legit voice. Immediately upon her casting I thought about what a good Cinderella she would've been 10 years ago.
I saw a curtain call video where Heather got the loudest applause. I cannot WAIT to see the performance that inspired that roar from the audience.
#261Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/5/22 at 2:40am
I thoroughly enjoyed the production. You’re in for a treat if you see it. I’ll throw in a rose for Ann Harada - I thought she was just lovely. Very effective. If you’re unfamiliar with the score you’ll get a little lost with Heather Headley at some points, but she makes up for it with emotion and presence. NPH is good. Sara is great - such a lovely “Moments in the Woods.” The puppeteer for Milky White did a perfect job - funny and touching.
2010
Feb. 28 - Looped, Feb. 28 - Next to Normal, March 4 - Hair, March 11 - A Little Night Music, March 24 - Time Stands Still, April 6 - La Cage Aux Folles, April 10 - Anyone Can Whistle (City Center), April 10 - Looped, May 9 - Enron, May 15 - A Little Night Music, May 15 - A Behanding In Spokane, May 30 - A Behanding In Spokane, May 30 - A Little Night Music, June 20 - A Little Night Music, June 23 - Red, June 23 - Sondheim on Sondheim, July 13 - A Little Night Music, July 18 - The Grand Manner (Lincoln Center)
#262Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/5/22 at 7:32am
Pardon my naivety, but are these Encores! productions meant to be “concert versions” of shows? Or is having the cast hold scripts and/or scores disguised as storybooks a creative choice?
Either way, can’t wait to see this tomorrow evening!
JasonC3
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/21
#263Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/5/22 at 7:42am
jlindsey865 said: "Pardon my naivety, but are these Encores! productions meant to be “concert versions” of shows? Or is having the cast hold scripts and/or scores disguised as storybooks a creative choice?
Either way, can’t wait to see this tomorrow evening!"
They have evolved over the years from more concert-like productions with everyone holding books into more semi-staged events. Others will know the specifics, but I think at one time there was a rule they had to carry a book or else the pay scale would be different per Equity?
rawrali
Chorus Member Joined: 5/11/15
#264Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/5/22 at 9:06am
jlindsey865 said: "Pardon my naivety, but are these Encores! productions meant to be “concert versions” of shows? Or is having the cast hold scripts and/or scores disguised as storybooks a creative choice?
Either way, can’t wait to see this tomorrow evening!"
I saw the Encores! production of 1776 back in 2016 and a few scattered cast members used scripts/scores, not all the way throughout but as occasional aids. I remember that Alexander Gemignani used his heavily in Act I which made me very nervous about his Molasses to Rum in Act II but he completely shed the script after intermission. It became clear that he had put all of his effort into Act II and it was absolutely the right choice. His performance was amazing.
BoringBoredBoard40
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/27/21
#265Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/5/22 at 11:06am
Any Merch?
#266Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/5/22 at 11:09am
From past shows, I’d imagine they’re selling posters & magnets.
#267Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/5/22 at 11:31am
BoringBored - They had as Jordan mentioned windowcard and magnet as well as a t-shirt, a mug, a tote bag with the ingredients on it, and a notebook with Once Upon A Time on the front.
They also had magnets and mugs from some of the past performances as well.
They have the merch up on Playbill: https://www.playbillstore.com/encores-city-center.aspx
I got the t-shirt and tote bag myself personally.
"Anybody that goes to the theater, I think we’re all misfits, so we ended up on stage or in the audience.” --- Patti LuPone.
Updated On: 5/5/22 at 11:31 AM
Matt Rogers
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/4/04
#268Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/5/22 at 11:43am
The best "actor" is the cow. I'm not even kidding.
rattleNwoolypenguin
Broadway Star Joined: 10/11/11
#269Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/5/22 at 11:44am
Can I just say after looking at the merch-
I think graphic designers never quite get the tone of Into the Woods for the posters.
It’s always a little too spooky, or quaint or quirky. Because the show is equal parts farce and thought provoking melodrama in Act Two I just rarely see posters that capture what the show makes me feel.
and it’s always “let’s show a mysterious little red cape disappearing into the woods” they lean on.
do people agree? What posters for the show have worked best for you?
#270Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/5/22 at 11:47am
are: Poster art. It’s funny but much like the show itself, I think the OBC is the only one that’s ever gotten it “right”.
Sutton Ross
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/13
#271Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/5/22 at 11:51am
I enjoyed Roundabout's art in 2015.
Nolan LuPone
Featured Actor Joined: 8/9/21
#273Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/5/22 at 2:01pm
To whoever has gotten to see it: Do you think this could turn into a revival?
BCfitasafiddle
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/25/20
#274Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods
Posted: 5/5/22 at 3:39pm
Dying to see this and hoping to get a resell seat. But anything over $200 is just out of reach these days. Bad on me for not getting a regular priced ticket months ago.
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