Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, Ashley Park, and Heather Headley to Lead Encores Into The Woods- Page 18

[Steph N]

Posted: 5/14/22 at 5:35pm

Anyone know if they're stagedooring? If they are, how long until the cast comes out? 

[ATerrifyingAndImposingFigure]

Posted: 5/14/22 at 5:43pm

I had also wondered if with The Guilded Age potentially getting in Denee's way of reprising the role Ashley Park might step in, though I don't know if her show could potentially get in the way.

Also, for the comment indicating Heather might not be able to transfer, I personally would be interested in LaChanze taking on the role. Also Audra as many have talked about in the past, though if Denee wound up being out due to Gilded Age, the same could happen to her.

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 5/14/22 at 5:45pm

CindersGolightly said: "Hi all! I have one ticket to Into the Woods for sale. I tried to sell on StubHub but the buyer canceled last minute on me. The ticket is Balcony Right, F157, and the buyer on StubHub purchased it for $400. I'm asking $340. Ticket is for tonight, please PM me if interested.

"

BALCONY FOR MORE THAN 300??? 

[joshdog2014]

Posted: 5/14/22 at 6:33pm

I’ll add my voice to the chorus of praise for this. One of the best shows I’ve seen. It’s the most buzz I’ve felt in a theater since reopening and it was completely justified. The entire cast was outstanding, but Gavin Creel, Heather Headley, and Kennedy Kanagawa especially (everyone here saying Milky White steals the show was absolutely right). 
 

One question from someone not so experienced with Into the Woods: there was a moment today between NPH and Sara Bareilles where she pronounced a word funny, he mocked it, and then she said something like “you know what happens in Act II, right?” Is this part of the original show? Something added in this production? It was such a funny moment and got a huge response and I almost felt like it was ad libbed, but would not be surprised at all if it was just part of the production.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 5/14/22 at 6:37pm

CindersGolightly said: "Hi all! I have one ticket to Into the Woods for sale. I tried to sell on StubHub but the buyer canceled last minute on me. The ticket is Balcony Right, F157, and the buyer on StubHub purchased it for $400. I'm asking $340. Ticket is for tonight, please PM me if interested.

 

$340 for a $35 dollar seat??  Seriously -- GFY.

 

[Broadway Bob*]

Posted: 5/14/22 at 6:42pm

joshdog2014 said: "I’ll add my voice to the chorus of praise for this. One of the best shows I’ve seen. It’s the most buzz I’ve felt in a theater since reopening and it was completely justified. The entire cast was outstanding, but Gavin Creel, Heather Headley, and Kennedy Kanagawa especially (everyone here saying Milky White steals the show was absolutely right).


One question from someone not so experienced with Into the Woods: there was a moment today between NPH and Sara Bareilles where she pronounced a word funny, he mocked it, and then she said something like “you know what happens in Act II, right?” Is this part of the original show? Something added in this production? It was such a funny moment and got a huge response and I almost felt like it was ad libbed, but would not be surprised at all if it was just part of the production."

That didn’t happen Thursday night. Sounds like an ad lib to me?

[UWS10023]

Posted: 5/14/22 at 9:47pm

It was ad libbed due to a mispronunciation of a word on Sarah’s part. Neal ran with it and then she improvised. I can’t remember the word and how it pertains to act 2 but it was not in the script and yes the laugh was huge. The production is directed with “actors winking at the audience” so the improv fit right in.

I hear tell that the Broadway transfer announcement will happen during Sunday’s curtain call.

Updated On: 5/14/22 at 09:47 PM

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 5/15/22 at 8:24am

I’m expecting stage reports from those lucky few at the 2pm performance today at 5pm or sooner!!!

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 5/15/22 at 9:30am

I was at the show last night and the audience was so energetic!!! It was THRILLING to be there and finally experience the show everyone has been talking about (for just 2 weeks LOL). This was my first time seeing it on stage (and my first show at NYCC) - my only prior exposure to the material was with the movie. I loved everything about it. I will now see Heather Headley in ANYTHING she does. Wowwow. She blew me away in the videos I’ve seen but, in person? Even better. Sara (who has been my favorite singer/songwriter since I was 17) was absolutely perfect. Milky White (and his puppeteer Kennedy Kanagawa) stole the show on multiple occasions. I enjoyed NPH but couldn’t help but wish for Christian Borle. Cole Thompson is making one hell of a professional debut. He was outstanding. Ann Harada and Annie Golden are always fabulous. Gavin Cree and Jordan Donica were the perfect (non) agonizing pair. Just loved them. Everyone was giving A+ performances and I hope this gets the transfer everyone is talking about. 
 

My friend and I did a Sondheim Double Header with Company at 2 and Into the Woods at 8. The best day!

[stlrod]

Posted: 5/15/22 at 9:45am

We saw the show Friday night and really not much to add to the well deserved accolades it is receiving. It was a special night for us.  We've been coming to NYC almost every year for 34 years (sometimes twice) and the original cast of Into the Woods (sans Bernadette Peters but with Phylicia Rashad) was the first show we ever saw in NYC.  We too were disappointed about Borle but frankly, after seeing NPH's take on the Baker, we can't imagine anyone who would have done a better job in this time and place.

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 5/15/22 at 12:04pm

Saw it last night. Joanna Gleason said in her Tony speech "these people are trapeze artists. They catch each other" and I think that's why this remarkable production has stood out as so wonderful is the collective ensemble unitedly understood that more than any Into the Woods I've seen in the last several years and so did the director. I think in productions past when there were a few true weak links, the fabric of the show would tear and it immediately feels inconsistent. This show loses something when SOME of the cast is great. When they are all working in synchronicity with each other like they are at Encores- Into the Woods is almost a spectacle show just watching a troupe of actors work together. Cause what we saw were brilliant playful performers running on, bringing everything to the table in terms of humor and humanity, and then running off over and over building the story and all it makes you feel is giddy and joyful. Everyone knows this show but to make us all feel like "Oh that's right we're now at THIS wonderful sequence!" for the entire span of the night. Glorious.

I am team this show reviving over and over so long as the cast across the board is always this full proof and this fun and giving. The secret to trying to stop getting compared to the original broadway cast is not "let's do this wild original indulgent take" it's find a beautiful community of actors who will "yes and" in service of this tale.

 

Updated On: 5/15/22 at 12:04 PM

[CityLights3]

Posted: 5/15/22 at 12:13pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Remember, the Public ITW was "coming to Broadway" until Amy Adams said no and then it died. Many iterations of the film died over the years. This all comes down to the onstage talent involved."

The New York Times also did not help any with any realistic transfer for that version.  Ben Brantley: “It breaks my heart to chalk up this production as another example of thwarted hopes but theatergoers may find themselves courting blindness from trying to see the forest for the trees. When the songs in a Sondheim show get lost in the woods, you know it’s time for some serious deforestation.”

It had only been 9.5 years from the last Broadway revival at that time too.  And while several Shakespeare in the Park shows have transferred to a Broadway house, that production was so specifically designed and interpreted for an outdoor space starting at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre space.  
 

Whatever happens after it closes at City Center, Encores! Artistic Director Lear deBessonet certainly turns the Encores! ship around after a disastrous and disappointing start with her first two shows as the series leader.  And id imagine a co-producer or two come on board to make this ship float for a summer run.  Whatever winds up happening, it seems they’re doing it right this time.  I’ve heard more stories about this production from a wide swath of New Yorkers than any show since Hamilton.  And as many upcoming productions will do, honoring the memory of Sondheim they certainly have a winning recipe for success. 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 5/15/22 at 1:05pm

It will be interesting to see how much the ship has turned and if the joyful response to ITW erases the memory of the less than positive reactions to the other shows in the season, particularly among subscribers and donors.

[ATerrifyingAndImposingFigure]

Posted: 5/15/22 at 1:34pm

It feels like that’s already happening, it’s just a matter of if they can keep a hot streak going

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 5/16/22 at 7:36am

The hype was spot on, even understated. This was sublime.  Glad to hear talk of a summer transfer to St. James.  Yes it will sustain at least a limited run, it's much more than that good.  

A few thoughts:  Heather is a goddess.  A perfect performance, funny, huge voiced, elegant and seemingly "easy as life."  Commanding!
Neil equally perfect. 

In fact everyone in it is a musical dream.  Of all, I felt Sara could have benefitted most with a bit more time, but she's absolutely lovely in it.    

Julia Lester and Cole Thompson knocked it out of the park.  Bringing a maturity to the roles that worked like a charm.  Julia especially winning in her woman child performance.  Gavin and Jordan were outstanding.  Kudos for taking the sex out of Red and Wolf which has been sexed to death.  

And not enough can be said about David Patrick Kelly and Ann Harada, both lending indispensable comic and dramatic chops. 

And then there is Denee. Superb.

 

Updated On: 5/16/22 at 07:36 AM

[tjfeldman1116]

Posted: 5/19/22 at 4:15am

What happened to all the know-it-alls who were sure there'd be an announcement of a Broadway transfer to the St. James this past weekend? The weekend came and went, and those "in the know" seem to have gone silent.

[JasonC3]

Posted: 5/19/22 at 6:04am

tjfeldman1116 said: "What happened to all the know-it-alls who were sure there'd be an announcement of a Broadway transfer to the St. James this past weekend? The weekend came and went, and those "in the know" seem to have gone silent."

Well what would you have them say when there apparently is nothing new to say?

[inception]

Posted: 5/19/22 at 8:16am

tjfeldman1116 said: "What happened to all the know-it-alls who were sure there'd be an announcement of a Broadway transfer to the St. James this past weekend? The weekend came and went, and those "in the know" seem to have gone silent."

They didn't go silent... did you miss all their new info about how Justin Timberlake is 100% going into the Music Man... 

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 5/19/22 at 10:18am

tjfeldman1116 said: "What happened to all the know-it-alls who were sure there'd be an announcement of a Broadway transfer to the St. James this past weekend? The weekend came and went, and those "in the know" seem to have gone silent."

There’s nothing new to add really. There’s a whole transfer thread with as much information as anyone has at the moment. Some of it is based in fact (heard from direct sources) and some is just rumor (made up on the spot or heard elsewhere). We won’t know who’s telling the truth until there’s a definitive announcement, which may or may not ever happen.

As far as I know, behind the scenes, work is going ahead as though this revival is happening. Replacements have been reached out to for the folks not continuing with it and we’ll see if that ends up making or breaking the prospect of this continuing. Fingers crossed it does.

[EthelMae]

Posted: 5/19/22 at 10:35am

If Ms. Bareilles, Ms. Headley, and Mr. Harris are not available for a Broadway transfer then the production produced by Encores at City Center is not really transferring IMHO. This cast was pretty wonderful across the board. If replacements are found so they can transfer, great for all those employed. But I wouldn’t say what I saw on May 15th at City Center is transferring. I would call it a recast version of the Encores production is being produced.

[MagicalMusical]

Posted: 5/23/22 at 1:44am

Into the Woods...practically won Best Musical with winning Best Book and Best Score and even Best Actress, Why didn't Phantom win Best Spectacle? JK I can see why some would say Phantom was the best musical, but to me Into the Woods was the true winner that year, with book and score being what make up a true musical!