The Wonder that is "Into The Woods" — Page 3

WISHIHADATONY, I totally agree with you about Bernadette in the video! She sort of...just stands there and sings. While her vocal performance is amazing, her lack of physical animation bothers me. I know that the character's supposed to have a hunch and be old and such, but *all* she did was point and turn to whoever she was talking to. It bugged me...quite a lot, especially since the lyrics provide quite a few opportunities to physically advance on those they're being sung to.

And Julia, to be frank, kicks her butt. :0)

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"I thought that original plot "twist" of the narrator being the Bakers Son was wonderful and when they threw him to the giant I was speechless..... "

Wait...who did they throw to the giant? The narrator or the son? Doesn't the narrator still get thrown to the giant in today's performances of it?

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In early Broadway previews of Into the Woods, the narrator did not get thrown to the Giant, and was revealed at the end as the Baker's Son. Act Two went through a lot of changes during previews, and essentially a new version of Act Two went in, the version as you know it today, where the narrator dies, and the Baker's Son subplot is dropped altogether.

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It really is unfortunate that plot was dropped...there has always been *something* flawed about Act Two...that sounds like it ties up the loose ends...

Oh well...

Neil Simon is the king of blaming other people for a show's failure, especially women. Bernadette was not the reason why The Goodbye Girl failed. It failed because it was poorly written, featured a second-rate Marvin Hamlisch score, and the most hideous physical production ever placed on a Broadway stage.

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Bernadette is also pretty selfless as a performer and as a person. I'm not certain that she would sacrifice the show's dynamic in pursuit of "more laughs". It just doesn't sound like the way she operates. Both stars gave it their all, but that show just played like a flop from the get-go.

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In The Goodbye Girl's favor, however, it had the buffest chorus of men and women that I've ever seen.

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To WishIhadaTony...

Just wanted to correct a few facts in your post...

The original INTO THE WOODS ran almost 2 years (764 perfs) so it clearly found an audience. Variety reported that as of the closing it had not fully paid off (few shows do these days) but the income from the tour pushed it into the black. In the latest TSR it is Sondheim's most popular show with over 100 productions listed.

Bernadette Peters was never submitted for Tony consideration that year because when she joined the production (after Betty Buckley departed) she stipulated in her contract that she would have to leave the show after 3 months to keep a prior agreement to appear in a film. The film was delayed and she extended her stay in WOODS to 5 months. By Tony time she had been replaced by Phylicia Rashad, and the producers felt (rightly so) that Joanna Gleason would have the best chance of winnng the Tony award. (The Tony was presented to her by Bernadette and Joanna made a point of thanking her in her speech.)

You are correct in saying that Sondheim's shows cannot always be fully appreciated in one viewing and yes, sometimes after a first encounter you aren't sure what to make of it all. Critics too. Many of them missed what SUNDAY was all about until Frank Rich kept championing it and others were persuaded to return and take another look. Same with ASSASSINS. The original off-Broadway production got terrible reviews, yet many of the same critics lavishly praised both the revival production and the show itself.

Now, in this day and age when everyone wants fast food and fast service and instant gratification yes these shows may be off-putting because they demand that you a) PAY ATTENTION and B) THINK ABOUT WHAT IS BEING SAID.


I was sent to NYC to review the original WOODS and the same weekend one of the first post-opening performances of PHANTOM.
I knew then and there that WOODS would get Tonys for best book and score because it is so much better written, but that PHANTOM would take best musical on the strength of its production values. If the lyrics and text of PHANTOM had delved more into the character's mindsets it could have been a fantasic score instead of having lush tunes set with empty lyrics.

Much as I enjoyed WOODS at that first visit, I enjoyed it even more later after I had heard the OCR. A subsequent visit to POTO (12 years later) did nothng to change my opinion and I learned nothing new. Everything was there on the surface to be gleaned the first time. SO why people go back and see POTO over and over I don't get. But I do understand why people go back to see Sondheim's shows again and again (like the six wonderful stagings in Washington 2 years ago) and enjoy them more on subsequent visits.

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I highly doubt it.

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I tried out for Jack in our H.S. production...but I got Cinderella's Father..."I've always wanted a son." I am probably younger than you guys...I'm in High School...and I know I want to continue with musicals and Broadway because or Into The Woods...(On the verge of being obsessed.)

Oh, also about that whole 'the plot of Act Two is weird' thing
the first time i went to see Into the Woods I went with my family, and at the end of act one tey all were getting ready to go, because they thought it was over, until I pointed out that it was the intrmission. It was pretty funny, but the point is that act one is like an entire musical, and act two seems sort of like it's just been tacked on the end in a way. I never knew the whole story of the evolution of Act two, but it makes a lot of sense. Just act one would actully be doable as a small scale production instead of abridging horribly some other musical. Hmmmn...

Laura Benanti is by far, the best Cinderella. Kim Crosby gave an impressive performace, but doesn't even come close to Laura Benanti's expert portrayal. And what an amazing voice!

Into the Woods is a wonder! We are actually performing this musical at my college right now. If you want to know about what college I go to check my profile. I really like our cast we have. I play Florinda. I have seen college productions of this and I saw the Bernadette Peters version. I love everyone in that cast. I am not as fond of Cinderella though in that one of the Baker. I think the Baker's Wife is hilarious and so is the witch. I love how animated Little Red is. My favorite song is Noone is ALONE. That makes me want to cry!

Natasha