Why was the Into the Woods revival.. — Page 3

On a whole, the OBCR to me, has low energy. Great recording, low energy.

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I enjoyed the revival and I loved Williams' "Last Midnight", including the lyric change,

I did think the whole scenic design for the revival was cool though the popup book thing was cool.oh by the way I'm only 14

Updated On: 6/21/08 at 02:55 PM

Well Williams wasn't bad but no one can top Bernadette especially when she's doing Sondheim

i grew up on the musicals.net forums... and i remember endless strings of "WHAT HAPPENS TO THE WITCH?"

THEN when the new lyrics arrived... the question finally has some sort of 'answer'.
we can respect the original as more of a 'standard'... and the revival as a "sondheim song that can't stand alone and completes the story"... ok?? chill people....

we all know it should have been billy porter as originally planned... but then freakin 9/11 hits and the producers wanted more of a "name" to lure tourists back to nyc.

its all politics people.
with a sprinkle of terror.

INTO THE WOODS has been one of my favorite shows since they showed it on PBS in 1990. I've been in it and seen many different productions over the years. It was with great anticipation I went to see the revival when it opened on Broadway. I even got to work the show (as an usher) and so got to see it multiple times. I was not happy with what I saw.

A lot of the changes made to the revival seemed so forced, as if Lapine was only making them to be able to say, "See, it's different. I didn't just repeat myself." Examples: the addition of the extra wolf and three little pigs, tacking Little Red and Jack onto the end of Cinderella's "Steps On the Palace." I am a firm believer of - If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

The casting was also bad with limited exceptions. To see Vanessa Williams live in the show was to watch one of the most over the top, hammy, bad, community theaterish performances ever to hit a Broadway stage. I didn't care for John McMartin at all in this show. Stephen DeRosa and Kerry O'Malley (I think) were boring and forgettable. Adam Wylie and Molly Ephraim didn't sing well and were more annoying than anything. The only performers who stood out were (as mentioned) Benanti, and the princes - Greg Edelman and Chris Seiber, both of whom were good but certainly no better than Robert Westenberg and Chuck Wagner of the original.

The show seemed to be played a little broader and a little more lightly to appeal to a family audience (which then distubed me when they added in unnecessary dick jokes - one for the Baker [a reaction when his Wife sings, "What's important, really, is the size."] and one for the Narrator [holding the witches limp snake staff].)

The design elements were good, epecially the special effects - the witch's transformation, Little Red and Granny coming out of the Wolf's belly, the giant's projection (remember this was before projections were all the rage).

Really, though, it all boils down to this. It's very telling about a production when the frikkin' COW steals the entire show and runs off with the best reviews (even from the Times.)

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