7 Days Of THE LORD & THE MASTER: Day #4 - INTO THE WOODS

By: Pat Cerasaro Jun. 13, 2014

Today we continue a special spotlight series highlighting the spectacular entertainment set to be presented this coming Monday, June 16, at Joe's Pub, THE LORD & THE MASTER: BROADWAYWORLD.COM SINGS THE MUSIC OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER & STEPHEN SONDHEIM, tickets available here, with a tribute to INTO THE WOODS.

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No One Is Alone
"Careful before you say 'Listen to me,' / Children will listen," Stephen Sondheim so eloquently writes in the penultimate song in one of his most internationally adored and oft-revived musical theatre masterpieces, INTO THE WOODS, the song being the sagely wise "Children Will Listen". Later on in the same song, Sondheim posits the overall theme of the entire fairy-tale centric, family-friendly piece: "Wishes come true, not free." And so goes the intellectual and erudite spin on classic childhood tales as presented by Sondheim and collaborator James Lapine in one of the master's most recognizable musicals.
Originally produced on Broadway in 1987 with a who's who of Broadway's best leading the cast - Bernadette Peters, Chip Zien, Joanna Gleason, Tom Aldredge and many more included - the original production had the misfortune of going head-to-head with what would become the most financially successful entertainment of all time during its inagural year on the Great White Way, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Yes, Sondheim once again faced off against Andrew Lloyd Webber, this time in the very same season - previously, many of their musicals had shared a year, but happened to open in separate seasons due to many of Lloyd Webber's shows appearing first across the pond, in the West End; such as: SWEENEY TODD and EVITA on Broadway in 1979, CATS in London and MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG in New York in 1981, ASSASSINS Off-Broadway and ASPECTS OF LOVE in the West End in 1989, PASSION and SUNSET BOULEVARD both on Broadway in 1994. At the 1988 Tony Awards, PHANTOM took Best Musical along with Best Actor and some other honors, while WOODS walked away with Best Score, Best Book, Best Actress and more, in a fairly even split. Nevertheless, the two musicals remain incomparable beyond their competitive Broadway births nearly 30 years ago.

INTO THE WOODS centers on many of the most familiar faces from fairy tales and provides each with moments to savor and celebrate, including a handful of Sondheim's most instantly lovable earworms - "I Wish", "Into The Woods", "Giants In The Sky", "No One Is Alone" and "Ever After" among them, as well as the aforementioned score standout, "Children Will Listen". Without any doubt whatsoever, INTO THE WODDS is rife with performance opportunities and showcases Sondheim at his most musically playful, with snatches of rap and pop creeping into moments in the rich tapestry of a score. Additionally, the show has been a staple of community theaters and a 2002 Broadway revival won Best Revival at the Tony Awards.
Furthermore, a feature film adaptation directed by Rob Marshall is set to his movie screens this Christmas! The confirmed complete cast for the INTO THE WOODS movie is as follows: Meryl Streep as The Witch, James Corden as The Baker, Emily Blunt as The Baker's Wife, Johnny Depp as The Wolf, Anna Kendrick as Cinderella, Chris Pine as Cinderella's Prince, Billy Magnussen as Rapunzel's Prince, Mackenzie Mauzy as Rapunzel, Lucy Punch as Lucinda, Tammy Blanchard as Florinda, Christine Baranski as Cinderella's Stepmother and Tracey Ullman as Jack's Mother, with Lilla Crawford as Little Red Riding Hood and Daniel Huttlestone as Jack.

Of course, INTO THE WOODS film star Billy Magnussen will be on hand along with his impressive rock band Reserved For Rondee at this Monday's THE LORD & THE MASTER live concert at Joe's Pub, plus some surprises involving some INTO THE WOODS chestnuts are likely to occur, as well!

Tickets for THE LORD & THE MASTER: BROADWAYWORLD.COM SINGS ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER & STEPHEN SONDHEIM are available here.

Let's take a look at some of the most memorable INTO THE WOODS moments from over the years as we look ahead to Monday night's concert.
First, check out the original cast of INTO THE WOODS on the 1988 Tony Awards.
Next, check out the 2002 revival of INTO THE WOODS.
Now, see Barbra Streisand sing "Children Will Listen" as only she can.
Also, original cast member Bernadette Peters performs a special take of an unexpected INTO THE WOODS tune.

Lastly, check out this sneak peek of the movie cast filming INTO THE WOODS last year on location in the UK.
So, what precisely makes INTO THE WOODS such an enduring classic in the musical theatre canon? Furthermore, what song from the score would you like to hear most in THE LORD & THE MASTER? With a score this strong, any selection is a recipe for success, especially with real-life musical theatre royalty delivering them!

Tickets for THE LORD & THE MASTER: BROADWAYWORLD.COM SINGS ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER & STEPHEN SONDHEIM are available here.

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