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THEATRICAL THROWBACK THURSDAY: Boom, Crunch! INTO THE WOODS Hits Broadway

By: Nov. 06, 2014
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Today we are turning back the clock to this very same week in 1987 when Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's INTO THE WOODS hit Broadway for the first time.

First Midnight

What is the worth of wishes? What do we actually pass down from generation to generation besides genetics? At the end of the day, who is really good and who is really bad? "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". What we want and what we need are vastly different entities, but we wish anyway - it is basic human nature. Such is the gist of INTO THE WOODS. Indeed, INTO THE WOODS is about what makes all of us tick - and, what makes fairy tales themselves so incomparably effective in passing down invaluable life lessons from parent to child, over and over ad infinitum. To wit, later on in the same song, Sondheim posits the overall theme of the entire fairy-tale centric, family-focused 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, INTO THE WOODS.

Premiering on Broadway on November 5, 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 distinct misfortune of going head-to-head with what would become the most financially successful entertainment of all time during its inaugural 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. Yet, in 1988, PHANTOM ultimately dominated - 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, with WOODS now poised to be introduced to a whole new generation via the feature film adaptation.

Of course, INTO THE WOODS centers on many of the most familiar faces from fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm and provides each with musical 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 as well as classical and folk touches, in the rich tapestry of a score. Additionally, the show has been a staple of community theaters ever since its debut and a 2002 Broadway revival won Best Revival at the Tony Awards. For some recent reflections on that production, check out my new extensive InDepth InterView with The Witch herself, Vanessa Williams, available here.

Furthermore, as Broadway babies are acutely aware due to extensive coverage on this very site, no doubt, a feature film adaptation directed by Rob Marshall is set to his movie screens this Christmas, with the 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. Judging from the set of sumptuous character posters released this week as well as the mind-blowing trailer, some wishes seem to come true for those who are patient and good... and even for those who are not.

So, now, let's go back to 1988 and revisit the TONY AWARDS performance of INTO THE WOODS, with The Witch played by replacement performer Phylicia Rashad.

Also, check out the 2002 revival led by Vanessa Williams on that year's TONY AWARDS telecast.

What is your absolute favorite production of INTO THE WOODS to date? Why do you think the show speaks as strongly to viewers today as it did nearly 30 years ago? Furthermore, what aspect of the feature film are looking forward to experiencing most of all? With source material this strong and a score this rich, not to mention a cast this starry, INTO THE WOODS seems set to be a modern movie musical classic... or, we can at least wish.

Photo Credit: Martha Swope/NYPL





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