“Direct from Broadway, the critically acclaimed and much beloved production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Tony®-winning triumph is coming to Buffalo with its Broadway stars to boot. Into the Woods features Montego Glover as The Witch, Stephanie J. Block as The Baker’s Wife, Sebastian Arcelus as The Baker, and Gavin Creel as Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf – all reprising their Broadway roles – in a production called “radiant” (Variety), “enchanting” (The Wall Street Journal), and “a priceless revival with a perfect cast” (The Washington Post). Directed by Lear deBessonet (Hercules), this theatrical event honors Sondheim’s legendary memory and his Broadway masterpiece like never before.”
When Katie found out that Into the Woods was coming to Buffalo after a successful Broadway run, she called us and urged us to buy tickets quickly. We did and now we’re glad we saw this top-flight version of one of Stephen Sondheim’s most popular musicals. Stephenie J. Block (The Baker’s Wife) and Sebastian Arcelus (The Baker) are married to each other in Real Life.
Into the Woods debuted in 1986 in San Diego at the Old Globe Theater and premiered on Broadway in 1987. It won three Tonys. The musical weaves the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests. The characters in this musical are based on “Little Red Riding Hood“, “Jack and the Beanstalk“, “Rapunzel“, and “Cinderella“. A childless baker and his wife discover a witch has placed a curse on them. The witch will lift the curse which will allow them to have a child–if they bring her four objects. So off the Baker and the Baker’s Wife go…into the Woods.
As is common in Sondheim musicals, there are some deaths and darkness. Most of these were glossed over in the 2014 Disney movie adaptation which we saw. It felt like we were on Broadway watching this musical! Are you a fan of Sondheim? GRADE: A
Brings back memories. Kitty hated it. She thought it was silly and a waste of time. I really liked it for the wordplay and the frenetic pacing. She forgave me for my shocking lack of good taste and I forgave her for being right in just about everything. And that’s how a marriage should work.
Jerry, many parents brought their young children to this performance of INTO THE WOODS and from the look on many of the kids’ faces, they didn’t get it at all. Like many Sondheim productions, INTO THE WOODS is polarizing.
Although I must admit I don’t quite get why people go bonkers over him, in general I have enjoyed this play, A Little Night Music, Company and Assassins.
Patti, my favorite Sondheim song is “Send in the Clowns.”
That song was ruined for me by too many sloppy MOR vocalists performing it, particularly on television, in the ’70s (and I’m not kidding a lick…one overdramatic butchering of a typically reserved bit of SS irony relentlessly after another)…but generally, I’m a fan, though also not a berserk fan, of Sondheim’s work.
Todd, I’m not a berserk fan of Sondheim’s songs, either. But I was floored when I first heard Judy Collins sing “Send in the Clowns” so long ago.
Well, duh. We’ve been fans since first (of many times) seeing COMPANY in 1970. We’ve also seen FOLLIES and A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC and SWEENEY TODD and even PACIFIC OVERTURES multiple times, as well as revivals of A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, GYPSY and West SIDE STORY.
We did see the original production of INTO THE WOODS. I liked it but Jackie liked it a lot more than I did. The original production had Bernadette Peters as The Witch, Joanna Gleason as The Baker’s Wife, Chip Zien as The Baker, and Danielle Ferland as Red Riding Hood, among others. We might have seen a second production but my list is at home. The movie version confirmed to me that it was just not one of my favorites. Again, Jackie liked it a lot more than I did.
Never saw ASSASSINS or MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG.
I actively disliked SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE. PASSION was not a favorite either.
Jeff, like you I prefer some of Sondheim’s works more than others. However, Bruce Taylor believes Sondheim “ruined” Broadway!
I’m not a musical fan, never heard about this but now I had to look up the story.
Of course I know all the people from the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm – but the way they are interpreted and mixed here is quite funny and interesting.
Wolf, the real Brothers Grimm stories contain violence and treachery that usually gets washed out in American versions.
George, yes – I’ll never forget Hänsel und Gretel with the cannibal witch who is put into the oven by Gretel and burned …
Christians liked to do that over many centuries, no problem.
Wolf, I read the original Grimm Brothers tales in translation and they can be very grim indeed!
Oh, that’s present in the US versions…but US versions of “Cinderella” usually don’t include her sisters cutting off their toes to try to fit into the lost slipper.
Todd, or Cinderella’s birds plucking out her stepsister’s eyes, either!