INTO THE WOODS and AS YOU LIKE IT official for Shakespeare in the Park

[AC126748]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 2:15pm

Per The Public's Facebook page.

Lily Rabe as Rosalind. Directed by Daniel Sullivan.
No casting announced yet for INTO THE WOODS

Updated On: 1/26/12 at 02:15 PM

[Rob]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 2:17pm

and more info @ https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Official-INTO-THE-WOODS-AS-YOU-LIKE-IT-Set-for-Shakespeare-in-the-Park-Lily-Rabe-Set-for-Rosalind-20120126

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 2:31pm

^ Well that's a first. lol

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 2:35pm

So excited for this

[artscallion]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 2:43pm

Not surprised by this. Into the Woods was the first musical Eustis directed did when he was at Trinity. He's a big Sondheim fan.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 2:44pm

Can't wait! Into The Woods is my favorite Sondheim show.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 2:49pm

What a great pairing! Good for Oskar and how I envy New Yorkers!

[ILOHTFAHA (Aida Man)]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 2:50pm

Fingers crossed that Sierra Boggess gets cast as Cinderella in "Into the Woods" since "REBECCA" got pushed back til next season.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 3:01pm

^ I'd love to see that as well. Laura Osnes would also be a good choice. I can't choose which actresses I'd like to play the part more.

"Into The Woods is my favorite Sondheim show."

It's my favorite Sondheim musical as well.

Updated On: 1/26/12 at 03:01 PM

[wickedfan]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 3:01pm

Sounds like this production of Into The Woods is going to greatly differ from the one in London, at least design wise.

And please, not Sierra Boggess for Cinderella. How about a soprano with spunk? Jessie Mueller is my first choice. You can hear her Amalia Balash on youtube. A crystal clear soprano and she actually has personality.

[AC126748]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 3:05pm

Laura Osnes seems like a no-brainer for Cinderella, but we'll see.

Jessie Mueller is my first choice. You can hear her Amalia Balash on youtube. A crystal clear soprano and she actually has personality.

Having ONLY seen the clips online of which you speak, and not seeing her live, I was left somewhat cold by Mueller. She has a lovely voice, but I couldn't see much depth in her characterization. (Well, as much depth as one can glean from a three-minute clip) I was hoping to catch her live in CLEAR DAY to prove myself wrong, but that doesn't look like a possibility.

[blaxx]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 3:05pm

Sounds like this production of Into The Woods is going to greatly differ from the one in London, at least design wise

Which is too bad. This would have been a perfect chance to get it to NYC, as it was a great production. The bar is too high now for Into The Woods, good luck to them.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 3:06pm

I am so excited for this. It looks like WOODS will have a brand new lighting and costume designer. John Lee Beatty will co-design the set with the London designer. It's only based on the London production. "Based on the Olivier Award-winning Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre London production in 2010, The Public Theater staging will be an all-new production."

I do hope they keep the score similar to what they did in London (full Lament, the extended Children Will Listen, etc).

[blaxx]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 3:10pm

What does that even mean? "It is based on another production, but it is a brand new production?"

Am I reading it wrong or what are they trying to say? That the staging will be similar but the design different?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 3:22pm

Sounds like a similar situation when the Roundabout staged CABARET; it was 'based' on the Donmar Warehouse production but featured variations in design and staging.

[Kad]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 3:29pm

I think what that means is, "We'd certainly love to mount a production of Into the Woods that could feasibly transfer into a Broadway house, which the Regent's production cannot do as-is".

[lull89]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 3:30pm

Yeah, it's impossible to recreate it exactly, as that production was based heavily on the actual geography of its theatre, no? So I imagine they'll do the same for the Delacorte, but since the geography is different, the production will have to change as well.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 3:38pm

Stephanie J. Block said she'd like to play the Baker's Wife one day, but she might be reprising the role of Reno Sweeney in 'Anything Goes' on tour. (If Foster were to depart in April like she originally planned, they may have Block temporarily come back again)

Laura Benanti could also do what Jenna Russell did. Russell originally played Cinderella in another London production before playing the Baker's Wife in the Open Air Theatre production. So, maybe Benanti could play the Baker's Wife now after playing Cinderella in the 2002 Broadway revival.



Updated On: 1/26/12 at 03:38 PM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 4:07pm

I still think you're going to see bigger names in several of these roles than some of those mentioned in this thread as casting suggestions.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 4:11pm

As was discussed in the previous thread, Cinderella is the toughest role in the show to cast. She really needs a dark edge, and as talented as Laura Osnes is, she doesn't really have that quality. If they go for theater actors, which is relatively unlikely, Id rather see someone much more interesting and off-kilter cast, like a Jessie Mueller or a Lauren Ambrose (though Ambrose would be my first choice for the Baker's Wife.)

Kad, the changes in the design have nothing to do with accommodating a possible transfer. Like Oskar Eustis said in the Times, they're merely accounting for the fact that Regent's Park and the Delacorte have very different geographical layouts. The Public did HAIR in a completely atmospheric setting and then totally re-designed it when it moved, so they'd hardly handicap themselves by thinking too far ahead, not to mention the fact that I don't see this moving anyway.

Updated On: 1/26/12 at 04:11 PM

[blaxx]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 4:14pm

not to mention the fact that I don't see this moving anyway.

Like Christian Borle?

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 4:15pm

Kim Crosby had very little edge...but is still, in my mind, the perfect Cinderella. She fulfilled the fairy tale trappings of the role, but grew into a fully-realized woman by the end. A masterful performance that was subtle, beautifully sung and didn't rely on any sort of gimmick to make it work.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 4:16pm

The breakdown for this production categorizes Cinderella very well.

CINDERELLA: 20s. An outsider in her own family, led by a strong sense of morals. Usually caring and kind, but with a bit of grit and the fortitude to learn from her struggles and come out stronger. At first a loner and a dreamer, she comes of age as she falls in love, suffers betrayal and ultimately takes responsibility for her own actions, wishes and desires. Not necessarily a Disney princess.

The show will run July 24th through August 19th, which is going to rule out pretty much any actor on a network television series from being able to do it.

Updated On: 1/26/12 at 04:16 PM

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 4:20pm

Sounds just like Crosby's perfect performance!

[Kad]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 4:22pm

I was merely theorizing.
Naturally, the spaces are different. But the Public loves having transfers...they stand to make quite a bit of money on them. It would certainly depend on the success of this particular production and the schedules of those involved. I have no doubt that the prospect of a possible transfer is being kept in mind should things go well.