Roundabout Theatre to present Fiasco Theatre's "Into the Woods"- Page 3

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 8:11pm

I love the minimalist Sondheims. It's wonderful when they're enormous, obviously, but that doesn't stop them from functioning, or even excelling, when scaled-down. There's no disrespect in a small, inventive production and let's face it, in this economic climate we should be glad his work is being produced as often as it has been.

Also, this production looks totally charming, and I don't even like Into the Woods that much. Some of the stage pictures in that trailer were fantastic.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 9:13pm

Horse, I agree with your main point, but the era of always doing Sondheim as small as possible seems to have somewhat passed (at least keeping in mind orchestras are smaller anyway.) This production deserves some exception anyway since it WAS done at a small regional company, as you said. If Roundabout liked the critically raved production why would they change it? But I get your main gist.

[Brick]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 9:16pm

What is this idea Sondheim isn't receiving full productions? Perhaps in New York, but that's simply the economics. And who, pray tell, is receiving more revivals - minimalist, or otherwise?

I've heard nothing but raves about this production, and it seems the perfect fit for the Pels.

As for the Public production, I don't think they had issues with attendance, but it didn't transfer because the reviews weren't good enough, and some of the cast didn't want to move with it.

But seriously, what's with all the griping? Sondheim is even finally receiving movie versions of these, decades later!

[darquegk]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 10:30pm

You're missing the forest for the trees. The trend here isn't minimalistic, story-theatre Sondheim, it's minimalistic, story-theatre musical theatre. Post-Fantasticksism has been jump-started by the success of Starcatcher, and I think it's going to be the hot thing for a few more years before it fades away like Post-Rentism in the early 2000s.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 11:38pm

Starcatcher was the most visible of this aesthetic- but it has been happening for several years (see Fiasco's own production of Cymbeline, smaller companies like Pigiron, even something like Doyle's Sweeney Todd)

It's born of necessity due to the economic downturn. There is a pushback after decades of grandeur; the grandeur is no longer reliably viable and there are other effective means to stage work.

The story theatre/do-it-yourself aesthetic isn't just a fad in a theatrical and economic climate in which recognizable properties and names are the horses producers will bet on.

[brdway411]

Posted: 3/7/14 at 12:01am

I hope this goes into the Laura Pells. Our Subscription seats are great in that theater. One of my favorite shows. Even if it is scaled down to a PATSC level. And I enjoyed that show also.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 3/7/14 at 12:35am

"but can you imagine if a major NY theatre company produced a Rodgers & Hammerstein musical with just a piano? It probably wouldn't happen because that rich, orchestral sound is part of the R&H experience."

While not Rodgers & Hammerstein, the 1992 revival of The Most Happy Fella was done with just two pianos and was pretty widely praised as being wonderful. The is also the two piano version of My Fair Lady that has been pretty successful for a number of major regional companies (including the McCarter).