Where was the live broadcast of INTO THE WOODS filmed?

[mjohnson2]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 3:47am

Hello all,
So I know that the 1991 live recording of ITW was filmed with the original Broadway cast, but the show closed in 1989 on Broadway, so my question is: where was the broadcast filmed? It seems to be in a theatre large enough to be a Broadway house, but I can't find any information on where it is. Thank you for your help.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 4:10am

The show was filmed at the Martin Beck (now Hirschfeld) Theatre on Broadway, where the original production played. It was filmed near the end of the run, with the full original company (minus the original Snow White, I THINK) returning for several performances specifically for the filming.
It was just not BROADCAST til 1991.
As far as "live", well.. Yes, several performances were filmed, but much of it was re filmed in the empty theatre and there are a number of reasonably significant changes to the original staging that were made for the filming.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 4:16am

As far as I know it was filmed at the Martin Beck, now the Al Hirschfeld. It was filmed in May 1989 prior to the closing in September and then broadcast later in 1991.

*broadwayguy2 beat me to it.

Updated On: 7/22/14 at 04:16 AM

[mjohnson2]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 5:37am

Thank you both very much.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 7:34am

Was anyone on here fortunate enough to attend one of those performances in '89? In those pre-internet days, there must have been people who had tickets without knowing they were going to see the original cast until they arrived at the theatre. What a marvelous surprise.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 9:03am

I briefly talked to Chuck Wagner about it when he was in L.A. in 1989. They brought the original cast back together (minus Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, who were played by the current actors) and rehearsed them separately, then they took over the roles for two performances in front of the cameras (can you imagine the white pieces of paper flying out of those Playbills?).

[Littleshopofcarrie]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 9:17am

^^ Sorry, but at what parts were Snow White and Sleeping Beauty in this.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 9:29am

Littleshopofcarrie -

In Act II, the Princes sing a reprise of Agony where they tell each other of the new maidens they have found, and based on their descriptions it can be inferred that they are Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. The two princesses make a short appearance around the time of the song (whether before or after, I cannot recall).

[wickedfan]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 9:33am

That's incorrect. Yes, the princes are referencing Snow White and Sleeping Beauty in the "Agony" reprise ("High in a tower/Like yours was but higher/A beauty asleep" and "I've found a casket entirely of glass/No, it's unbreakable"). But the princesses don't make an appearance in that song, they show up for the finale.

After the Giantess falls, the characters come out for their last couplets. The princes enter with Snow White and Sleeping Beauty and say "The harder to WAKE the better to have." Snow White and Sleeping Beauty both yawn, say "excuse me" and go to the side of the stage with their princes.

[xxdrewboy85xx]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 9:34am

^ Actually they don't make their appearance until the finale right after the attack of the birds when the princes sing "the harder to get the better to have" not during the reprise of Agony.

Edit: ^ you beat me to it! Updated On: 7/22/14 at 09:34 AM

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 9:36am

Thank you for correcting me Wickedfan and Drewboy - as you can see, my memory is not the greatest.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 9:42am

Misheard lyric story:

When ITW made its way into my life around age, oh, I don’t know, 12 or 13, I misheard the “Agony” lyrics as such…

High in a tower
Like yours was, but higher
A beauteous leap

…further emphasizing the height of the tower.

I don’t remember when or how I finally understood the correct lyric, but I do remember being excited that the logic of the song “clicked” for me.

But full disclosure – I still sing/see “beauteous leap” in my head as often as I sing/see “beauty asleep.”

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 9:56am

Funny story Growl! Thanks for sharing!

[StageManager2]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 10:04am

So were there multiple shows filmed and then edited together? 'Cause in the scene in Act II before the Giantess arrives, the group gathers 'round and begins arguing. There's a faraway shot of Joanna Gleason holding the basket with both hands, and then in the next shot she has it tucked under her arm. It was like a continuity error.

[Jon]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 12:32pm

Another reason for the existence of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty is that the actresses served as additional offstage singing voices, and as understudies for Little Red, Cinderella, and Rapunzel.

The original Snow White was Jean Louisa Kelly, who went on to semi-fame in "Mr. Holland's Opus", "Uncle Buck", the movie version of "The Fantasticks", and the sitcom "Yes, Dear".

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 12:43pm

Yes, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty made only that cameo onstage, but the actresses were swings/understudies covering multiple roles.

According to what Mr. Wagner told me, they taped two shows in front of an audience, then did a few "pickups" after that, which is pretty much how they shoot sitcoms (with audiences).

EDIT: By the way, the first taping is usually considered the "dress rehearsal/tech rehearsal," but it's taped anyway and performed exactly as the second performance. It's also used as a backup for any scenes or shots if they need it.

Then they do "pickups" for anything that was missed (or flubbed) or any additional shots they want to get.

Updated On: 7/22/14 at 12:43 PM

[Jon]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 12:55pm

One change for the video was that on stage, the witch's transformation was done using a double. When the witch entered after digging up the dead cow, it was actually a double in a mask with the hood of her cloak pulled around her face). She mouthed the dialogue. The real witch was offstage speaking the lines while doing her costume/make-up change. They switched places at the moment of the transformation.

For the video, it was always Bernadette Peters, and they edited it together.

[Tag]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 1:31pm

So if the Snow White or Sleeping Beauty went on in their understudy role, who went on as Snow White or Sleeping Beauty?

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 1:36pm

Tag, other female understudies...

Jon, yes. The end of the opening number as well as the Baker's Wife stealing Rapunzel's hair were also heavily changed and restaged compared to how they happened 8 times a week in the show.

[Tag]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 1:53pm

According to the original cast list, the Snow White u/s (Maureen Davis) was the actress who played Sleeping Beauty. How does that work?

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 3:34pm

True story from my past: during college, my university produced Into the Woods with very little in the way of doubling. Snow White was an actress who never appeared anywhere else in the show, nor did she sing with the chorus in chorus-y parts. The director was extremely academic in his approach to theatre, and believed in a lot of emotional preparation and heavy, well-planned delving into the character.

My friend, Snow White, was chastised one day for not having as many notes prepared for character arc and motivation as the other characters. "I only have one line in the final scene," she said. The director replied, "Well, then that one line had better carry your character as much as the Baker's Wife's hundreds do!" I began to lose faith in super-Method work after this point.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 4:02pm

How was the hair stealing scene re-staged?

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 4:26pm

It was a loooong time ago, but I think during the run, The Baker's Wife was pulling on a very lengthy portion of blonde hair that was off-stage. Neither the tower nor Rapunzel were visible...you just heard her voice off-stage. I believe for the recording the tower and the actress were added.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 5:30pm

Yes, the hair-pulling was originally done with a long length of hair falling from the flies bhind the proscenium at stage right and you only heard Rapunzel's voice from off stage.
The tower and Rapunzel coming in was done specifically for the video production. Updated On: 7/22/14 at 05:30 PM

[PattyO'Furniture]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 5:50pm

So, then, they kept Rapunzel's tower in after the taping? I know it was used in 1989, but I just assumed it was there from the get-go.