Into The Woods: The Movie!

I guess Into the Woods really is going to be a movie! The intention to adapt Into the Woods was announced in January of this year with Rob Marshall directing & the screenplay being adapted by the original book writer James Lapine. Don't get too excited, though because the production can't even start until Rob Marshall finishes filming The Thin Man [starring Johnny Depp], but there was a table read on Oct. 1 & this potential cast has potential. 

THE FULL CAST ROSTER:

Nina Arianda: The Baker's Wife
Christine Baranski: Stepmother 

Tammy Blanchard: Florinda 

Victoria Clark:  Cinderella’s Mother & Giant 

James Corden: The Baker

 David Garrison: The Narrator 

Ivan Hernandez: Wolf 

Megan Hilty: Lucinda 

Cheyenne Jackson: Rapunzel’s Prince 

Allison Janney: Jack’s Mother 

Anna Kendrick: Cinderella 

Michael McGrath: Steward/Baker’s Father 

Donna Murphy: The Witch 

Laura Osnes: Rapunzel 

Taylor Trensch: Jack 

 Casey Whyland: Little Red Riding Hood 

Patrick Wilson: Cinderella's Prince

MY THOUGHTS:

The Princesses & GirlFriends:

Christine Baranaski is obviously perfect as Cinderella's Stepmother. As Cinderella's Mother/Giant, Victoria Clark is a fine fit; she is a true-blue Broadway all-star [though, not my favorite leading lady] & well-cast in this role. Speaking of Broadway true-blues, I love Megan Hilty & was happy to see her cast as Cinderella's stepsister Lucinda. She has exhibited that sassiness that is necessary for a stepsister on SMASH & WICKED. I do wish she had been given a more prominent role; she would have been a great vocal fit for Rapunzel, but I was excited to see Laura Osnes' name on the roster. She was on NBC's reality show You're The One That I Want & won the role of Sandy on Grease on Broadway; she went on to play Hope in Anything Goes & Bonnie Park in Bonnie & Clyde (for which she received a 2012 Tony nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Musical). She also attended the same church as me in NYC [C3 Church: Manhattan] & is a sweet, mid-west girl who deserves all the success in the world. I could actually see her better fit as Cinderella than Rapunzel, but maybe she was a little unknown for the more prominent role. Casting Anna Kendrick as Cinderella seemed a little random to me until I found out she was the second-youngest Featured Actress Tony nominee for her role Dinah in High Society & workshopped Jane Eyre: The Musical. Physically, she is kind of perfect for the role, so this is a pretty awesome, out-of-the-box casting choice, IMO. 

The Baker & The Baker's Wife:

I was not familiar with the actors playing The Baker [James Corden] & The Baker's Wife [Nina Arianda]. After a little research, I am down with both choices. Corden is an accomplished actor from the U.K. who won the 2012 Best Leading Actor Tony for One Man, Two Guvnors & looks like Cam from Modern Family. Arianda is equally accomplished in film & stage:  she appeared in Midnight in Paris & is a Tony princess, having won the 2012 Tony for Best Leading Actress in a Play (Venus in Fur) & been nominated for a Best Leading Actress Tony in 2011 (Born Yesterday). But what won me over about this lady? She has been cast as Janis Joplin in the upcoming biopic (beating out everyone from Pink to Zooey Deschanel). 

The Princes/Wolf/Narrator + Little Red:

Patrick Wilson is an obvious & awesome choice for Cinderella's Prince; he has the stage & stage/street cred to carry the role, which makes me wonder why they altered the role to give the role less stage. In the stage version, there are two instances of double-casting roles: Cinderella's Prince/The Wolf & The Narrator/The Mysterious Man [who is implied/revealed to be be The Baker's Father as Act Two draws to a close]. The Mysterious Man does not exist in this adaptation; he has been renamed The Baker's Father & is double-cast with the Steward (played by Michael McGrath). I really don't get this decision & hope the thought-process behind it becomes apparent in the film's re-worked script. This shift in character definition leaves The Narrator (played by Law & Order alum David Garrison) in a more simply-defined role; his interaction with the characters will be minimized, hopefully for the purpose of presenting the story in a more narrative manner (I'm thinking Princess Bride-style). Otherwise, I liked the character combinations from the original production & oppose alterations to perfection. Casey Whyland is playing Little Red & I know nothing about her except that she played the token pudgy ballerina in Billy Elliot on Broadway. That alone is not enough for me. Personally, I find my DreamCast's choice of Madeleine Martin much more fitting. We know the girl can sing & she holds a wider-spread appeal than an unknown Broadway chorus girl (it hurts me to write that, but it's true).  

OUR WITCH:

So, Donna Murphy read for The Witch. I LOVE THIS. She is such an elegant lady, but proved in Passion that she can pull off the ugly just as well. Apparently, she was serving as a place-holder because Meryl Streep is actually going to play The Witch. While I have no doubt she can & will act like a champion, I have little confidence in her singing capabilities after seeing her in Mamma Mia. Maybe her name will sell more tickets, but I don't know if it will produce a higher quality film. Either way, this film has the makings of something great & I would appreciate it if Mr. Marshall started production ASAP.