To purchase the DVD of the original Broadway production of INTO THE WOODS, click on the image above.
The new Kansas City Repertory Theatre production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the Woods, directed by venezuelan director Moisés Kaufman, best known for writing The Laramie Project with other members of Tectonic Theater Project, opens tonight for a run through October 4.
The cast includes a mix of actors from New York musical theatre and Kansas City natives, featuring Euan Morton (Narrator), Lauren Worsham (Cinderella), KC Comeaux (Jack), Brynn O’Malley (Baker’s Wife), Zachary Prince (Baker), Katie Kalahurka (Florinda), Katie Karel (Lucinda), Melinda MacDonald (Cinderella’s Stepmother), Kip Niven (Mysterious Man/Cinderella’s Father), Claybourne Elder (Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince), Michele Ragusa (Witch), Tina Stafford (Jack’s Mother/Cinderella’s Mother/Granny/Voice of Giant), Dana Steingold (Little Red Riding Hood), Lauren Braton (Rapunzel), Patrick DuLaney (Steward/Boy’s Father), Zackary Hoar (Boy) and Brandon Sollenberger (Rapunzel’s Prince).
With choreography is by Daniel Pelzig, the show will also feature extensive puppetry created by Kansas City’s puppet master Paul Mesner. Here is a video clip of Kaufman talking about the production:
Musical Cyberspace 
I’d love to see this – but alas I am in NYC. Is anyone here planning on seeing it – or have seen it and can give feedback to Moises’ interpretation. I really want to hear more about it firsthand.
Thanks!
A photo gallery of images from the show has been put up at Playbill and the Kansas City Repertory Theatre has released some clips from the production.
Looking at the photographs and these clips, I’ve realised that I just don’t get the hype about this production. I don’t think it looks at all as unconventional as the marketing makes it seem and, in fact, it looks pretty much like business as usual for Into the Woods, although there are some pretty costumes and an attractive stage design. But… so what? Pretty costumes and attractive stage designs are a pound a penny; interesting, original and consistently engaging concept in most commercial musical theatre productions these days are not.
I think it looks derivative, particularly of the RSC production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which also involved a little boy in pajamas observing the action of the play with a “Puck-ish” narrator. And the wolf looks like Wolverine. How trendy; I wonder where that idea originated? And what’s happened to this wonderful new concept that opens the show by the end of it all? Does it really all come down to the little boy flying in and singing the final “I wish”?
I certainly hope there is something not evident in the photos and clips that pulls it all together in the end. Otherwise, I just can’t see what would be make about this production of the show so groundbreaking.
The Rep’s website has links to reviews.
This looks amazing! Well, except the narrator – but Moises Kaufmann is a genius. I’d love to have seen this.
Mmm – I love how little Red is like, “Oh, I’m going on a walk now… If you want to follow me….”
Vocally stunning. But kind of… boring.
I am going to see this next week! I can’t wait! Our high school is doing this production so we are taking a trip to see it. If you are able to go see it, I know for a fact that at least Jack will be incredible because KC Comeaux is genius. His voice is heaven. Anyone see Bare at the Unicorn last season? I went twice. It was lovely!
Hope you all enjoy it! I’m sure I will!
I will be seeing this next Thursday – I’m so excited!
Well you two are incredibly lucky. I would kill to see this. I do expect full reports back from both of you!
LOL
I thought he looked like Wolverine too!
I think that you’re blowing this into a bigger deal than it need be. Granted, the Rep might be blowing this into a bigger deal also, but that’s beside the point. The little boy appears at the beginning and the end of each act, and I think a couple of times during the acts (I remember he and the narrator steal the cow). He never says anything until the very end, when he says “I wish”. It was neither groundbreaking nor distracting, simply a way to set the mood. It was fine.
Likewise the wolf was supposed to look like Wolverine. So what? The audience chuckled for a second and then the scene went on. It was neither ground breaking nor distracting, simply a little joke. It was fine.
Overall, Little Red and the Witch (who reminded me of Billy Crystal’s old crone of a wife from The Princess Bride) were the two standouts in the show. Cinderella had a beautiful voice, but was kind of lethargic acting. Jack was the opposite, good and energetic acting, but rather lackluster vocally. The two princes played well off of each other, but not great individually. The rest of the cast was decent, but not outstanding.
All IMHO, of course.