Cast This! Rob Marshall and "Into the Woods"
Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 7:20PM As frightening... as bewildering... as wrong as it is to say after a decade of breakthroughs (Moulin Rouge!), critical triumphs (Dancer in the Dark, Hedwig and the Angry Inch) and box office hits (Chicago, Dreamgirls, Hairspray) and problematic but Oscar nominated efforts (Nine, Sweeney Todd, Phantom of the Opera) ... the movie musical is still in trouble. It probably will be until another Vincente Minnelli or Bob Fosse arrives on the scene, someone who understands and breathes and trusts the very cinematic language of the musical. Until then we'll get bored directors detouring or novices who think it might be "fun" to try one... or Rob Marshall.
Will no young director challenge Rob Marshall as King of the Musicals?
Stage turned film director Rob Marshall was initially seen as something of a savior of the form when Chicago (2002) became a smash hit and Best Picture winner. It had been 34 years since a movie musical had had that honor. But his musical follow up Nine (2009) proved a massive flop and a target of critical derision. Though I thought it was better than it got credit for being (how could it not be given the vitriol?) in tandem with Chicago it revealed too little range and an inherent distrust of the form he had been handed, without competition, to rule; the music in both films emerged on sound stages as hallucinations or performative fantasy. His two subsequent non-musicals (Memoirs of a Geisha and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) were much worse, with listless dramatics and overstuffed weightless business for plot. Nevertheless, Hollywood logic prevails. Disney, looking at the colossal gross of On Stranger Tides, has obviously forgiven Marshall for Nine's red ink and rewarded him with the reigns of the film version of a bonafide masterpiece, Stephen Sondheim's twisted fairy tale classic Into the Woods. Never mind that I could have directed On Stranger Tides (it would have been all about the mermaids and they would have drowned Captain Jack in the first half hour) and it would still have been a top grosser. In Hollywood you get credit for blockbuster grosses even if you are obviously replaceable since anyone helming a long running franchise will produce a similar size hit. Audiences are lemmings when it comes to those big franchises.
So though I weep that Into the Woods isn't getting a world class auteur, and I shudder most of all to think of those glorious songs sung by people who can't handle the intricacies of the music -- Marshall casts for stardom first even if they can't sing and Sondheim obviously writes only for great singers who can act -- we should try and stay positive. Let's play...
Bernadette Peters leads the cast of the original INTO THE WOODS (1987)
For those of you who aren't familiar, Into the Woods is a musical by the living legend Stephen Sondheim. He typically favors a two act construction where the second act shifts the tone and meaning of the piece. Into the Wood's first act introduces you to a bunch of very familiar fairy tale characters and it's all very funny and light and it ends happily as watered down modern reworkings of fairy tales often do. In Act Two, though, the characters start getting bored with their "Ever After". Neurosis and resentments and fear and all sorts of recognizable humanity punctures the archetypes and it becomes a very different and very genius musical altogether. It has tremendous fun and insight in investigating the relationships between parents and children and the relationship between people and their aspirations in particular. Into the Woods is a true ensemble so there aren't really any leads but let's cast a few key roles. The most important thing is that all players have to have great voices and be equally at ease in comic and dramatic moments.
Vanessa Williams as the Witch in the Broadway revivalTHE WITCH
Bernadette Peters originated this role and Vanessa Williams reprised it on Broadway. If you have to cast for major movie stars, this is the role you do it with. The witch needs to be a sassy beautiful mature diva with real pipes, an actress who could have fun playing both an old crone and a beautiful younger bitch. She has to be able to do comedy ("Beans") a thwarted curdled sense of maternity ("Stay With Me") and authoritarian fury ("The Last Midnight"). She's sort of a villain but not really because Sondheim always beautifully complicates things. A lot of people would work here and though I'm partial to Kristin Chenoweth -- no one beats her in the realm of musical comedy with spectacular vocal work -- I'm expecting they'll go with the biggest movie (or pop) star they can find in this showstopping role. And once it gets to casting you'll hear every name imaginable I'm sure. [Trivia: in the proposed film version in 1994, Cher was to play the witch! You do need a diva in this role.]
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
Obviously a younger actress here, with a certain comic innocence mixed with sexual precocity ("I Know Things Now")
JACK
A younger boisterous actor here to play the famous beanstalk climbing adventurer. Must be able to show adventurous can do spirit while also playing vulnerable fears and humanity ("Giants in the Sky") No Nicolas Hoult because I'm sure he won't be reprising the role anytime soon!
CINDERELLA
Laura Benanti, who we recently loved on "The Playboy Club", won a Tony nomination for this role in the last Broadway revival. You need a beauty with a gorgeous voice. I mean they have to be able to nail the penultimate ballad "No One is Alone". Here's Bernadette singing it.
BAKER and BAKER'S WIFE
These two, not based on fairy tale characters, are crucial to the emotional success of the piece. You need two good actors who'd work very well together with emotional range; they have an unhappy childless marriage and do a lot of desperate dreaming. The Baker's Wife eventually runs off with Cinderella's Prince and the Baker takes Jack under his wing and gets one of the most moving songs in the whole show ("No More"). [Trivia: in the aborted 1994 film version Robin Williams and Goldie Hawn were set for these roles. Goldie Hawn has a beautiful singing voice which you'll already know if you've seen Woody Allen's Everyone Says I Love You (1996)]
THE WOLF / WOLVES
Wide age range possible here. Must be able to do sexual lasciviousness and unchecked appetite without being too icky ("Hello Little Girl") and thus must be funny [Trivia: This was going to be Steve Martin's role in the '94 version]. In an interesting note the wolf or wolves are sometimes played by the same actors as the princes. Movies don't generally employ this stage thematic connection trick, but it might be fun if movies did if the filmmaking were skillful enough.
RAPUNZEL'S PRINCE and CINDERELLA'S PRINCE
Should be lookers who can also sing and who are gifted with comedy. They have some of Gaston's arrogance from Beauty and the Beast to cite a semi-kindred example though they aren't evil. They're more confused than angry about what the princesses want from them. I vote Patrick Wilson but who else...?
THE NARRATOR
You need someone with solid dry wit here -- not overtly "aren't I hilarious?" antics. This is going to be the most problematic role for a movie version -- a very stage-centric role. He comments on the proceedings but takes no part in them though the other characters do try to involve him humourously -- and one that I fear will trigger all of Marshall's worst instincts about "audiences don't like musicals so here's a conceit by which you'll understand that people are singing!!!"
• WOULD YOU LOVE TO SEE AN "INTO THE WOODS" OR ARE YOU TO NERVOUS ABOUT ROB MARSHALL?
• WHO DO YOU SEE IN THE ROLES?
Reader Comments (70)
Rob Marshall has his quirks, but I think we can safely assume he won't do his trademark "fantasy" musical numbers in an actual fantasy setting.
Love the idea of Norbert Leo Butz getting a film break as the Baker. If they stack the cast with enough stars - as they're bound to do - I could see them putting in a ringer or two from Broadway.
I also think Maya Rudolph could do great in something like this but don't know what part - feels like she's too young for the witch, and both the witch and baker's wife are high profile enough that they'll want to cast more of a proven leading lady.
ok, so this is terrifying - rob marshall has proven to lack imagination as a director and his last two movies simply stunk. and chicago worked in spite of him.
into the wood is one of my favorite musicals. there's so much nuance and delicacy, and marshall will likely kill it. as far as cast, this will likely be a new years eve/valentines day type mess. but, here goes.
cinderella - with laura benanti finally getting somewhere, i'd love her to go back to this. but, they'll cast anne hathaway who has none of the gumption necessary. maybe carey mulligan?
the baker - hugh jackman is perfect, but the movie might be too gay for his publicist.
baker's wife - amy adams would be delightful, but i always think of this as an older woman, perhaps someone like martha plimpton. maybe anika noni rose?
jack - darren criss has this written all over him, like it or not. maybe nick jonas.
the witch - vanessa williams was great in her run in this, but i'd love to see nicole kidman give this role some frosty bite.
red riding hood - heather morris is way too old, but would be a lot of fun.
the narrator (the most underrated role) - patrick stewart
Also: audiences may not know Anna Kendrick all that well yet, but her agent better be all over this one for her. She's not too young for Cinderella.
Amy Acker as Cinderella.
I have been thinking about this since last night - there are some amazing suggestions here!
My choices-
THE WITCH - Kristin Chenoweth all the way, baby. Remember she needs to have killer pipes!
THE BAKER - Ewan McGregor. I'm so glad I'm not the only one who thinks he is perfect for this! Again, he needs to be able to really sing and also a friendly, warm guy.
THE BAKER'S WIFE- Toni Collette was BORN to play this role.. Again, sooooo glad I'm not the only one who immediately thought of her!!
JACK'S MOTHER- Donna Murphy. If we are lucky enough to get a Broadway ringer, please let it be her..... Interesting trivia- she and Marshall were dance partners in the chorus of "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" together.
James marsden would be great for rapunzel and Wilson for cinderella! Daniel Radcliffe would bring star power to jack! And if only Indian were a bigger star...much better fit for the witch whose music is not so virtuosic but complicated...annoying similarity to other role she's played lol, but this witch is so much more dimensional. Hey they could even bring taye diggs in for the baker.
What about JGL as one of the princes?
since mcgregor and collette have already been dreamcasted for the major roles i'll just wade in with the star role. czj is great but we'd seen her in enough musicals may i suggest someone who's been under the radar but has the perfect combination of bitchy and sweet? ashley judd. her musical pedigree withstanding she was just lovely in de-lovely.
Aaron Tviet
Nat -- so glad to have started things off on the right note. As for Jon Hamm's singing ability, this clip won't do much to assure us, but it takes a lot of talent to sing poorly WELL. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwc446g2PPU
One other thought that come to mind: If a big enough star is (and should be) drawn in as The Witch, and a truly bright ingenue as Cinderella, I think you're always allowed to sneak attack an audience with a knockout performance from a less known performer in the real emotional heart of the piece, the Baker's Wife. You get Meryl, Charlize, CZJ, heck -- even Jennifer Hudson (I don't hate this idea myself), in as the The Witch, and you get a Anne Hathaway or Alison Brie in as Cinderella, you can make room for one of the Bridesmaids chicks or (PLEASE) Ms. Collette as the Baker's Wife.
Nat -- long time fan of this blog, and have never written before. I'm a fellow NYC actressexual and am so happy you coined the term.
Catherine Deneuve should be cast as the Witch and they can dub her as they did for Jacques Demy musicals.
@Rich Hahaha....the MOVIE might be too gay for Jackman's publicist?
Also, Carey Mulligan, while charming, cannot sing Cinderella. She she is an average singer.
Narrator: Cut the part. I don't think it will transfer well to the screen
Jack, Red, and Repunzel: Cast all unknowns
Witch: Catherine Zeta-Jones
Baker: NPH
Baker's Wife: Anne Hathaway
Cinderella: Emmy Rossum
Cinderella's Prince: James Marsden
Repunzel's Prince: Matt Bomer (If he can sing)
Jack's Mother: Imelda Stauton
DS -- love the idea of Anna Kendrick as one of the princessses.
addewitt -- interesting and yes very under the radar, now.
Steve. THANK YOU. I love it when longtimers finally speak up. welcome retroactively.
Rebecca -- that might be interesting actually. I wonder if JGL would do such a minor role now? I guess he does still do supporting work regularly.
This is my favorite Musical ever! Hopefully marshall won't go super pop glamdom..
As far as memorable songs go, this has it galore:
Last Midnight, Children will listen, Moments in the woods, On the steps of the palace, just to name a few
I like everyone's idea of the baker and his wife being in their 40s.
Cinderella, The Witch, and The Baker's Wife all have to have strong vocal range.
I am going to have great hope for this, because this is great news.
My Picks:
Witch: I LOVE the idea of Bette Midler in this, but i think she might be too old. What about Idina Menzel, she has the chops, but is this straying into wicked territory, and maybe too young? CZJ would own this. Michael Pfeiffer would warm my soul on this. Her bitchery is sublime.
Baker and Baker's Wife : Nicole and Ewan would be awesome, but i do not think Nicole has the chops for it. This will be the hardest to cast. The play is a true ensemble, but they are the closest to leads you will get. This is a toughie for me lol. Toni Collete would be awesome as well, but i have never heard her sing.
Cinderella - Anne Hathaway
Princes: PLEASE PLAY THE WOLF ALSO, i love the idea of patrick wilson. Hugh Jackman, Ewan Mcgreggor would work her as well, James Marsden
RRH - one of the fannings? Can Abigail Breslin Sing?
Jack - Dan Radcliffe?
Jack's Mother - i think they could have fun with the casting, and i think it needs to be over the top. Cher, Bette, Tilda, Bernadette (would be a nice way of honoring her for all the work she has done with Sondheim), Someone said Judi Dench and Imelda (BRILLIANT)
my brain has suddenly froze...
What about Zachary Levi for the Baker?
Irvin -- him. isn't he kind of young for that part?
Anthony -- you've never heard her sing? Her voice is wonderful. Check out the original cast recording of Wild Party or her own band Toni Collette and the Finish (i think they're called?)
Witch - Bebe Newirth (I can't believe noone mentioned her yet)
Mandy Patinkin is too old for the Baker - he should be the Narrator/Old Man.
Agree with Marsden for one of the princes.
Daniel Radcliffe would be great for Jack.
No clear ideas for Cinderella, Baker's Wife, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, etc. But I do like the suggestions of Hathaway and Amy Adams. How about Emmy Rossum? Is she too young for Cinderella?
I'd sugest Hugh Jackman for the wolf or prince but I think the "overexposed" concern would apply to him as well....
I'll keep thinking...
Dean -- Bebe Neuwirth is kind of a brilliant suggestion, too. I wish I'd thought of that. And if not in that role than somewhere! The Giant's wife?
I just hope they cast truly on talent and who can actually sing the parts of the film. I read somewhere that Follies is in the works to.....Sondheim is getting around on the big screen lol.
Witch - I would love to see Jane Krakowski to get a shot at the role, I think she is a perfect age for it, she has proven her comedy chops with 30 Rock, she is an amazing singer (listen to the Nine Broadway Revival soundtrack / her solo live album), and she has the dramatic ability too, you tube anything she's done or even watch her Law and Order SVU appearance. Kristen Chenoweth would also be a good choice for this role, but I think the range would be perfect for Krakowksi!
Also I think the witch could be older then the rest, I don't see why Bernadette or Vanessa couldn't reprise that role, it will never happen, but it would be amazing if they could.
Baker - James Marsden or Ewan McGregor - both can act and sing well.
Baker's Wife - Amy Adams I think would do the part justice as would Anne Hathaway. Anne I think is too young for the part, but you never know what they will do, I agree with what someone said earlier that it should be a woman who at the age where she might not be able to have kids anymore.
The one I'd love to see in this role, that would never happen, is Nicole Parker. She was on Mad TV for 6 seasons, and has been on Broadway as Elphaba in Wicked, in "Fame Becomes Me". The girl has an amazing voice, youtube her, and her singing on MAD TV and from the bootleg broadway clips should convince you. From the bootleg stuff I've watched of her stage work she is a very talented actress and could thrive with this role, I know they would never go with a relatively 'unknown' actress for this role, but she would be my first choice.
Jack - I'll be honest, I don't know a lot of young guys that sing in the biz at the moment.
Little Red - It depends with how they want to play her age, but Anna Kendrick would be amazing. If you've never heard her sing youtube "Ladies Who Lunch" from Camp and she has a great voice, plus she can act! Also Lea Michelle would be good here too. (For those of you that don't care or pay attention to broadway she is a fabulous actress as well as a singer.)
Cinderella - I would even throw Anna Kendrick or Anne Hathaway here too if either are soprano. They have the look for how I would picture Cinderella. Or if they want to go even a little (no much) older, Amy Adams. I think all three are great actresses and singers.
Jack's Mother - I love the idea of Kathy Bates as someone mentioned, she has a great voice.
Stepsisters - I love how earlier how someone said Amy Poehler and Kristen Wiiig. They have a complicated part to sing, but if those two had the chops to sing it, I'd cast them in a heartbeat, they'd be amazing! Or Nicole Parker (MadTV, Broadway, youtube her).
Stepmother - I've never seen the movie were she sang but it would be nice to get Goldie Hawn back on the screen, but I'll trust the judgment of the initial post that she can sing.
Narrator - Who says this has to be a man? I doubt they will double cast roles like they do in the stage version and if this role is even kept in it I would hope they would go with a golden age actor or actress that can sing: let's bring back someone like Doris Day or Lauren Bacall (I don't know if Lauren can sing but you get my point.)