Theater Thursday - Into the Woods

We were given complimentary tickets to Into the Woods for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own. 

What: Into the Woods 

Where: St James Theatre

            246 W. 44th St.

            New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 12 and Up

When: Now Extended Through October 16, 2022

Me - Into the Woods was a really good show. I had never seen it before, but I had really wanted to see it, and I was not disappointed. The concept of the show is interesting because it's a different take on fairy tales. There are all these familiar fairy tales but there are not like you've ever seen them before. Since there are so many versions of these stories, it is nice when you see a version of them that is completely unpredictable. 

The performers were really good. They were all pretty much well known from other shows, and I have seen a bunch of them in other shows. They were all very well cast. It wasn't at all like they just put a bunch of well-known people in the cast just for the sake of publicity. I liked that about the show. 

I enjoyed the music too. I knew some of the more popular songs, but I didn't know all of them. They were definitely some that I would like to listen to again. I haven't seen that many Stephen Sondheim shows, but I have enjoyed all of the ones I've seen besides anyone can usually find at least a few songs they are familiar with and/or like in his shows. 

Anyone who has the chance should definitely see this enjoyable show before it closes!

Mom - The current production of Into the Woods is definitely star-studded. Its cast includes such Broadway luminaries as Patina Miller, Brian D' Arcy James, Gavin Creel, and more. Every single performer shines in their role even the few performers that are not as well-known. 

The show with mostly the same cast recently completed a run as the final show of City Center Encores! 2022 season. That run was so popular that it warranted a transfer to Broadway. Unfortunately, the show's Broadway run is limited, however, because another show is already booked to play in the theater starting later in the year. 

In the meantime,  we would highly recommend rushing to the theater to see this show before it closes in late August. It's that good! Not only is the acting of the highest caliber, but the music is also wonderful. The full orchestra from the City Center production transferred over to Broadway as well. You rarely get to hear that full orchestra sound with Broadway musicals anymore. Most productions try to get away with as few musicians as they can. 

This show is that rare production that audiences and critics love equally. It is the kind of show where the entire audience immediately jumps to their feet in a standing ovation as soon as they hear the last note, unlike many other shows where a few people stand and then gradually others join in because they feel like it's expected of them. Plus, thirteen out of thirteen critics gave the show a thumbs up on the review aggregator website, Did They Like It? You absolutely won't want to miss it!

And that's our view. Tune in Sunday for this week's Sunday Scoop.

Photo credits:

All Into the Woods production photos by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade