Each summer the Hollywood Bowl puts on a musical. Previous years have found Hair, The Producers, Guys and Dolls and Hairspray amongst the offerings. This year, perhaps timed for the upcoming 90th birthday of composer Stephen Sondheim next year, the musical is Into the Woods. The book was written by James Lapine. The show will be performed Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Robert Longbottom, who directed Into the Woods in 2016 for Theatre Under the Stars in Houston, Texas, is directing and choreographing an all-star cast for this production. The cast includes Skylar Astin (“The Baker”), Sierra Boggess (“Cinderella”), Chris Carmack (“Rapunzel’s Prince”), Anthony Crivello (“The Mysterious Man”), Sutton Foster (“The Baker’s Wife”), Tamyra Gray (“Granny/Cinderella’s Mother”), Edward Hibbert (“The Narrator”), Cheyenne Jackson (“Cinderella’s Prince/The Wolf”), Hailey Kilgore (“Rapunzel”), Gaten Matarazo (“Jack”), Patina Miller (“The Witch”), Edelyn Okano (“Cinderella’s Stepmother”), Rebecca Spencer (“Jack’s Mother”), Shanice Williams (“Little Red Riding Hood”) and the voice of Whoopi Goldberg as “The Giant.”
Usually these productions have two weeks to rehearse before the performances. Longbottom was able to negotiate for three. This is truly an ensemble work where characters go in and out of each other’s stories. That requires a lot of work on the part of the cast, the director and music director Kevin Stites.
We are dedicating the next three days to Into the Woods here at Cultural Attaché. Go here for our interview with director/choreographer Robert Longbottom. On Wednesday we will have interviews with many of the cast members. On Thursday we will have our interview with Tony Award-winner Patina Miller (Pippin.)
Check back for those interviews.
For tickets on Friday night go here.
For tickets on Saturday night go here.
For tickets on Sunday night go here.