"Into the Woods" a starry production at New York City Center & celebration of legendary Stephen Sondheim
NEW YORK -- Saturday's Broadway and Beyond segment takes us to New York City Center and the starry production of "Into the Woods."
The beloved Stephen Sondheim musical is led by Neil Patrick Harris as the Baker and Sara Bareilles as the Baker's Wife. They're joined by Heather Headley in the role of the Witch. Gavin Creel plays the Wolf and Cinderella's Prince and Denée Benton is Cinderella.
"Into the Woods" is part of New York City Center's "Encores!" series. This production is also a celebration of Sondheim, the late legendary composer who wrote the musical that premiered on Broadway in 1987.
"Sondheim is difficult and the lyrics are difficult and the music is so difficult, and it really takes a highly-skilled group of people to pull it off the way that they have, and so I'm just in awe of all of them and just so blessed to be able to be with them doing this. So I feel very proud," Headley said.
"A new appreciation of the depth and the complexity, especially the second act," Bareilles said. "The curtain comes down and we erupt into cheers. It is such a heavy lift, it's such a massive show, it's so dense. It's so complicated."
"The music is so rich and there's so much to be mined for actors and directors in terms of just the honesty, the nuance and also the great fun of it," Director Lear deBessonet said.
"This story always feels relevant and now it feels more relevant than ever. So it's like a gift to get to invite people into this catharsis," Benton said.
"I did a production of it in college, and I played the Baker and it was really fun, but I'm really having a lot of fun playing the Wolf and the Prince," Creel said.
"It's such an honor to do it and to be here and to have this tribute to Stephen Sondheim," said Ann Harada, who play's Jack's Mother.
"Into the Woods" runs at New York City Center through May 15.