Tag: Stephen Sondheim

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG (2025) – Review

During this cold, hectic holiday season, what could be more invigorating than taking in a big Broadway musical hit? But there’s no need to hop on a plane to the Big Apple, this recent smash is at your local multiplex (or at a big “single screen”, if you’re so fortunate). It’s not a new idea, since Disney tried it five years ago with HAMILTON. The pandemic scrapped plans for a wide theatrical release, so it premiered on their streaming app (however, a few months ago it enjoyed a brief big-screen run). Well, now Sony Classics is behind a filmed version of a recent (it was shot last year) multi-Tony awarding winning revival of a 1981 work from a giant of musical theater. However, this didn’t “click” on the Great White Way nearly 45 years ago, though it’s grown in stature with his fans (even getting a nod in LADY BIRD). This one worked, perhaps due to a bit of “magic” from the star of a huge film franchise. Will the same thing occur when the (movie) theater curtain rises for MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG?


The show’s format sets it apart, as the story is told in reverse, going back in time from its big splashy opening number in 1976. We’re in a swanky beach house in Malibu to celebrate the opening of a new hit movie, and its “buzzed-about” producer, Frank Shepard (Jonathan Groff). Everybody’s feeding his ego, except for an old friend turned theater critic, Mary Flynn (Lindsay Mendez). She taunts him over his split with another pal, being a ‘sell-out” to his musical theater roots, and drinks too much before existing. The plot shifts to 1973 and a disastrous TV interview with Frank and his former songwriting partner, Charley Kringas (Daniel Radcliffe), which leads to the aforementioned “bust-up”. We also get to experience the second Mrs. Shepard, stage diva Gussie Carnegie (Krystal Joy Brown). The following scenes are set 3 to 4 years in the trio’s history, with Shepard and Kringas becoming Broadway hit-makers with producer Joe Joesphson (Reg Rogers), the first hubby of Gussie. We also meet Frank’s first wife, Beth (Katie Rose Clarke), as the two fall in and out of love while becoming the parents of Frank Jr. (Max Rackenberg). The “march of time” backtracks all the way to 1957, when the trifecta of Mary, Frank, and Charley begin their then-optimistic journey to become “old friends”.

Of course, that “magic maker” I mentioned earlier is the very talented Mr. Radcliffe, who becomes somewhat of a Broadway staple with another revival of a classic (he did succeed in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” several years ago. Though he’s more of a “featured player”, Radcliffe has plenty of moments to shine as the snarky lyricist who feels discarded. This is really accented in his show-stopping number, the acerbic “Franklin Shepard, Inc” (the guy can really handle those “tongue-twisters”). So, who’s the lead, then? According to the Tonys, it’s Groff as the “morally-challenged” Frank whose soul seems to chip away with every year, giving Groff a chance to go from dark to light with each “rewind”. His big number is probably “Growing Up” as Frank gets a “wake-up call” after his showbiz dreams. The most dramatic role is probably Mary, offering Mendez the chance to hurl barbs and burns, while giving us a glimpse into her heartbreak as she pines for the clueless Frank. And her “pipes” get a great workout with “Now You Know” along with several duets and tunes with her two pals. The entire ensemble is great with outstanding work by Brown as the vampy Gussie (doing high-kicks in a sparkly gown), the funny-turned-tragic Rogers as the schlubby cynical Joe, and the gifted physical comedian and superb singer Clarke as the sweet, sorrowful Beth.


These stage pros are guided by Maria Friedman who also directed the London West End revival that spawned this US company. The pacing is superb, with performers promptly establishing the changing years, while arranging the period props and settings. Oh, the musical theater icon is Stephen Sondheim, who crafted the superb music and lyrics with his usual wit and inspired rhymes and song structure, though without any huge “”standards”, with “Old Friends” perhaps the most enduring. His “Company” collaborator George Furth cleverly adapted and updated the 1934 play by George S. Kaufman and Moss hart, getting in plenty of digs at showbiz deceptions and rivalries, elicitng laughs and a deep melancholy since we see the seeds of heartbreak planted that will destroy marriages and that central friendship. This isn’t frothy “taps and taps”, rather it’s got a real bite, which may explain why it’s taken many years to be appreciated. And now we can bask in its wonder from a reasonably-priced (have you heard about those Broadway tickets) movie theater seat and enjoy the terrific talents at work in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG.

3.5 Out of 4

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG is now playing in select theaters

WEST SIDE STORY – Review

Ariana DeBose as Anita (center) in 20th Century Studios’ WEST SIDE STORY. Courtesy of 20th Century Studios

WEST SIDE STORY is the exception to the rule that remaking a classic is pointless task. In fact, in some ways it is a better film. No wonder with the stellar team behind it – directed Steven Spielberg, script adapted by Tony Kushner, cinematography by Janusz Kaminski, and with executive producer Rita Moreno, the EGOT plus Pulitzer winner (one of the world’s three) who starred in original film as Anita, the only real Puerto Rican cast member in the 1961 film.

WEST SIDE STORY is one of the great classics of musical theater, first on the Broadway stage in 1957 and then in a 1961 movie version, with choreography by Jerome Robbins, music by composer Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by playwright Arthur Laurents. The story, based on Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” is still set in the same 1957 New York but now the story takes place in a gritty, more realistic setting, with rubble in the streets as well as passersby and vintage cars. Tony Kushner adapted his script from the stage play rather than the movie, so audiences will notices a few differences from the familiar movie, as well as some updates to make the film more accessible for modern audiences. This story takes place in a neighborhood under the shadow of “urban renewal,” the destructive wholesale “clearance” of whole poor neighborhoods for redevelopment for the more affluent. Two juvenile street gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, are vying for dominance over the neighborhood, even as it is being emptied to make way for the new Lincoln Center.

The Sharks are recent arrivals from Puerto Rico while the Jets are the descendants of earlier immigrants from Ireland, Italy and Poland, who resent the new arrivals. Against that backdrop, Tony (Ansel Elgort), once a member of the Jets, meets and falls in love with Puerto Rican Maria (Rachel Zegler), the sister of Bernardo (David Alvarez), the leader of the Sharks. Maria lives with her brother and his girlfriend Anita (Ariana DeBose), who has taken the young girl under her wing.

The Jets are now led by Riff (Mike Faist), Tony’s childhood friend, who hopes to bring his pal back into the gang, at least for a showdown with the Sharks. Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the original film, now plays the widow of Doc, the kindly pharmacist who employed and advised Tony, a role that she plays in this version. Corey Stoll plays police detective Lieutenant Schrank and Brian d’Arcy James plays the frustrated Officer Krupke, while Josh Andrés Rivera plays Chino, the Puerto Rican boy that Bernardo has picked out for his sister Maria.

The immigrants theme was ground-breaking in 1957 but that the issue remains timely gives the story a contemporary hook. While the basic story remains the same, there are some changes, Some lyrics and dialog are gently updated to reflect modern sensibilities and address old issues, which gives the film a more contemporary feel. Some songs are sung in a different order or even sung by a different character but the changes do not change the basic story or its audience appeal. These changes seamlessly blended in by using musical arrangements and singing style similar to the 1961 movie.

Casting is also different, as this version corrects some cringe-worthy choices in the original cast, by casting more Hispanics in those roles. Unlike the 1961 film, the stars do their own singing, and both Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler do well in that respect.

Dancing remains a strong point in this film, with several fast, colorful, pulse-raising production numbers that are highlights. While the leads are focal points for songs, the supporting characters lead the dance numbers with Mike Faist as Riff and Ariana DeBose as Anita soaring to impressive heights. Both are triple threats, excelling in acting, singing and dancing, particularly dancing for Faist and singing for DeBose.

This is a musical with so many memorable songs. Highlights include the “America” production number, now opened up on to the streets and even more colorful, and the very funny “Officer Krupke” number, now set in a police station retains its punch. The “Tonight” duet has all the romance audiences could want, and the opening “Jets” number retains all its energy, with a little extra menace added in.

The cinematography by the legendary Janusz Kaminski adds greatly to the film. The strong use of slanting light adds drama, the dance numbers are brilliant and electric, and the night time scenes are filled with stabs of light, from street lights, searchlights, and headlights, adding a jolt of electricity to many scenes.

While some will still cite the 1961 classic film as their favorite, a good case can be made that this one is the better film, meaning Spielberg and Kushner have pulled off the near-impossible – remaking a classic and topping the original.

WEST SIDE STORY opens Friday, Dec. 10, in theaters.

RATING: 4 out of 4 stars

INTO THE WOODS – The Review

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Once upon a time, in a far off land called San Diego in the year 1986, a composer by the name Stephen Sondheim wrote a musical with fellow writer James Lapine. A year later it would debut on Broadway and went on to gain praise from audiences and critics alike, eventually receiving 10 Tony Award nominations and taking home 3 statues. INTO THE WOODS is a twisty take on the classic fairy tales that we’ve grown up with. Several stories are intertwined so that Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel (just to name a few) are now living in the same universe. It’s a clever concept that might not seem as forward thinking today by some newer audiences especially considering all the shared universe discussions that make up the Marvel films. But once upon a time, this quirky show with beautiful compositions and memorable characters ignited excitement in audiences pining for something new. In 2014, I’m not sure the film adaptation under the direction of Rob Marshall will function the same way, but it still works as an entertaining family-friendly film for the holiday season.

As I previously mentioned, INTO THE WOODS opens with a number of classic characters from your favorite timeless fairy tales. Little red riding hood is off to grandmother’s house, Jack has to sell his favorite (dried-up) cow Milky White to provide for his mother, Cinderella (Anna Kendrick) longs to escape the confines of her chores, and the baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt) are told by an evil witch (Meryl Streep) that she has placed a curse on their family so that they will never be able to have kids unless they acquire four ingredients to concoct a potion to lift the curse. What must they find? A cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn, and a slipper as pure as gold. And from there several stories are set in motion in a musical adventure that takes everyone on a journey that may not end “happily ever after.”

INTO THE WOODS is going to divide audiences almost as sharply as the first and second acts stand apart from one another. While the first half frolics cheerfully through the woods with the help of some light laughs and Sondheim’s rich operatic compositions, the second half takes a post-modern turn that will leave many scratching their heads and wishing that they were back in the carefree tone of the first half. Those that are familiar with the stage production obviously won’t be as surprised by the darker and more complicated second half. For me the shift works even if the second half wears out its welcome pretty quickly.

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What helps make the long musical affair all worth while is the extremely talented cast director Rob Marshall has assembled. Of course much of the praise will go to Streep’s wicked turn as a witch with a vindictive streak – and a few streaks of grey in her hair to match some appropriately hideous make-up effects. Her character fits right in line with Disney’s recent love of evil but sympathetic villainess roles following Elsa in FROZEN and the title character in MALEFICENT. Even Johnny Depp in what is basically a glorified cameo as the big bad wolf fits appropriately into the cast. His main musical number where he serenades Little Red Riding Hood can occasionally come off as creepy and borderline pedophiliac depending on the stage performance, but here, Depp plays the sly and cunning creature in a way that is both charming and devilish – like a Looney Tunes character come to life. Who shines the most though is both Corden and Blunt as the baking couple on a mission. Their chemistry ignites the screen and gives the film some much-needed warmth and heart amid some drab costumes and murky art direction. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a pitch-perfect moment of comic-gold in the form of the song “Agony” sung by Cinderella’s Prince (Chris Pine) and Rapunzel’s Prince. What starts out as a silly competition between the two men, erupts into an over-the-top spoof of masculinity and storybook heroes.

INTO THE WOODS soars when it focuses on the music and character development. The multiple stories occasionally slow down the film, and the fact that some aren’t entirely given a clear resolution speak to how overstuffed it often feels. It’s interesting to see Disney embrace a project that dabbles in the subversive and not so happily-ever-after (some late in the game deaths might surprise you), but Marshall glides over these darker moments so fast in order to move to the next musical number that you practically forget about them. INTO THE WOODS twists and turns so often that it might be hard for those unfamiliar with the musical to follow, and yet, the frequently charming tone and familiar characters will surely make this not-so-typical fairy tale a hit for Disney princes and princesses both young and old.

 

OVERALL RATING: 4 out of 5

INTO THE WOODS opens everywhere Christmas Day

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INTO THE WOODS Soundtrack Available December 16

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Walt Disney Records is set to release the Into the Woods original motion picture soundtrack and the Into the Woods Deluxe Edition on December 16, 2014. Into the Woods features 20 songs from the film and the 2-disc Into the Woods Deluxe Edition also includes score. Both versions are available for pre-order now.

The film will be released in theaters December 25, 2014.

“Into the Woods” premiered on Broadway on November 5, 1987, at the Martin Beck Theatre. The production, which ran for 764 performances, won Tony Awards for Best Score, Best Book of a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical. Among other awards, the musical received five Drama Desk Awards, including Best Musical. “Into the Woods” has been produced around the world, including a 1988 U.S. tour, a 1990 West End production and Broadway and London revivals, in addition to a PBS television production and a 10-year-anniversary concert.

The big-screen adaptation welcomes songs from the stage musical, including “Finale/Children Will Listen,” “Giants in the Sky,” “On the Steps of the Palace,” “No One Is Alone” and “Agony,” among others.

Starring Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine and Johnny Depp, “Into the Woods” is a modern twist on several beloved fairy tales, intertwining the plots of a few choice stories and exploring the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests.

This humorous and heartfelt musical follows the classic tales of Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Jack and the Beanstalk (Daniel Huttlestone), and Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy), all tied together by an original story involving a Baker and his Wife (James Corden and Emily Blunt), their wish to begin a family and their interaction with the Witch (Meryl Streep), who has put a curse on them.

Rob Marshall, the acclaimed filmmaker behind the Academy Award-winning musical “Chicago” and Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” directs the film, which is based on the musical stage production by legendary eight-time Tony, Grammy and Oscar-winning composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim and Tony winner James Lapine, who also wrote the screenplay. The film was produced by John DeLuca, Marshall, “Wicked” producer Marc Platt and Callum McDougall.

The Into the Woods track list follows:

1. “Prologue: Into the Woods” – Company
2. “Cinderella at the Grave” – Cinderella’s Mother
3. “Hello, Little Girl” – Wolf, Little Red Riding Hood
4. “I Know Things Now”– Little Red Riding Hood
5. “A Very Nice Prince” – Cinderella, Baker’s Wife
6. “Giants in the Sky” – Jack
7. “Agony” – Cinderella’s Prince, Rapunzel’s Prince
8. “It Takes Two” – Baker’s Wife, Baker
9. “Stay With Me” – Witch
10. “On the Steps of the Palace” – Cinderella
11. “Careful My Toe” – Stepmother, Florinda, Lucinda
12. “Ever After” (Instrumental)
13. “Witch’s Lament” – Witch
14. “Any Moment” – Cinderella’s Prince, Baker’s Wife
15. “Moments in the Woods” – Baker’s Wife
16. “Your Fault” – Jack, Baker, Little Red Riding Hood, Witch, Cinderella
17. “Last Midnight” – Witch
18. “No One Is Alone” – Cinderella, Baker, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack
19. “Finale/Children Will Listen (Part 1)” – Baker, Baker’s Wife, Witch, Company
20. “Finale/Children Will Listen (Part 2)” – Company

The Into the Woods soundtrack, 2-disc Deluxe Edition and the digital Deluxe Edition soundtrack are set for release from Walt Disney Records on December 16, 2014. The albums are available for pre-order now:

Wide Download Link: http://smarturl.it/itwdsa1 
Amazon Music Smart Link (Digital): http://smarturl.it/itwdsama1
Amazon Music Smart Link (Physical): http://smarturl.it/itwsama1
Wide Streaming Partners Link: http://smarturl.it/itwdsta1

For more information on Walt Disney Records’ releases, like us on Facebook.com/ disneymusic or follow us at Twitter.com/disneymusic. To purchase Disney music, visit the online store at www.disneymusicstore.com. For more information on “Into the Woods,” like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DisneyIntoTheWoods and follow on Twitter: @IntoThe Woods.

INTO THE WOODS

Everything’s Coming Up Barbra!

Barbra Streisand to star in the movie remake of GYPSY…does that sound like a good idea?

It’s a tremendous idea! Barbra would be breathtaking as Mama Rose and a project like this has the potential to be one of the greatest adaptations in film history, not to mention it would be a great bookend performance for La Streisand. And the score won’t have to be altered for a less capable actress/singer.

Ok so Barbra’s on board – but who would direct? It has to be someone strong enough to direct Barbra in her first musical in over 30 years. It’s a daunting task for even a seasoned director – she’s a handful…and on a musical?!?

Barbra Streisand has met with Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents to discuss starring as Rose, the mother of all stage mamas, in a film version of their 1959 musical “Gypsy,” the two men said in telephone interviews on Wednesday. Mr. Laurents, who wrote the book for “Gypsy” and directed its 2008 revival on Broadway starring Patti LuPone, said that Warner Brothers and Joel Silver were attached as producers, but that no director had been chosen.

Contrary to a report in The New York Post on Wednesday, Mr. Laurents said that Ms. Streisand would not direct the film; she once wanted to, he said, “but playing Rose is enough to make her happy.” Ms. Streisand, who won an Academy Award for best actress in 1968 for the film musical FUNNY GIRL, has been interested in doing GYPSY for many years, Mr. Laurents said, “but now things are serious and a movie is truly in the works.”

As for the rest of the casting, Tom Hanks’ name has come up for the role of Herbie, the former agent turned manager. I would’ve gone for Dustin Hoffman as Herbie, but Tom Hanks is good. He’s the perfect type – it was Jack Klugman in the original Broadway production with Ethel Merman; and Karl Malden in the 1962 movie with Rosalind Russell (so you can see where they are going with this).

Natalie Wood starred as the shy older sister Louise in the movie. I think Anne Hathaway would be perfect in this role. She is the right type and she can really sing! And while I’m granting myself wishes, Baby June should be played by Kristen Bell; and Tulsa, the boy she elopes with would be a perfect vehicle for the talents of Joseph Gordon Levitt – “Make ‘Em Laugh” on SNL anyone? Genius. Well, here’s hoping!

Source: NY Times