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 enlarge | Artists: Stephen Sondheim, Vanessa Williams, John Mcmartin, Gregg Edelman, Stephen Derosa, Laura Benanti, Christopher Sieber
Label: Nonesuch
Category: Music
List Price: $19.98
Buy Used: $6.25
You Save: $13.73 (69%)
New (22) Used (18) Collectible (2) from $6.25
Avg. Customer Rating:  87 reviews
Sales Rank: 13121
Format: Cast Recording
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 79686
UPC: 075597968620
EAN: 0075597968620
ASIN: B000067G5Z
Release Date: June 25, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 A Different Take on a Classic April 7, 2004
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Okay, so the performances are somewhat weaker than on the Original Cast Album. That will not, as many reviewers have suggested, ruin the show. In fact, there are a few magical changes in the score that imporve what many thought could not be improved upon.
For instance, "Hello, Little Girl" is now sung by two Wolves, with a handful of lyrics changed so that one Wolf is singing to the Three Little Pigs. At the end of "On the Steps of the Palace," a short piece of harmony with Little Red Riding Hood and Jack (of Beanstalk fame) that will send shivers down your spine.
Perhaps one of the highlights is the addition of "Our Litle World," a beautiful, if short, song between Rapunzel and the Witch. While the song is certainly not the best of Broadway, it is a sweet exchange between mother and daughter that makes the fatal encounter with a Giantes much more powerful.
Vanessa Williams has been ravaged for her performance on this album, but I commend her for it. While she is strongly rivaled by Bernadette Peters, she has made a decent effort to make the character her own, and not to overshadow the other actors as Peters often does.
One annoyance that prevents this from being up to par with the original cast is the very strong vebrattos used by most of the cast, which messes with their pitch, most notably durring "Agony" and "Giants in the Sky."
It's a fun show, and the music is as good as ever. But I wouldn't pick this up if you own one of the previously released cast albums - there isn't enough of a difference to pay almost $30 for another.
 I really didn't like it at all... February 1, 2004
6 out of 8 found this review helpful
To me, Into the Woods is one of the most inspirational thought provoking musicals ever written, and this recording does no justice to it. In fact, it belittles it. I agree with another reviewer when they said it seems like a bad community theatre production of this masterpiece. It seems like this production is more "family-oriented". The show may be comprised of children's fairytales, but it is in no way a "family-oriented" musical. It has very adult situations and complex concepts, as do other Stephen Sondheim musicals, that are notsuitabl for children. Making it more "family-oriented" makes the usually genuine characters overdone (i.e. Vanessa Williams' interpretation of the Witch) and almost hokey, cheapening the overall message.I suggest buying the Original Cast recording from 1987 with Bernadette Peters and Joanna Gleason. Chip Zein may be disappointing, but you won't go wrong with that CD. And if you like that one, I recommend the Original Cast recordings of other amazing Stephen Sondheim shows such as Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Sunday in the Park With George, and Merrily We Roll Along.
 Not as good as the original Broadway cast from '87 January 30, 2004
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Listening to this new cd of WOODS is sort of like revisiting a favorite show in a community theatre staging. You appreciate the efforts, but the effect is less than satisfying.Funny - I didn't feel that way in the theatre where the revival cast gave a performance that, if not quite at the level of the original cast when the show was new in 1987, were certainly as good as the replacement cast that closed the first production in 1989. But...a funny thing happened on the way to the recording studio, or more pointedly something NOT so funny as a great deal of the humour and energy have been lost. This revival cast album was produced by Stephen Epstein and not done with the same care and precision that Jay David Saks brought to the original recording. There's a reason why RCA Victor was a top cast album label for so long: They took time and care to ensure that the recordings created excitement for the listeners. The cast is...all right: Vanessa Williams is less impressive at the Witch, and John McMartin seems lost as the Narrator. However Laura Benati is a wonderful Cinderalla, and Adam Wylie is a properly youthful sounding Jack. The orchestra for this production is smaller and has not been augmented for the recording. Text wise there are a few changes: cuts were made in a few songs for the original production but restored for the CD. Those cuts are honored here. There have been a few lyric changes here and there, and "Our Little World" from the London production has been retained...needlessly. The disc is more pleasurable listening than the London cast but if you want INTO THE WOODS the ORIGINAL original cast album with Bernadette Peters and Tony Winner Joanna Gleason is the best.
Not as good as the original... December 24, 2003
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This was the first Sondheim show I ever saw, Into The Woods, with this cast. When I saw it I was in awe. The production was fantastic and I didn't think that anyone could play those roles better...well I was wrong. This recording is not superior to the Original or the London, and I own all three. The orchestrations on this sound very synthasized for some reason, and the sound is almost to clear for a broadway cd in my opinion. There isn't the feel of a normal broadway cast album. Another thing that's wrong with this album is the cast. Venessa Williams shouldn't have been cast as the witch. I can think of far better people for this role(Emily Skinner, Marin Mazzie), but I guess they needed the star power. She doesn't sing the songs very well, and pales in comparison to Bernadette Peters. They also lowered all the keys for her and it's sort of embaressing. THe Baker is boring and has no energy in his singing. Jack is absolutely terrible and I hate his voice. It's nasally and the tone quality is bad. Jack's mother shouldn't have been cast. She doesn't sing...it's more like shouting on pitch. Lil Red is terrible. When I saw her live, she cracked on all her high notes and she just wasn't acting. There are a few good things about this album though. Laura Benanti is amazing. Although I prefer Kim Crosby, Laura has a wonderful voice and is vocally stronger then Kim Crosby, but Laura's interpretation isn't as appropriate for the characte in my opinion. The Repunsel on this CD is also some1 who needs to be famous. She is a glorious soprano voice and hits a B in Our Little World, which is probably the highlight of this album. The Baker's Wife is alright, she isn't bad, but I mean, how can you compare anyone to Joanna Gleason. If you want a good recording of Into The Woods, get the original, or even the London Cast, but don't get this one.
 News! August 13, 2003
0 out of 7 found this review helpful
A spectacular new production of Stephen Sondheim's "INTO THE WOODS" will open in Melbourne, Australia on Wednesday 13 August 2003 at 7.30pmThis highly anticipated revival will properly explore the relentless darkness within the beautiful score.
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