Those who wish to go to the fest-i-val may have that wish fulfilled once again. The Encores! revival of Into the Woods which had a brief run at City Center earlier this May, has announced plans to transfer to Broadway for eight weeks this summer. Lear deBessonet’s production of the classic Stephen Sondheim-James Lapine musical of mixed-up fairy tales got rave notices, especially for its all-star cast led by Sara Bareilles, a pop star who has basically fully made a transition into a theater geek, as the Baker’s Wife. She’ll be back in the new run, though there will be other big theater names subbing in for the original cast members with conflicts. Brian d’Arcy James is in for Neil Patrick Harris as the Baker. Patina Miller is in for Heather Headley as the Witch. Joshua Henry is in for Jordan Donica as Rapunzel’s Prince. And Phillipa Soo is in for Denée Benton as Cinderella, in what’s referred to as the rare “reverse Great Comet.” Gavin Creel, Annie Golden, and Julia Lester are all back as well — as is Kennedy Kanagawa as the operator of the real star of the show, the puppet Milky White. Into the Woods will start performances on June 28 at the St. James theater, with opening night set for July 10.
