Into the Woods Press Junket

I had the opportunity to see Into the Woods, and attend the press junket the following day, in New York City.

The movie was screened at the Lighthouse Screening Room, the East Coast home of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The theater was clean and cozy.  A large Oscar statue stood beside stage, and the drapes that covered the screen were utilized for a nice “pull back the curtain” Broadway effect that we rarely get treated to. For this stage-to-screen production, it was an especially nice touch! The room was full of energy and anticipation, and lots of NYC movie critics catching up as we waited for the film to begin.

As for the film, I was going in blind, having never seen the production, nor heard the soundtrack. I chose to keep it that way, as a personal preference. Instantly I was wrapped up in the scenery, imagery, music, and acting.  The script is witty, edgy, and remarkable. I can not wait to go see this again with friends!

The following day, the press junket was held at the Waldorf Astoria, in a ballroom on the 18th floor. The room was grand, with ornate everything! The set up was typical, reporters chairs set up facing a small stage that held one long table, chairs facing the reporters. There was coffee, tea, and water in the room, but reporters in-the-know led us to a room at the far end of the hall, filled with snacks and Into The Woods cupcakes!

The junket was divided in two groups of actors, directors, and producers. The first set was James Corben, Emily Blount, director Rob Marshall, writer James Lapine, Anna Kendrick, and Chris Pine. The second was Christine Baranski, Tracey Ullman, Meryl Streep, producer Marc Platt, and producer John DeLuca.

The junket got underway, with the first question directed toward James Lapine, about how he and Sodenheim came to writing Into the Woods.  Sodenheim wanted to write a quest/journey, and Lapine was interested in fairytales and plots.  After discovering that fairytales are quite difficult, due to their short length, Lapine combined one original fairytale of the Baker and his Wife, with classic fairytales, and they ended up with Into the Woods.

Rob Marshall, the director, spoke about what qualities he was looking for in an actor.  For a musical, humanity, depth, and fragility are important, as you need the audience to quickly support and root for the characters.

The actors discussed their roles, the depth of their characters, and their rehearsals.  What stood out most was the consistent referral to the cast as a “company”.  All of the actors in this film have done theater, and they all felt the sense of being an acting company.  Their rehearsals went on for six weeks, with with intense focus on technique, as Sodenheim’s music is quite challenging.

Anna Kendrick described her Cinderella as being very modern; a woman that is afraid to go with her gut, over-thinks things out of fear of getting it “wrong” and still ultimately realizes she made the wrong choice.

Chris Pine spoke about the unrealistic and depressing concept of only having one love, and needing to be “completed’ by another human, rather than complemented by them.

James Corben and Emily Blount joked about their character’s flawed marriage, with Corben feigning shock that his character’s wife would ever be led astray by Prince Charming, when she has her handsome baker husband at home.  Corben also discussed his new job, as the host of the Late Late Show.  He showed some of his humor by coining the term “Tinderella” while Anna Kendrick was fielding a question about modern dating.

The next group of actors certainly held court, much to everyones delight.  Meryl Streep, Tracey Ullman, and Christine Baranski could honestly do a stand-up comedy tour. While they’re all so refined, smart, and lovely, they were incredibly funny!  It was clear that they enjoy each other’s company, and had a great time working on this film.

An interesting fact pointed out by Meryl Streep was that, before the recording of the soundtrack, Sodenheim had never heard his music for Into the Woods performed by a 64 piece orchestra!

My favorite discussion was when the actors, all mothers,  were asked if they related to/had similarities to the types of mothers they were portraying.

Christine Baranski said that she absolutely related to the Wicked Step Mother.  This character’s only goal is to have her children “marry up” and have a better life and future.  She referenced Kate Middleton’s marriage to Prince William, and admitted that, as a mother, that is the ultimate dream!  To want your daughter to marry a prince isn’t an uncommon sentiment.

Meryl Streep said that she can relate to her character’s over protective ways with Rapuzel, her desire to shield her from the world and anything bad that could befall her.  Meryl talks about simply forgetting that your children are more capable than you’re ready to admit and realize, and how frustrating that can be for children.

Leaving this press junket, already in love with the film, I wished it could have happened in reverse.  The actors are attached to this project, to Sodenheim, Levine, and Marshall.  This is why I can not wait to see it again.  There’s something magical about knowing how the actors connect with their roles, and the incredible preparation for a musical.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!