‘Into The Woods’ Hit Revival Extends Broadway Run

As widely expected, the smash revival of Into The Woods will extend its limited engagement at Broadway’s St. James Theatre, producers announced today.

Initially scheduled to close on August 21, the production has been extended for an additional eight weeks, with tickets now on sale through October 16. Additional extensions are possible.

Jordan Roth, President of Jujamcyn Theaters, announced the extension today. The production began life this past spring as a New York City Center Encores! production. The James Lapine-Stephen Sondheim musical is directed by Lear deBessonet,

The production currently stars Sara Bareilles, Brian d’Arcy James , Gavin Creel, Julia Lester, Patina Miller, Phillipa Soo and Joshua Henry, among others, but casting for the extension was not announced.

The extension comes as news of the venue’s availability was made yesterday when Deadline exclusively reported that the upcoming The Piano Lesson would play the Ethel Barrymore Theatre rather than the previously announced St. James Theatre when previews begin September 19. The venue switch came about when two of Broadway’s largest theater owners found themselves in a situation in which one – Jujamcyn – had an unexpected hit musical on its hands and another – the Shubert Organization – found itself with an empty venue with the sudden closing of Garth Drabinsky’s Paradise Square.

The move of The Piano Lesson to the Shubert’s Barrymore allowed Jujamcyn to hang on to its money-making Into The Woods revival, which has been packing the St. James since the revival’s arrival from City Center. Last week, Into The Woods grossed $1.8 million, making it one of Broadway’s hottest tickets of the season.

The Piano Lesson will begin rehearsals for its 17-week run at the Barrymore, which has about 400 fewer seats than the St. James, on August 15.

Piano Lesson director f LaTanya Richardson Jackson told Deadline yesterday that she was happy with the move, and that the Barrymore, where she starred in a 2014 production of A Raisin In The Sun, had, in fact, been her first choice. “It’s the theater of my heart,” she said.

Today’s announcement about the Into the Woods extension comes from producers Jujamcyn Theaters; Jordan Roth; New York City Center; Daryl Roth; Hunter Arnold; Concord Theatricals; Nicole Eisenberg; Jessica R. Jenen; Michael Cassel Group; Kevin Ryan; ShowTown Productions; Armstrong, Gold & Ross; and Nicole Kastrinos, Executive Producer.