Last June it was announced that Director Rob Marshall had made Stephen Sondheim’s INTO THE WOODS a musical which  intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales and follows them to explore the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests as his next project at Warner Bros/Disney.

Well on Monday a cast reading of the screenplay reading which included in alphabetical order): Nina Arianda as The Baker’s Wife; Christine Baranski as the Stepmother; Tammy Blanchard as Florinda; Victoria Clark as Cinderella’s Mother/Giant; James Corden as the Baker; David Garrison as the Narrator; Ivan Hernandez as the Wolf; Megan Hilty as Lucinda; Cheyenne Jackson as Rapunzel’s Prince; Allison Janney as Jack’s Mother; Anna Kendrick as Cinderella; Michael McGrath as the Steward/Baker’s Father; Donna Murphy as the Witch; Laura Osnes as Rapunzel; Taylor Trensch as Jack; Casey Whyland as Little Red Riding Hood; and Patrick Wilson as Cinderella’s Prince.

Now while those at the reading ARE NOT officially cast in the movie version as of yet there is a good chance that more than a few will be in the movie (Good Luck Cheyenne!) But the real news is that the website BroadwayWorld.com has  learned that  screen legend Meryl Streep is in talks to join the film as the Witch, but was unable to make the reading. (We like Mertyl but …. WE WANT BERNADETTE PETERS!)

James Lapine, wrote the original book for INTO THE WOODS, is reworking the script for the screenplay which won several Tony Awards, including Best Score, Best Book, and Best Actress in a Musical (Joanna Gleason), in a year dominated by The Phantom of the Opera.

Stephen  Sondheim is expected to contribute some new songs.

INTO THE WOODS which won won several Tony Awards, including Best Score, Best Book, and Best Actress in a Musical (Joanna Gleason), in a year dominated by The Phantom of the Opera.