Despite Mixed Reviews, Producers Eyeing \'Woods\' Move to Broadway

By PATRICK HEALY

Theater producers are pursuing a possible Broadway transfer of the Central Park staging of “Into the Woods” in spite of several negative reviews last week that would usually put a damper on such plans.

The nonprofit Public Theater, which is producing the revival of Stephen Sondheim-James Lapine musical at its outdoor Delacorte Theater in the park, is working to make the transfer happen with the commercial producer Joey Parnes, with whom the Public previously collaborated on moving its park productions of “Hair” and “The Merchant of Venice” to Broadway.

In an interview on Tuesday, Mr. Parnes said that he did not see the reviews as a death blow for a Broadway transfer, which, he estimated, would probably cost $6 million to $7 million and be aimed for late winter or spring of 2013. (As a whole the reviews were mixed, though critics from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal were especially harsh.) Man y of the reviews included fixable concerns, he noted, and added that there was unusually intense audience interest in the musical itself, a revisionist take on several Grimm fairy tales. Hundreds of people have been lining up for the free tickets to the park production in recent weeks.

“Some critics made good points about the park production that we would take to heart, and it's worth remembering that when we moved ‘Hair' from the park to Broadway, it changed, it got tighter, it got better,” Mr. Parnes said. “The reviews might make my job a little harder. But I think a lot of the production's issues would be assuaged indoors â€" the lighting and sound and staging focus issues would all change in an intimate Broadway house, and story-telling issues would be addressed with time and rehearsals.”

Still, Mr. Parnes emphasized that Broadway is far from a sure thing. Before he and Public Theater executives begin courting investors , he said, he needs to nail down parts of his sales pitch â€" chiefly, commitments from cast members; an available Broadway theater; and a budget plan, weekly running costs, and a timetable outlining when the show might turn a profit. Mr. Parnes said he is in talks with agents for a few of the show's stars, including its marquee name, Oscar nominee Amy Adams, who plays the central role of the Baker's Wife; Ms. Adams is booked with work through the rest of 2012, at least. Mr. Parnes has also been talking to theater owners since early summer. He said it may be weeks or even a few months before the decision on a Broadway move is made.

A spokeswoman for the Public Theater, asked about the possibility of a transfer, said in an e-mail: “‘Into the Woods' is having a very successful run in the park and we were able to extend one additional week. It must close on September 1 but there is still tremendous audience demand for this production and we're open to the possibility of a future life after the park.”