Nina Arianda, James Corden, Donna Murphy & More Lead All-Star Reading of Into the Woods Film Script

An all-star reading of Rob Marshall’s projected film version of Into the Woods was held on October 1, with 2012 Tony Award winners Nina Arianda (Venus in Fur) and James Corden (One Man, Two Guvnors) cast as the Baker and his Wife alongside two-time Tony winner Donna Murphy as the Witch, a role she played in Central Park this summer. Featuring Stephen Sondheim’s score and a screenplay by librettist James Lapine, the reading attracted a Who’s Who of Broadway, including Tony winners Christine Baranski and Victoria Clark plus Patrick Wilson, Cheyenne Jackson, Laura Osnes and Megan HIlty.

According to a program from the event, the cast, listed in alphabetical order, was as follows:

Baker’s Wife: Nina Arianda
Stepmother: Christine Baranski
Florinda: Tammy Blanchard
Cinderella’s Mother/Granny/Giant: Victoria Clark
Baker: James Corden
Wolf: Ivan Hernandez
Lucinda: Megan Hilty
Rapunzel’s Prince: Cheyenne Jackson
Jack’s Mother: Allison Janney
Cinderella: Anna Kendrick
Steward/Baker’s Father: Michael McGrath
Witch: Donna Murphy
Rapunzel: Laura Osnes
Jack: Taylor Trensch
Little Red Riding Hood: Casey Whyland
Cinderella’s Prince: Patrick Wilson
Screenplay Narrator: David Garrison

Arianda won a Best Actress Tony for Venus in Fur after receiving a 2011 Tony nomination for Born Yesterday. Baranski, a Tony winner for The Real Thing and Rumours, is currently starring in TV's The Good Wife. Blanchard received Tony nominations for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Gypsy. Clark is a Tony winner for The Light in the Piazza and most recently starred in Sister Act. Corden won a Tony for One Man, Two Guvnors and appeared on Broadway in The History Boys. Hernandez played Cinderella's Prince and the Wolf in the 2012 Central Park staging of Into the Woods. Hilty, whose Broadway credits include 9 to 5, currently stars in TV's Smash. Jackson, the star of Xanadu and Finian's Rainbow, is headed back to Broadway in The Performers.

TV vet Janney received a Tony nomination for A View from the Bridge and appeared on Broadway in 9 to 5. Kendrick received a Tony nomination for High Society and an Oscar nomination for Up in the Air. McGrath won a 2012 Tony for Nice Work If You Can Get It and received a Tony nomination for Spamalot. Murphy won Tonys for Sondheim's Passion and The King and I and was nominated for Tonys for The People in the Picture, Lovemusik and Wonderful Town. Osnes, a Tony nominee for Bonnie & Clyde, will return to Broadway this season in the title role of Cinderella. Taylor Trensch will star in the forthcoming off-Broadway musical Bare. Whyland has appeared on Broadway in Billy Elliot. Film vet Patrick Wilson received Tony nominations for Oklahoma! and The Full Monty. Garrison, a vet of Wicked and Silence!, received a Tony nomination for A Day in Hollywood, A Night in the Ukraine.

Marshall, who helmed film adaptations of Chicago and Nine, will produce Into the Woods with John DeLuca through their LUCAMAR production company. Walt Disney Studios announced in January 2012 that they will release the film. No word yet on whether any of the Broadway stars who participated in the reading will be featured in the film.