Sebastian Arcelus & Diane Phelan Step Into Into the Woods for Final Weeks on Broadway

Sebastian Arcelus will reprise his performance as the Baker and ensemble member Diane Phelan will step into the role of Cinderella in Into the Woods on Broadway. The Lear deBessonet-directed transfer of the Encores! staging of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s musical will play its final performance at the St. James Theatre on January 8, 2023. 

Arcelus will step back into the role of the Baker, joining his real-life wife Stephanie J. Block as the Baker's Wife, on January 3, 2023. He takes over the role from original cast member Brian d'Arcy James. Arcelus first played the role from September through October. He is known for starring on Broadway in Rent, Wicked, Elf, Jersey Boys and more. This production marks the second time the couple has appeared together on Broadway—the first is when they appeared in Wicked as Elphaba and Fiyero in 2007. They will also star in the national touring production of Into the Woods, which kicks off in February.

Phelan will begin playing Cinderella full-time on December 26, replacing Denée Benton who joined the Broadway cast in November after playing the role in the City Center Encores! production. Phelan will also play the role in the touring production. Her Broadway credits include School of Rock and The King and I.

Into the Woods stars Joaquina Kalukango as the Witch, Block as the Baker’s Wife, Gavin Creel as the Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince, Joshua Henry as Rapunzel’s Prince, Katy Geraghty as Little Red Ridinghood, Jim Stanek as the Steward, Ann Harada as Jack’s Mother, Cole Thompson as Jack and Alysia Velez as Rapunzel. The cast also includes Ta’Nika Gibson, Annie Golden, Albert Guerzon, Brooke Ishibashi, Kennedy Kanagawa, David Patrick Kelly, Nancy Opel, Delphi Borich, Felicia Curry, Jason Forbach, Alex Joseph Grayson, Cameron Johnson, Paul Kreppel, Mary Kate Moore and Lucia Spina. 

This marks the third revival of Into the Woods and its first time back on Broadway in 20 years. A movie adaptation was released in 2014.