Meet Two of the Unsung Heroes of INTO THE WOODS, Understudies Jason Forbach & Mary Kate Moore

Hello, I'm Richard Ridge for Broadway World

Director Lear de Bessonet's glorious new production of Stephen requiring and James Lepine's musical masterpiece

Into the Woods is one of Broadway's hottest tickets. It's just been extended again through October 16th

And the standbys and understudies are the unsung heroes of Broadway, never knowing when they might go on, sometimes in a moment's notice

And I'm here at the St. James Theater to catch up with Jason Forebach

and Mary Kate Moore, who stand by for numerous roles at Into the Woods

including the baker and the baker's wife. I am thrilled to be outside the St. James Theater

your marquee here. I mean, how exciting is it being a part

of this glorious production of Into the Woods? It's incredibly overwhelming. It really is, but also at the same time

Jason and I have been a part of this production since City Center, and so I think we've been able to sort of settle in

and be friends with everyone and relax into the roles that we are covering

So it's overwhelmed, but also excitement at this point. right now I think. 18. Yeah

The energy from the city is extreme excitement and joy. They're thrilled that it's back on Broadway

And we're having a ball. And I think the audience feels how much fun we're having on stage

And it is so, when we walk out of that stage door and we see the city erupt, it's like

then we really see how everyone feels about it and how good everyone feels and how happy they are

to have into the woods back on Broadway. Okay, because understudies and standbys are the lifeline saving Broadway

I mean, you have to be ready, like at a moment's notice, which we're going to talk about now. I was telling Jason, I got to see both of you go on

Yes, I got to see you go on. A friend of mine took me to the show, and they were like, oh, Mary Kate's on tonight

I'm like, this is fabulous. So I want to start with you because I saw your second performance the day before you opened

Yes. So just tell me, like, when you got that phone call Saturday morning, this is the day before they opened

So when you got that call, what happened? I had a mild panic attack

And you know, you immediately kind of focus and figure out what you need to do

And we came into the theater as soon as we could and started running some things that we hadn't been able to run

because we hadn't really had the opportunity to have a lot of rehearsal because we were in tech and previews

And then here we were. So we're a team of nine, nine understudies backstage, ready and waiting, and they're all incredibly talented

And so we all kind of helped each other and rehearsed one another

and we had friends in the wings kind of help guide us. So it really is a team effort, and this company is so incredible

The leads, Sarah, Brian, all of them just kind of embrace us and helped all of us

Lear, Jordan Roth, just embraced us and helped rise us to the challenge. So it was nerve-wracking, and I think I blacked out and barely remember most of it

but it happened, and it was a dream come true in the end. It was really wonderful

Okay, because this was the day before opening night, he gets the call saying, you're going on for the Baker, for Brian Darcy James, for the Saturday matinee, the Saturday night

and the star-studded audience for opening night. Now, I saw you on that carpet that night, take pictures

And I so wanted to talk to you that night, but I was like, oh, you've got to run backstage. I'm like, let me go through the script, right

Right, I think, and also I feel like people didn't know what I was about to do. So I was like, I'll just say hello and then pass on through

But, yeah, it was, I think if I had thought about it too much, I would have been overwhelmed. But as we were saying earlier, Chip Zine was there, and so many incredible theater legends were in the

the audience I just had to kind of focus on the task at hand but it was one of the

most amazing experiences of my life for sure okay now your first performance on

as the baker's wife was also your Broadway debut yeah it was oh my gosh just

like really killing a couple birds with one gigantic into the woodstone but it

was I mean a dream an absolute dream come true this is one of my favorite shows

of all time one of my favorite roles of all time and this is my fourth time

doing this production so to be able to make my Broadway debut playing this role i think is pretty kismet okay so you knew the show before going into this

very well yes yeah i did it in college and then i was um an understudy on the national tour back

in 2016 understudy at city center and under study here so i yeah i know a couple of the roles

i've been very familiar with the show since 2013 but you didn't know the show very well before

oh yes a teacher introduced you right yes tell me well it i feel like that pb s

broadcast of the original company was what was so inspiring to so many of us

And, you know, growing up in the Midwest, we didn't really have access to a lot of things. And that just inspired me to do this as a profession

And so I've always loved the show. It just has meant so much to me

And to do it now, I just couldn't believe how full circle it was

But I had done it once before in Sacramento 13 years ago

So it was vaguely there. Would you play? I played Rapunzel's Prince

So, you know, yeah. So I was like, you know, now we're learning all the other ones

And she's truly the mastermind. I'm like, she's the one to go out. But now, you know, now we're all in the groove of checking off all these roles one by one

Like, what's it, your teacher? Was it Max Brown? Yes. Yeah. Yeah. And he and Nancy Opel grew up together

We're all from the same hometown. A small world. We've been talking about it

But yeah, he's just the loveliest man. And I just tribute so much of this experience to him

You know? Okay, so let's talk about it's about 110 in the shade. That's the name of a Broadway musical, but we're literally standing out here like, but

it all like it stars you you all look fabulous I glowing Back to your Broadway debut How magical was that night not just going on as the Baker wife but also making your Broadway debut in this show It got to be surreal

Very surreal. I think the moment that it really hit me was when I was on stage with Brian Darcy James

who I have been idolizing since really the first time I heard Lipa's Wild Party

That was the show that introduced me to him. And so sharing the stage with him, sharing the stage with Gavin Creel, singing this incredible music, doing scenes with Pippa

Sue, it was like a, I couldn't have dreamed a better Broadway debut for myself

And a lot of friends and family were able to come. So, I mean, it was magical

It was really a very exciting evening. So I was asking, who did you have in the house that I saw a picture outside here

I think it was a lot of your family or peeps on Instagram? Like, you had a lot of people here, right

I did. I did. My little sister was able to come. My boyfriend, my best friends from college

We FaceTimed one of my best friends from college. FaceTime my parents at the stage door

So I had a cheering section. Oh, my agent as well. So there was an army. Yeah

Now for you opening night, your husband was there, right? Yeah. What's fun about this show is that there are people

that we know and love at every show. Everyone wants to see into the woods

So I'm always, whether I'm on or off, people like, I am out here. Oh my gosh, yeah

But opening night was really special. I had a handful of friends, and my husband was able to make it here

So it was, yeah, we all just, I came out of the stage. Jordan we all just started sobbing

Because what do you remember actually of that evening? Oh gosh. Not much

I left my body. I think I didn't come back into my body until like 48 hours later, you know

What just happened? The dust had settled. Yeah, I couldn't believe it. And the response from people afterward and the kindness from everyone, I think I was like

who did that happen? Was that me? Yeah. Okay, I guess it was. Yeah. Because this has to be surreal

Like you said, you're playing opposite Brian Darcy James. I mean, you loved him

you know, in all these shows. I mean, you get to play opposite. Sarah Borellas, I mean

I've been listening to her records. We were saying this the other night. We can't quite reconcile this mega recording artist

that we've been following for 15 years. Like I saw her in Madison Square Garden and, like, cried to her music

You know, like she's of inspiration. And then the cool girl that is just this brilliant actor

that just hangs out with us backstage. It's like, who are these two people

Yeah, but these are all our idols. These are all the people who are. Yeah

I just spend most of my time. time backstage trying to act cool. Just to be like, calm down, Kay, it's okay

It's okay, they're just people too. Couple awkward moments where I'm like, oh man

gosh, how embarrassing to say that in front of this person that I've idolized for such a long time

But yeah, they're incredible. They're such wonderful people. And they're people, you know

They're just like, we are except very, very talented. And the show is like, you're all so talented

But this show is like the great equalizer. You know, it's all in service to Sondheim and Lepine

And how brilliant the show is. So there really is no ego. There's so much love and just great camaraderie within the company

and equal level of respect that it's really in service this takes precedent

And so that's what's been so lovely about having these new colleagues that we've admired for so long

Well, let's talk about this. This musical is beloved by millions of people, generation after generation

I mean, you know, a lot of people said I was brought up on the VHS or, you know, on the DVD or whatever

But what did they tap into Stephen Sondheim and James? a pine that people of every generation I mean people are flying in all around the

world to try to get a ticket to this show to see this production right is it

I think it's the meeting of polar ideals it's like the first act you spend the

entire time in a fairy tale and the second act is like you've gotten everything

you've wanted now what are the real life consequences to that which is such a

human thing we all have dreams we all have wishes and oftentimes those things

will come true or realize in some way in our lives and then we learn

the reality of those things, that there's often strings attached or consequences you didn't

see coming, things that you have no control over, which I think is just like the human condition

in a way in a show on stage. And on top of that, like the lyricism of this show, the poetry

of Sondheim's words, I think really hit every single show I hear something that I haven't

heard before. So I think you could see it hundreds of times and still

learn something every time you're in the audience. Yeah, it's such a thoroughly nuanced and discussed

conversation about life. And I think coming out of a pandemic, coming out of years being apart

the very nature of the show is what do we do in the face of a great problem? How do we come together

And this production specifically greets that question with such joy and humor and heart

And I really am reminded how people want to feel good, how people want to laugh, even through

tears we want to we want to laugh and cry and feel and so here we are together

back in the theater after all this time and that energy is just of gratefulness I want

to talk about the audience because I know it's still you know you can't see a lot of the audience afterwards due to COVID about signing autographs and all

that stuff but everybody waits outside and they want to just you know clap for

all of you and everything I mean just the audience's reaction to the show is so amazing and you must feel this on stage oh my gosh well this show is unique in

that the curtain rises and the principal company steps down onto the stage in silence, which doesn't usually happen in theater

So to give the audience the opportunity to like embrace the show before it even begun it usually means that we holding for a good like 30 to 40 seconds while people get their first round of applause out of the way and that is really overwhelming

Even to hear it backstage every night we're like oh they're ready they're ready to watch

into the woods yeah. That is incredibly special and specific to this production

because it's kind of like us as actors present ourselves and then we decide to here we go

we're going to tell the story and I will say if I did remember something from opening night it's that in that

30 seconds to a minute, which it really truly is of just thunderous applause, you get to greet

the audience and you realize you're on this ride together. And I calmed in that moment. And it was

just this agreement between audience and actors to tell this beautiful story. Okay, so you're

backstage at every show now, right? I mean, this is what I love about the underscities and

standbys in your show. You're at the theater every night, right? Yeah, yeah. Some of us are down

there right now. Yeah. So we, we, we, we hang out together. We have a little understudy lounge where we chill. We got to put up some

twinkle lights, a couple of lamps. Yeah, it's basically our living room. And we're there on

call in the event that someone is needed, which has not happened yet during a show, but we are

there, just in case. And it's a lot of fun. I mean, so many of us have gone on. So I think that

initial pressure has released. And so we watch the show, we track things, we hang out. We're

really able to just enjoy the company of each other and it's lovely. Okay, now you stand by for how many

roles? Four. Which are? Baker's Wife, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Florenda, the evil step-sister

Okay, so the first time the night you were going on is the Baker's wife, when you saw yourself all

done up, wig, costume, makeup, in that mirror, what went through your mind? I look like Sarah Borellis

It really, really was. I put like my phone up in front of my face so you couldn't see my features, and I was like

Yeah, well, they did it. They made me look like her, that's for sure. That's great. And for you, the first time you saw yourself done is the Baker with your

apron and your outfit on. Yeah, I mean, I couldn't, I couldn't believe it. I'm like, here we go

We're doing this thing. This is for real now. Yeah, it's great. And then since then

could you stand by for how many roles? Four as well. Which are? The Baker, both princes

Cinderella's and Rapunzels and the narrator Mysterious Man. Okay, now you've been on for a few of them, right? Yeah, three of the four

Every week since the last week of previews, it's been a whirlwind. You've done the baker

Yep. You've done the wolf. Cinderella's Prince and the other Prince. Yeah, correct

Yeah. How cool is that? I know. This has to be like a fever dream

Like, just like, oh my God, maybe I'll come to Broadway. I would love to be it into the woods in any capacity

It's like, oh my gosh, I've already played the Baker. I played the wolf. Yeah. I've played the Princess

You've been out as the Baker's wife. I mean, these are dreams, right? I remember seeing the casting announcement

way back like, oh gosh, was it 2021, the first announcement that came out about encores saying that

Sarah was going to do it and that at that time Christian Borrell was going to do it and Heather

Headley and I remember thinking, oh man, Into the Woods is my show. I should be in

that show. And here we are. And here we are like a year later. It's so wild to remember

having that thought to be like, oh, I want to do that. Was this a dream show of yours that do here in New York when you realize

Oh my gosh. The casting call? Yes, of course. Well, I feel like I remember seeing that star-studded list

I'm like, oh, that's cool. That's cool for them. That's cool for them

I can't wait to see it, is what I thought. I can't wait to see it. Yeah, when I found out about City Center, I said, are you serious

And it was the two of us. And it was, yeah, we were the two OG swings over at City Center

And we just sat in the corner of this room with all of our scripts and scores

and we just were watching brilliance play out and watching the greatest artists of our time

kind of play and create and invent what this version is. And I learned so much in that room

and to see how much of the... We really thought City Center was lightning in a bottle

Oh, yeah. And I was curious how that would transfer. And I am amazed at how it's still there

Like there's still so much lightning in there. And I don't know how we..

What is that about? But there's something magical between the office. audiences, this cast of actors and the way Lear has provided this arena for us to just play in

So there's such a leading with love and joy that I'm like, I think it just will always read for audiences in this production

Again, I want to celebrate standbys and understudies because I remember talking to Karen Mason when she stood by for Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard in California

They're like, we have no time for you. You have to learn this on your own. Glenn Close is never going to miss a performance ever

She missed the second week. But Karen knew to learn it. She, you know, the piano player said, would you work with me during lunch or whatever

And she watched every day. So it's wondering when you were at City Center, like, you know, you're learning four different lead roles each of you

Like, did you follow them really closely? Like, I may be going on or if it happens

Well, at City Center, we were covering more than four. We were the only standby

So we were kind of trying to keep eyes on everyone, which was a lot for a little brain, like the one in here and in there

But I would say we had each other first and foremost, which was good

So in the moments when we wanted to run things, there were a couple of like five to ten minute periods where we would go up and like someone would play a little something on the piano for us so we could get it into our boys

But really just like multiple scores multiple scripts many different colored pencils lots of highlighters You know like trying your own sort of like organizational filing system and then as much homework as you feel you need to do

outside of that rehearsal room on your own. Same for you keeping it all up there

Yeah, it's a lot of organization. But in City Center, I was thrown on again for that opening as well

So I was trying to get into that role as fast as I could for that opening night

and for the dress the night before, similarly to when you were here. And so that whole first week was doing that role

And so then there was another week after that where I was like, okay, better like frantically memorize things

But yeah, it was kind of like a mirror image of what happened here in the transfer

That's crazy. You know, Laymaze is another musical that's played a big part in both of your lives

I mean, so you played Fantine? I did, yeah, on the tour for about two and a half years

right before the pandemic hit. So that's what I was doing. up until March 2020

How magical was that doing Les Mises? I mean, from Les Mies to Into the Woods

Yeah, I think with that particular show, it was like the density and the reputation

of the song that I was singing. It's just like, oh my gosh, the number of women

who are the kinds of women, the caliber of women who have played this role before me and sung this song, that was a lot to carry out

onto the stage every night, but also such an honor. And oh, I loved it

I loved playing Fontaine. Now, for you not only was it creative

It was also personal for you because you met your husband at the callbacks

Yes. Were you going for the same role? Well, we were, there was like, yet again, it was like a stack of six or seven roles we were going in for

and they were trying to figure out where to place everybody. And we met in the callbacks and I was, you know, going through all of these sides and he's introduced

himself and we had sung together on a concept recording of a show that never went anywhere

He's like, we've sung together before. I'm like, what are you talking about? And he played this song on his phone, and it's of us singing

We had never met. We sang in the studio, but we never met. I'm like, get out of here. And then we became friends, and we went on the road

I was on the road for two and a half years two in that, the 25th, the Lawrence Connor, the new version

It's so funny that we have these two things in common. But, yeah, two and a half, close to three years on the road

And we just, that was the first years of our relationship. And it was love at first sight

I actually feel truly, yes, it was. But you heard yourself singing together, right

Well, he looked at me, and he's like, are you okay? I think I was on the ground, like, having, you know, yet again having a panic attack

Going through, like, music, and I looked up and he's like, are you all right? And I remember being kind of, like, arrested by him

So I feel like maybe you love at first night is maybe you just feel kind of sick. Sick and nervous

Or a calming effect he was, do you right? I mean, he was like, who are you? But, yeah, no, it was pretty immediate

I was like, who is this guy? Yeah, and it was ever since

I love that. We're sweating out here, but I want to. We are. We're almost there. I think it would take a shower before you go into like what's like it's crazy

Like I said, it's 110 out here, whatever. But as we're standing here outside the St. James Theater under your glorious marquee, I mean, what's going through your minds

I can't believe it still. It's like almost too much for me to process

But at the same time, it's real. It's real. And we're doing it. And I think we're doing a good job

And so I'm proud of it at the same time that I'm very overwhelmed

Yeah. Generally. Yeah. I'm incredibly proud of all of us. and how hard we worked

And yeah, as you're saying this, I'm like, and here we are talking to you. It's like, what is happening

But, yeah, the love and the response and the way people feel about it. I feel very proud to be a part of this company

and to have the friends that I've made and to be doing this work, which is good work

I feel like it's making people feel again and feel together again

And that is so important. And so I'm happy that we're doing that, you know

Well, like I said, the show has just been extended again. And I think this is only one of the many

extensions through October 16th. I mean, that's got to be incredible to hear that news too

Yeah. Oh my gosh. Well, first of all, it's just nice to have a job, nice to have work

but also to be doing a show like this that really truly is in such high demand and will continue to be in high demand and continue to speak to and touch audiences

I think we're very honored. I am. Yeah, come down and check us out if you haven't already

Finally, being back on Broadway, look, the streets is this audience is everywhere. You've got to line out the door of people buying tickets for Into the Woods

I mean, for two years, it was no one on these streets. It's all back

All the marquies are lit. The crowds are back. What that means to you? I think being, like we've said it a couple of times before in the last 15 minutes or so

about just being able to connect with people in this way. I think in a way that we probably both feel like we were put on this earth to connect people

to connect to people this way. So it just feels kind of like coming home, I guess

The whole past year, I was with Phantom right across the street, swinging for them starting last September, almost a year

year ago now and then and even through the new year into January Omicron and all

that there was an element of it being a little stressful and scary and were

there was a lot of concern and so much has changed since then and I remember

being like right up in that window watching all these the signage come up over

here and being like oh my god I can't believe I can't believe I'm like

hopping across the street and now yeah the city is back full-fledged there's so

much passion on the streets theater is back it's to see all these new marquees like Neil Diamond come up and down the street

So, yeah, it's fully revived. Well, thank you for joining me here for Broadway World tonight

sweating in the street outside your theater. It's a real pleasure to be with both of you

Everybody, we'll see you with the theater