What is Into the Woods?

What is "Into the Woods?"

Into the Woods is a brilliant Steven Sondheim musical which blends famous fairy tale characters while adding a Baker and his Wife, who become the focal characters in this unfolding story as they try to reverse a curse which has been cast upon them by a witch. (Rendering them barren.)

In the first act, the characters set out to achieve their goal of living "Happily Ever After" through very familiar paths. Cinderella goes to the Ball and meets Prince Charming, Jack climbs the Beanstalk and finds giants and riches beyond his wildest dreams, Little Red Riding Hood goes into the woods and meets the wolf on her way to Grandma's house and Rapunzel seeks to escape her long-term prison tower with the help of an exceedingly handsome prince who climbs up her long hair.
The Baker and his Wife are seeking to lift the curse that has been placed upon them so their interraction is with the other characters while together they seek the required ingredients from the woods for a potion that the witch will make up for them when they give her the four sought after ingredients. All of the characters have their own reasons (mostly selfish) For wanting to venture into the woods.
The witch becomes a mother to Rapunzel (who is later revealed to be the Baker's sister) and she has put the curse on the Baker's house ~ but she agrees to lift the curse if the Baker and his Wife can find the ingredients to help her reverse a spell which was cast upon her making her old and ugly. The sought for ingredients are: A Slipper As Pure As Gold. (Which the Baker's wife coaxes from Cinderella,) A Cow As White As Milk. (Which the Baker buys from Jack in exchange for the famous magic beans,) A Cape As Red As Blood. (Which the Baker receives from Little Red Riding Hood in gratitude when he frees Her and Her Granny from the Wolfs' stomach.) And Hair As Yellow As Corn. (Which the Baker's Wife gets from Rapunzel.)

The ingredients are gathered, and the spell works (After a small problem is encountered and dealt with.)

The Witch's incredible beauty is restored to her ~ But she is totally stripped of her awesome powers.
By the end of act one it seems as if everyone will live "Happily Ever After." Everyone has what they wished for at the very beginning of the play.

Ahhhhhh.... the course of human nature.

Act Two is VERY dark and it deals with what happens in life after "Happily Ever After."
Does marrying a Prince always guarantee a blissful and stress-free life?
Are Giants really good? Are witches always wrong?
How does one contend with a dead giant in the backyard?

What happens when people make mistakes?
What if someone does not live to see their "Happily Ever After?"

During Act Two all of the characters must start thinking together as a group instead of thinking only about their own selfish wishes and desires. They must battle the angry giants widow.... and they realize that every action carries its own consequence.

While they are learning some pretty harsh (and true) lessons of life ~ the characters also realize that

Even if sometimes people leave you

~ halfway through the wood ~

Into The Woods

Cast Photo ~ 1987

" Into the woods you go again, you have to every now and then.
Into the woods, no telling when, be ready for the journey.
Into the woods, but not too fast, or what you wish you lose at last.
Into the woods, but mind the past.
Into the woods, but mind the future.
Into the woods, but not to stray, or tempt the wolf or steal from the Giant-
The way is dark, the light is dim, but now there's you, me, her and him.
The chances look small, the choices look grim,
But everything you learn there will help when you return there.
The light is getting dimmer...
I think a see a glimmer! "

Into the Woods

The Original Broadway Cast ~ 1987

Into The Woods

Some more members of the Broadway Cast ~ 1987

Rapunzels Tower.

Pamela Winslow and Bernadette Peters

" Careful the things you say, children will listen.
Careful the things you do, children will see. And learn.
Children may not obey ~ but children will listen.
Children will look to you for which way to turn, to learn what to be.
Careful before you say, "listen to me." Children will listen. "

~Rapunzels Mother, The Witch~

Though I love all of the music from "Into the Woods" "Agony" 1 and 2 (which is sung by Cinderella's Prince who is brought to life by Robert Westenberg and Rapunzel's Prince ~ wonderfully played by the amazing Chuck Wagner.) are my favorite songs from "Into the Woods."

In Agony 1 the Prince Brothers have fallen in love with Cinderella and Rapunzel, respectively. They determine that to be totally happy they *must* have these women for their very own.... because to not have them is unbearable agony.

In Agony 2 the story amusingly and competitively continues. The Princes (Who did, by the way, wed their chosen and much sought after brides.) have decided that now to be entirely happy they *must* have Sleeping Beauty and Snow White as their own. They decide during the song the best way to go about rescuing their new love interests. By songs end..... they relegate themselves (almost) to their previously wished for

"Happily Ever After."

Agony

Chuck Wagner and Robert Westenberg

" I was raised to be charming, not sincere."

~Cinderella's Prince~

Into The Woods

Music and Lyrics by Steven Sondheim Written and Directed by James Lapine

Into the Woods without delay,

but careful not to lose the way....