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Old and new fairy-tale characters lead
us through a journey of growth and self-discovery in this dazzling
full-production musical. In Act I, Into the Woods leads us to believe that it is a kids' show as well-known fairy tales
characters of Cinderella,
Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Little Red Ridinghood are introduced
(along with the story of
the Baker and his Wife). But adults soon pick up on the underlying themes
as Act II deals with the consequences that traditional fairy tales conveniently
ignore.
The Baker and his Wife, who desperately want a child, are cursed barren by a Witch and must perform various missions
involving the characters in the other fairy tales to break her spell. For instance, they must bring a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood,
hair as yellow as corn, and a slipper as pure as gold to the Witch. After
a series of failed attempts, the Baker and his Wife finally succeed in their
mission and the spell is indeed broken...albeit at a heavy price.
It is only after the characters
accomplish their goals that they learn about the pitfalls of greed and gluttony.
Finally, they learn about the need for community and family when they must unite
to fight against the wife of the giant Jack killed (who seeks vengeance on them
all). The show teaches us to be careful what we wish for: the woods are
symbolic of the place where inner darkness is confronted and where uncertainty
is resolved about who one is...or wants to be.
Some of the show's complex and tantalizing
tunes include There Are Giants in the Sky, Agony, No One is Alone, and
Children Will Listen.
The original Broadway production opened
in November, 1987 and starred Bernadette Peters, Joanna Gleason, Chip Zien, and
Tom Aldredge. The latest revival won the 2002 Tony award for Best
Revival of a Musical and starred Vanessa Williams, Laura Benanti, John
McMartin, and Gregg Edelman. The show was last presented by the
Guild in 1992.
The show was last produced by the Guild
in 1992.
Click
here to read a complete synopsis of the show on Musicals.net.
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