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Overview

Synopsis

“Be careful what you wish for” seems to be the ongoing theme in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Brothers Grimm-inspired musical, Into the Woods. The story follows The Baker and his wife who wish to have a child, Cinderella who wishes to go to the King’s Festival, and Jack who wishes his cow would give some milk. When the Baker and his wife are visited by the Witch from next door, who reveals to them that she placed a curse on their family, the two set off on a journey “into the woods'' to reverse the curse. There, we meet Little Red Riding Hood, on her way to visit her grandmother, the Wolf who loves tasty little girls, the Witch’s daughter Rapunzel, and two lovelorn Princes. By the end, everyone has gotten their wish and will seemingly live happily ever after.

Show Information

Conceived By
James Lapine
Category
Musical
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
1
Genres
Fairy Tale/Fantasy
Settings
Multiple Settings
Time & Place
A Fairytale Kingdom and In the Woods
Cast Size
large
Orchestra Size
Recording
Dancing
Musical Staging
Ideal For
Elementary School, Middle School, Star Vehicle Female, Star Vehicle Male, Theatre For Young Audiences (TYA), Mostly Female Cast, Includes Child, Early Teen, Late Teen Characters, Large Cast

Context

Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Cinderella

Lead

Female

Soprano

Jack

Lead

Male

Tenor

Little Red Riding Hood

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

The Baker

Lead

Male

Tenor

The Baker's Wife

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

The Witch

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Cinderella's Prince

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Cinderella's Stepmother

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Florinda

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Lucinda

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Jack's Mother

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

The Mysterious Man

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

The Narrator

Supporting

Either Gender

Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor

Rapunzel

Supporting

Female

Soprano

Rapunzel's Prince

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Milky-White

Supporting

Either Gender

Silent

Cinderella's Mother

Featured

Female

Soprano

The Wolf

Featured

Male

Tenor

Granny

Featured

Female

Non-singer

The Steward

Featured

Male

Non-singer

Songs

  • Opening Part 1 - Narrator, Baker, Baker’s Wife, Cinderella, Jack, Stepmother, Florinda, Lucinda, Little Red, Jack’s Mother
  • Opening Part 2 - Baker, Baker’s Wife, Little Red
  • Opening Part 3 - Narrator, Jack, Jack’s Mother
  • Opening Part 4 - Narrator, Baker, Baker’s Wife, Witch
  • Opening Part 5 - Baker, Baker’s Wife, Witch
  • Opening Part 6 - Narrator, Witch
  • Opening Part 7 - Stepmother, Cinderella, Cinderella’s Father
  • Opening Part 8 - Baker, Baker’s Wife, Cinderella, Narrator
  • Opening Part 9 - Narrator, Baker, Baker’s Wife, Cinderella, Jack, Stepmother, Florinda, Lucinda, Little Red, Jack’s Mother, Cinderella’s Father
  • Cinderella at the Grave - Cinderella, Cinderella’s Mother
  • Hello, Little Girl - Wolf, Little Red
  • After Hello, Little Girl- Baker’s Wife, Little Red
  • I Guess This is Goodbye/Maybe They're Really Magic - Jack, Baker, Baker’s Wife
  • Rapunzel - Rapunzel
  • Baker’s Reprise - Baker
  • I Know Things Now - Little Red
  • A Very Nice Prince - Cinderella, Baker’s Wife
  • Giants in the Sky - Jack
  • Agony - Rapunzel’s Prince, Cinderella’s Prince
  • Rapunzel’s Reprise - Rapunzel
  • It Takes Two - Baker, Baker’s Wife
  • Stay With Me - Witch, Rapunzel
  • On the Steps of the Palace - Cinderella
  • Ever After - Narrator, Company

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

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Themes, Symbols & Motifs

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