‘Into the Woods’, the now-classic musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, opened on Broadway in 1987 and has been revived periodically ever since. Locals have a chance to see it again in the next couple of weeks.
The show looks at fairy tales such as ‘Cinderella’ and ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ and asks questions like, what “would happen if the prince was a jerk?” The musical is performed in two acts, and they are so different some productions for children cut the second act entirely, avoiding the stories' darker aspects.
The first act introduces the characters people know, such as Cinderella, Jack and his mother, Rapunzel, and the Witch, all of whom meet and interact in the woods that give the play its name. The act ends with everyone apparently about to live happily.
Act Two turns everything upside down. The Prince cheats on Cinderella, Jack's mother is killed, and the Baker's wife—perhaps the most likeable character in the show—also dies. Instead of a happy romp, ‘Into the Woods’ asks its audiences to consider the nature of fairy tales, and the danger of wishing for something to happen instead of actually living life. Despite its darkness, the show is laced with humor and light-hearted music.
‘Into the Woods’ is playing now at the Village Theatre in Issaquah; the run ends October 21, 2017.
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