PERFORMANCE GUIDE

Once
Upon
a Time. . .
. . . in a far off kingdom
lived a young maiden,
a sad young lad,
and a childless baker
with his wife.
So begins, Stephen Sondheim and James Lapines musical Into the Woods, a fairy
tale journey of characters, both familiar and new, searching for their happy ever
after ending.
For Older Students:
To begin your study of this musical, take a moment to review some of their favorite
fairy tales. Brainstorm a list of stories with your students, reviewing the plots briefly.
As you discuss the stories, ask students to look for elements that many of the stories
share. Older students may be interested to learn that many of the fairy tale versions
we are familiar with are very sanitized and different in tone than their original
versions (primarily thanks to Disney movies!). Most of the characters in Into the
Woods come from a collection of tales by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, commonly
referred to as The Brothers Grimm. Older students may enjoy comparing the darker
versions to the versions they remember from their younger years.
For Younger Students:
Create a list of familiar tales that include Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk,
Rapunzel, and Little Red Riding Hood. Perhaps read aloud a different fairy tale each
day or embark on a more in-depth study of fairy tales with your class. In so doing,
create a chart that identifies elements that the stories share such as:
-

Once upon a time

good characters versus evil characters
a beautiful princess or a handsome prince (or both!)
the use of magic
talking animals
a happy ending

Students of all ages, may find it interesting to compare and contrast differing fairy
tale versions. The Cinderella story, in particular, is found in many different cultures
around the world. A list of multi-cultural fairy tales can usually be found at your local
library.
worksheet

mix it
up/
the plot
ACT I
In a far off kingdom, we meet a
childless Baker and his Wife. They learn from
the Witch next door that because the Bakers father
had stolen magic beans from her garden, she made his
father and mother pay by giving up their daughter, Rapunzel,
to her. The poor Baker didnt even know he had a sister!
To his further dismay, he learns the witch also placed a spell
on him to ensure that he would not be able to have children. She promises to reverse the spell if the Baker
will collect four items for her
within three daysONE: THE COW AS WHITE AS MILK, TWO: THE CAPE AS RED AS BLOOD, THREE: THE HAIR AS
YELLOW AS CORN, FOUR: THE SLIPPER AS PURE AS GOLD. The Baker (unknowingly followed by his wife) sets out
on a journey through the neighboring woods to find the items. Meanwhile, Little Red Riding Hood is making her way
through the woods to her grandmothers house, while Cinderella is going to visit her mothers grave in the woods,
and Jack is off to the market in order to sell his cow, Milky White, to get money for food. In the course of their
journeys, these characters and others meet and intermingle in ways familiar and unexpected, but by the end of Act
I, the characters have all been granted their wishes and prepare to live their lives happily ever after.

ACT II
At the top of Act II, we see that the happily ever after for which our main characters wished, did not turn out
quite the way they thought it would. And to make matters worse, a great disaster in the kingdom suddenly sends
them back into the woods fleeing for their lives. Not everyone survives this disaster and characters face tough decisions about how to carry on. Many learn for the first time the value of depending on one another.

connections
Explore merging characters in different stories to create new stories with this improvisation
exercise:
1. Select four students to act as storytellers.
2. Ask the audience for the names of three characters from famous fairy tales and a special location.
3. The teacher should serve as the story starter and conductor. Begin the story for the group (being sure
to set the stage and include a conflict). Then point to one of the storytellers to continue where you
left off. At varying points in the story, point to a different storyteller to indicate they should continue
the narrative.
4. Stop the narrative when it comes to a natural conclusion (sometimes this must be prompted).
5. Repeat with new storytellers, characters, and locations.
HELPFUL HINTS
- Instruct the students that the main characters cannot die in the first round of the game.
- Keep it moving fast in attempt to prevent planning ahead.

worksheet

re-imagining

fairy tales
s briefly summarized on worksheet 2, the plot
of Into the Woods draws on the plots of many
well known fairy tales. Continue to have students explore this concept of adapting and changing
stories to create new stories of their own with the following writing exercises (select exercises most appropriate for your students level). The story map to the
right can be copied and enlarged.

Story Map
Main
Characters:

Setting:

Fractured Fairy Tale

Select a well know story such as Cinderella.
Brainstorm with students ways in which the story
might be altered. For example:

Problem (conflict):

- Cinderella is homely but good at heart. (a la

Shrek style)
- The prince cant dance and is very shy.
- Cinderella doesnt want to get married.
Outline a new story based on one of your ideas. After
modeling, allow students to select a story of their own
and change the tale to create their own story.

Event (action):

From A Different Perspective

Read The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon
Scieska aloud. Talk about how the story changes
when told from the wolfs perspective. Have students
select a different fairy tale and tell the story from one
of the other characters point of view.
For example:
- The evil stepmother in Snow White
- The wolf in Little Red Riding Hood
- The Giants mother in Jack & the Beanstalk
- The stepsister in Cinderella
Predictions

Event (action):

How the problem is solved (resolution):

What the characters learn (moral):

Read the synopsis for Into the Woods on page 2. In

small groups, allow students to make predictions
about Act. II. Have them create their own story.
Options for all writing exercises:
1. Write the story in script format and perform it.
2. Write the story in picture book format.
3. Write the story and perform as a puppet show.

worksheet

the
woods
Top of ACT I
INTO THE WOODS
TO GET MY WISH
I DONT CARE HOW
THE TIME IS NOW...
THE WAY IS CLEAR
THE LIGHT IS GOOD
I HAVE NO FEAR,
NOR NO ONE SHOULD.
THE WOODS ARE JUST TREES
THE TREES ARE JUST WOOD.
NO NEED TO BE AFRAID THERE
THERES SOMETHING
IN THE GLADE THERE...

End of ACT I
THOUGH ITS FEARFUL,
THOUGH ITS DEEP,
THOUGH ITS DARK,
AND THOUGH YOU MAY
LOSE THE PATH,
THOUGH YOU MAY
ENCOUNTER WOLVES,
YOU MUSTNT STOP,
YOU MUSTNT SWERVE,
YOU HAVE TO ACT!
YOU CAN HAVE YOUR WISH,
BUT YOU CANT JUST WISH
NO, TO GET YOUR WISH
YOU GO...INTO THE WOODS
AND THROUGH THE FEAR...

connections
Lyricist and composer Stephen Sondheim uses the journey
through the woods to represent the characters journey through
lifes challenges.
The boxes above contain exerpts of lyrics from the title song in
its various forms throughout the play. Read each set of lyrics
and see if you can tell what Sondheim is trying to say about the
woods, about life, and about how we should approach obstacles
in our lives. Look specifically at how the lyrics change from one
act to the next. What do you think the characters learn in their
journey?

End of ACT II
THOUGH ITS FEARFUL,
THOUGH ITS DEEP,
THOUGH ITS DARK,
AND THOUGH YOU MAY
LOSE THE PATH,
THOUGH YOU MAY
ENCOUNTER WOLVES,
YOU CANT JUST ACT,
YOU HAVE TO THINK.
THERE ARE ALWAYS WOLVES,
THERE ARE ALWAYS SPELLS,
THERE ARE ALWAYS BEANS,
OR A GIANT DWELLS THERE...
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

a metaphor:
1. A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing
is used to desiignate another, thus making an implicit comparison
2. One thing conceived as representing another; a symbol.

worksheet

I KNOW THINGS NOW

(SUNG BY LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD)

temptation
and
growing
up
Read the lyrics (left) sung by Little Red Ridinghood
in the musical Into the Woods. Use the song and
what you know of Little Reds story from the traditional fairy tale to answer the following questions:
- How did the Wolf trick Little Red Ridinghood?
- Why do you think she listened to him even though she
knew it was forbidden?
- What did she learn from her experience?
- What does she mean by her final two lines?

connections
A moral is a lesson that the character learns in the
story that we can apply to our own lives.
- Can you learn from Little Reds lesson?
- Have you ever been tempted to do something you knew
you shouldnt do? What happened?
Use your experience (or make up a new one) to write
your own fairy tale with a moral at the end. Share with
your classmates.

after the play

Many of the characters in Into the Woods (both
young and old) are tempted to do things that
they may know are not exactly the best choices
to make in life in order to get something they want.
In return, each of them learn valuable life lessons.
After seeing the production, discuss which
characters make mistakes in their journey
through the woods. Do they learn from these
mistakes?

MOTHER SAID
STRAIGHT AHEAD.
NOT TO DELAY
OR BE MISLED.
I SHOULD HAVE HEEDED
HER ADVICE...
BUT HE SEEMED SO NICE.
AND HE SHOWED ME THINGS,
MANY BEAUTIFUL THINGS,
THAT I HADNT THOUGHT TO EXPLORE,
THEY WERE OFF MY PATH,
SO I NEVER HAD DARED.
I HAD BEEN SO CAREFUL
I NEVER HAD CARED,
AND HE MADE ME FEEL EXCITED
WELL, EXCITED AND SCARED.
WHEN HE SAID COME IN!
WITH THAT SICKENING GRIN,
HOW COULD I KNOW WHAT WAS IN STORE?
ONCE HIS TEETH WERE BARED,
THOUGH, I REALLY GOT SCARED
WELL, EXCITED AND SCARED
BUT HE DREW ME CLOSE
AND HE SWALLOWED ME DOWN,
DOWN A DARK SLIMY PATH
WHERE LIE SECRETS THAT I NEVER
WANT TO KNOW
AND WHEN EVERYTHING FAMILIAR
SEEMED TO DISAPPEAR FOREVER,
AT THE END OF THE PATH
WAS GRANNY ONCE AGAIN.
SO WE WAIT IN THE DARK
UNTIL SOMEONE SETS US FREE,
AND WERE BROUGHT INTO THE LIGHT,
AND WERE BACK AT THE START.
AND I KNOW THINGS NOW,
MANY VALUABLE THINGS,
THAT I HADNT KNOWN BEFORE:
DO NOT PUT YOUR FAITH
IN A CAPE AND A HOOD
THEY WILL NOT PROTECT YOU
THE WAY THAT THEY SHOULD
AND TAKE EXTRA CARE WITH STRANGERS,
EVEN FLOWERS HAVE THEIR DANGERS.
AND THOUGH SCARY IS EXCITING,
NICE IS DIFFERENT THAN GOOD.
NOW I KNOW:
DONT BE SCARED
GRANNY IS RIGHT,
JUST BE PREPARED.
ISN'T IT NICE TO KNOW A LOT!
... AND A LITTLE BIT NOT ...
worksheet

good and evil

raditionally, fairy tales have one character who

serves as the bad guy. This stock character is often
depicted as very evil and out to get the main character through no fault of their own. Think of the following
fairy tales and name the bad character.
Hansel & Grethel
Rapunzel
Cinderella
The Little Mermaid

OF COURSE WHAT REALLY MATTERS IS THE

BLAME,
SOMEONE YOU CAN BLAME.
FINE, IF THATS THE THING YOU ENJOY,
PLACING THE BLAME.
IF THATS THE AIM, GIVE ME THE BLAME
JUST GIVE ME THE BOY...
NO...
YOURE SO NICE.
YOURE NOT GOOD, YOURE NOT BAD,
YOURE JUST NICE.
IM NOT GOOD, IM NOT NICE, IM JUST
RIGHT.
IM THE WITCH.
YOURE THE WORLD.

Little Red Ridinghood

Sleeping Beauty
Snow White & the 7 Dwarfs
The Three Little Pigs

These characters seem to act out of pure evil. They are

just simply bad. In Into the Woods, Sondheim and Lapine
take the character of the witch, a traditionally evil character, and make her much more complex. The witch is given
a story of her own, with a mother who was not very nice
to her and a daughter who she loves very much. She
makes mistakes and she is punished for those mistakes,
but she is much closer to a human being with her ability to
love and to learn.
Likewise, the other characters are also more complex.
They, too, make decisions that are selfish and ultimately
cause harm to themselves or others. Like in real life, the
line between good and evil is blurred. Each character has
the capacity to act very good and very bad. Sometimes
a character is trying so hard to get what they want, they
dont realize that they are hurting someone else. They
dont even recognize the consequences of their actions.

After the Play

Read the quote above, what is the witch trying to say to the other characters.
After seeing the play, trace the journey of one character. What do they do that seems bad or selfish?
What do they do that seems good or selfless? Do you think of them as a good or bad person?
Does doing a bad thing mean you are a bad person?
What is your definition of a good person?
Can you think of a time in your life when you did something that hurt someone else, even though you
did not intend for that to happen? How did you feel afterwards? What did you do?

When we read a story, we assume that a character called the witch is going to be an evil person. We
usually assume that the beautiful princess is going to be a nice, good person. Can you create a story in
which the reverse is true? You can use a traditional fairy tale and re-write it or write a new story all on
your own.

worksheet

After the Play

community responsibility
It takes two.
I thought one was enough.
Its not true.
It takes two of us.
You came through
When the journey was rough.
It took you.
It took two of us.
The Baker, Act I Scene III

Mother cannot guide you.

Now youre on your own.
Only me beside you.
Still, youre not alone.
No one is alone. Truly.
No one is alone.
Cinderella, Act II Scene II

nto the Woods is about learning how to care for one another in times of need. This can be called having a
sense of community responsibility. Choose one of the sets of lyrics above. Write about what was happening in
the play when they were sung. How does the scene portrat this idea of community responsibility? When you
have finished, draw a picture below the description illustrating what happened in the scene.

Can you think of any other instances in which characters showed a sense of community responsibility?

worksheet

Among other things, the show is about

community responsibility...you cant just go and chop down
trees and tease princes and pretend that beans are worth
more than they are. Everybody has to pay for that.
--Sondheim about Into the Woods

ommunities are not built of friends, or of groups of people with

similar styles and tastes, or even of people who like and
understand each other. They are built of people who feel they
are part of something that is bigger than themselves: a shared goal or
enterprise, like righting a wrong, or building a road, or raising children,
or living honorably, or worshipping a god. To build community requires
only the ability to see value in others; to look at them and see a
potential partner in one's enterprise.

our
universe of
obligation

Historian Helen Fein offers the phrase "universe of obligation" to help people understand an operational definition of
community. She believes that communities often expand and contract to include or exclude members, and that this
expansion or contraction involves not only circumstances, but real choices, moral and ethical choices, about how to
see "other" people.
Fein's phrase, "universe of obligation," describes "that circle of individuals or groups toward whom obligations are
owed, to whom rules apply, and whose injuries call for amends."

connections
After seeing the play, break out into small groups and have each group read this definition of Universe of
Obligation. Report back and spend a few minutes jotting down on the blackboard what is powerful or significant
about the definition. Make a list of all the communities that members of your class belong to. What does the definition suggest to you about the "communities" we belong to? Can your class name two or three groups or communities with which they identify in particular?
With a partner, discuss how your definitions of Universe of Obligation might relate to the themes in Into the Woods.
Think about the journey of the characters; specifically consider where each family began at the start of the show
and how new families were created by the end of the show.
Did this fairy tale version of life reflect our own society in any way?
Now consider, the recent tragedies surrounding Hurricane Katrina. How did this concept of Universe of Obligation
play out in the response to the victims of the hurricane?
- Can you think of examples in which some
people expanded their universe of obligation?
- Can you think of examples in which some
people did not?
- Do you think we learned anything as a country
about our interconnectedness?
Now consider your own community, are there bridges
that need to be built to expand your universe of obligation?

You move just a finger.

Say the slightest word.
Somethings bound to linger.
Be heard.
the Baker & Cinderella, Act II Scene II

worksheet

happily ever after?

What begins so innocently as a simple wish for each of the
characters in Into the Woods sends them on a journey that
changes them forever.
The characters in this fairy tale do not all find a happily ever
after ending...or at least not the one they imagined they would
have at the start of the story.
Can you match the character with their lines from the show? Draw a line from the character to the quote.
Discuss with your classmates the lesson that each learned. Did they get what they want? Was it what they
expected?
I was perfect.
I had everything but beauty.
I had power,
And a daughter like a flower,
In a tower.
Then I went into the woods
To get my wish
And now Im ordinary.
Lost my power and my flower.

I thought that if you were

mine, that I would never wish
for more. And part of me is
content and as happy as Ive
ever been. But there remains
a part of me that continually
needs more...I shall always
love the maiden who ran
away.
My fathers house was a
nightmare. Your house
was a dream. Now I
want something in
between.

The
Baker

Cinderellas
stepsisters

The
Prince

Cinderella

The
Witch

No more giants,
Waging war.
Cant we just pursue our lives
With our children and our wives?
Till that happier day arrives,
How do we ignore
All the witches,
All the curses,
All the wolves, all the lies,
The false hopes, the goodbyes,
the reverses,
All the wondering what even
worse is still in store?
All the children...
All the giants....
No more.
I was greedy.
I was vain.
I was haughty.
I was smug.
We were happy.
It was fun.
But we were blind.
Then we went in to the woods
To get our wish
And now were really blind.

What lesson do you think these characters learned?

The Bakers Wife

Jack

Little Red Ridinghood

worksheet

storytelling
through song & music

mericas greatest orignal contribution to the

theatre is the musical; yet the genre is too often
dismissed as escapist entertainment. The
reasons for the musicals disrepute are many. In its
infancy, in the early years of this century, musical
theatre was unsophisticated. The plot line was thin.
There was little attempt to integrate song and dance,
and a basic formula of delight and diversion, beautiful
girls, slapstick comics, and romantic ballads prevailed.
The simplistic moralism, the naive optimism, the noble
hero and simpering heroine were adopted, unaltered,
from the nineteenth-century melodrama. The
commercial success of these pieces encouraged their
fossilization into a predictable pattern of sensational
extravaganzas. Artistic merit was deemed less
important than financial gain. The musical was viewed
solely as a commercial commodity.
The evolutionary progression of the musical from
Showboat to Rodgers and Hammersteins Oklahoma! is
well documented in histories of the American musical.
The form changed and became increasingly complex.
Integration became the key word as Rodgers and
Hammerstein wove the texture of song, dance, and plot
closely together. Yet despite the fact that such themes
as racial prejudice (in South Pacific and Finians
Rainbow, for example), marital disharmony and infidelity
(in Carousel and The Most Happy Fella), and capitalist
venality (in Allegro and How to Succeed in Business
Without Really Trying) were introduced, this kind of
theater retained an essential naivete. The musicals of
the forties and fifties were escapist in that they transported their audience into a larger-than-life world where
emotions were expressed in melody and the evening

was capped with a reassuring reprise at the final

curtain.The climate of progress and promise that
prevailed during the creative period of Rodgers and
Hammersteins career no longer existed by the late
1960s. From that point on, for an artist in the
commercial theatre to comment on, or attempt to
change, prevalent attitudes has been an invitation
to financial disaster and obscurity.
Yet Sondheim and his collaborators have blazed a trail
of creativity and commitment on Broadway. Rather
than an esoteric style, they have chosen the popular
form of American theatre and invested it with a truth
and vitality rarely associated with Broadway musicals.
Sondheim and his collaborators choose both complex
subjects and consistently experimental techniques, and
their musicals begin after the traditional happily-everafter has run into trouble. In an interview with Hubert
Saal of Newsweek, Harold Prince explains his and
Sondheims commitment to truth in the musical
theatre: I work in the theatre, not in the musical
theatre... Who says to be entertained means to be
tickled?...I think its more stimulating to be upset. I try
to be part of what I want to see. And I go to the
theatre to see a little blood drawn.
Sondheim is the preeminent exponent of this new
musical form. His work has redefined the genre and,
as a result, the gulf that separated serious, legitimate theatre from the musical theatre has effectively
been bridged.
excerpted from Art Isnt Easy,
The Theatre of Stephen Sondheim by Joanne Gordon

connections
Heightened Language in Musicals
Obviously, in musicals actors suddenly burst into songsthis is called a convention. Different conventions exist in
all art forms. For example, in movies and television, characters don't really get from one place to another as quickly
as they appear to, but we understand that the boring part of their journey has been cut. Conventions help the
poetry of the work of art come to life. A song is often described as "poetry to music." Characters in the theatre
live in a heightened state of reality or a heightened sense of life in which they experience emotions with great
force. It is almost as if their passion, their pain, their happiness is so overwhelming, that it can only be expressed
through song.
What heightened moments were expressed through song in the musical Into the Woods?
Could you tell how the characters were feeling (happy, sad, angry) by the way the actors
delivered the song? Did the tone of the songs change from Act I to Act II? Why are we drawn
to listening to stories through song?

worksheet

10

elements of live theatre

Before

After

Seeing the Production

Seeing the Production

DIRECTION

DIRECTION

1. Discuss the role of director and the meaning of a

"director's concept" (overall vision of the play based on
themes including time period, setting, etc.).
2. Identify what your concept for the play would be.
How would you communicate this concept to the audience?
3. Prepare a cast list for the major characters in Into
the Woods based on the short summary on Worksheet
2. Using the summary and your knowledge of the original fairy tales, list characteristics you would look for in
the performers selected for each role. After completing
your list, select actors from film, television, and theatre
who best suit the criteria.

1. Can you identify the director's production

concept? Consider:
a.Where and in what time period the play appears to
take place? What is this saying about the themes
and messages of the play?
b. What themes received the most emphasis?
2. In your opinion, did the director's concept suit the
play and help the audience's understanding of the play?
3. Compare your group's casting ideas with those of
the director. What are the areas of agreement or
disagreement? Did you agree with his selection?

ACTING

ACTING

1. Discuss the role of the actor, the meaning of

characterization, and the tools of an actor (voice, body,
imagination).
2. Consider one of the major characters. What kind of
advice would you give to the actor portraying that role?

1. After a rehearsal or performance, a director gives

each cast member "notes" (suggestions or observations
about their performance). Ask each student to prepare
detailed "notes" for at least one cast member, citing
what they liked, disliked, and would change about their
performance.
2. In discussing the notes, consider clarity of
communication and ensemble in addition to credibility
and characterization.

DESIGN

DESIGN

1. Discuss the roles of each of the designers (set,

costume, light).
2. In Into the Woods, the set designer has to create
designs for a lot of different locations including the
Bakery, Cinderellas house, the Castle, Jacks house,
and the woods. How might you solve that problem?
3. The tone of the play changes from Act I to Act II. In
Act I, the woods are not as sinister as in Act II. How
might the set and lighting design reflect that.
4. Choose a character and design a costume for him or
her.

1. Set design:
a. Was the set design more realistic or abstract?
b. Can you identify any characteristic visual patterns
in the set (i.e. the use of color or shape)?
c. Did the design provide a variety of opportunities
for stage movement (multiple exits, playing
levels,etc.)?
2. Lighting design:
a. Was the stage clearly illuminated? If not, did this
appear to be by accident or design?
b. Did the lighting evoke a particular mood or
feeling?
3. Costume design:
a. Were the costumes appropriate to the characters?
b. Did they support the director's production
concept?
worksheet

11

After the performance FOR STUDENTS:

Write a letter to the director, actor, or author of the play telling them what you
appreciated or did not appreciate about the show.
Write a review of the show as if it were to appear in the school newspaper.
Would you recommend it to others?
What did you like?
What did you dislike?
What character did you relate to the most?
What affected you the most?
What was the mood of the piece?
What did the piece have to say to you?
Was the playwright successful in communicating the theme?
What stage craft did you like the most?
How did you feel watching the show?

Please answer the following questions thoughtfully, so that

we can better serve our students.

If you participated in a workshop before the performance, what did you like
best about it? What didnt you respond to in the workshop?

Tell us what were the top three things about your experience of going to the
theatre?

Would you like to go to theatre again? What kinds of things would you like to
see on stage?

Please mail or email responses to:

TheatreWorks
PO Box 50458
Palo Alto, CA 94303-0458
attn. Elissa Stebbins
elissa@theatreworks.org

worksheet

13

Resources
books:

Into the Woods

adapted & illustrated by Hudson Talbott
a picture-book adaptation of the Broadway Musical
The Complete Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales
edited by Lily Owens
Sondheim & Co., Second Edition by Craig Zadan
the authorized, behind-the-scenes story of the
making of Stephen Sondheims musicals
Art Isn't Easy: The Theater of Stephen Sondheim
by Joanne Gordon
Stephen Sondheim: a life
biography by Meryle Secrest
videos & cd:

Into the Woods

original Broadway cast DVD (1990)
Into the Woods
original Broadway cast CD (1987)
revival Broadway cast CD (2002)
Broadway: The American Musical
PBS Video Series (2004)
resource page

Study Guide

Actors Company

12 North Prince Street

Lancaster, PA 17603

This study guide has been prepared for you and your students. It is intended to assist in making
the play enriching and enjoyable theatrical experience. Background information, discussion ideas
and suggested activities for use both after and before the play are included.
Please feel free to select the material most appropriate for your class.

Season Co-Sponsors

Production Co-Sponsors

&
&

School Day Sponsor

About the Play

Background:
The original concept for Into the Woods was for James Lapine, author and director, to
develop an original fairy tale-type story line that Stephen Sondheim, lyricist and composer,
would set to music. During development, however, it was decided that using familiar fairy
tales would better suit their purposes. Lapine then hit upon the idea of bringing together
characters from several different stories, and to create a world in which they would interact
with one another. As a result, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack (of the Beanstalk) and
Rapunzel were brought together on the same stage with the Baker, his Wife, and a nasty
witch, thus creating a new and surprising story.
Lapine and Sondheim do not however simply repeat the sweet stories of childhood. Instead,
they return to the source of these stories, the original tales as told by the Brothers Grimm.
Jacob Grimm (1785-1863) and Wilhelm Grimm (1786-1859) were born in Hanau, Germany.
They collected folktales from various oral European traditions, and helped establish the
science of folklore. While stories such as Snow White and Sleeping Beauty had been retold
countless times, the Brothers Grimm were among the first to write them down. They
published their first edition of Kinder-undHausmarchen (Childrens and Household Tales) in
1812. Not originally intended for children, these folk and fairy tales are far more graphic and
gory than the versions we are familiar with today, In the original version of Rapunzel, for
example, Rapunzels prince is blinded and bloodied by thorns. His journey back to Rapunzel
and her ability to cure his blindness is essential to the storyline. Through the years Grimms
tales have been edited and adapted for younger audiences and most of the versions we are
familiar with today are based on the seventh edition of Grimms collected stories published in
1857.
Into The Woods opened on Broadway in 1987 and won three Tony Awards. It had a
successful revival in 2002 starring Vanessa Williams.

Synopsis:
In the beginning, the characters set out to achieve their goal of living "Happily Ever
After" through familiar routes - Cinderella goes to the Ball and captures the heart of
Prince Charming, Jack climbs the Beanstalk and finds a land of Giants and Gold,
Little Red Riding Hood survives her clash with the wolf at Grandma's house, and
Rapunzel manages to escape her tower with the aid of a handsome prince who
climbs her long hair. The Baker and his Wife move through their stories while
pursuing their own goal - the witch who keeps Rapunzel (revealed to be the Baker's
sister) has put the curse on his house, and agrees to lift it if the Baker and his Wife
can find the ingredients to help her reverse a spell which her mother has laid on her,
keeping her old and ugly. Those ingredients are: A Slipper As Pure As Gold, which
the Baker's wife gets from Cinderella, A Cow As White As Milk, which the Baker buys
from Jack in exchange for the fateful magic beans, A Cape As Red As Blood, which
the Baker gets from Little Red Riding Hood in exchange for freeing her and Granny
from the Wolf, and Hair As Yellow As Corn, which they get from Rapunzel. The
ingredients are gathered, and the spell works, stripping the Witch of her power, but
restoring her beauty. At the end, all characters seem poised to live "Happily Ever
After".

Fairytale Time Line

A.D. 100-200 The myth,
Cupid and Psyche, is written
by Apuleius and included in
his Metamorphoses (also
known as The Golden Ass).
Some scholars consider this
to be the first literary fairy
tale, very similar in nature to
Beauty and the Beast.
A.D. 200-300 A Hindu
collection of tales, the
Panchatantra, is written.
Some of these tales are
thought to be forerunners to
a few European fairy tales.
850-860 China The first
known literary version of
Cinderella in the world is
written in China.
Circa 1300 Gesta Romanorum,
a Latin work, is produced. It
is a collection of tales and
anecdotes thought to have
influenced William
Shakespeare and Edmund
Spenser, author of The Faerie
Queen.
Circa 1500 One Thousand and
One Arabian Nights is first
recorded.
1550 & 1553 Italy
Gianfrancesco Straparola
publishes in two volumes, Le
Piacevoli Notti or The Pleasant
Nights, also known as The
Facetious Nights and The
Delightful Nights. The first
volume appeared in France
as early as 1560 and the
second in 1573.
1634-6 Italy Giambattista
Basile writes Il Pentamerone,
also known as Lo cunto de le
cunti (The Tale of Tales). It is
written in the hard-totranslate Neapolitan dialect.
Volumes 1-3 appear in 1634,
followed by volume 4 in
1635 and volume 5 in 1636.
They were published

posthumously since Basile

died in 1632. Due to the
obscure dialect, they were
not translated into Italian
until 1747, German in 1846,
and English in 1848,
essentially removing them
from influence upon the oral
tradition until then.

1740 France Madame

Gabrielle de Villeneuve
writes a 362 page version of
Beauty and the Beast which
appears in La jeune
ameriquaine, et les contes
marins. This version is not
intended for children with
its many storylines, length,
and subject matter.

1690-1710 France The French

Salons are filled with fairy
tale writing, primarily by
women writers. The most
prolific and influential is
Marie-Catherine D'Aulnoy.

1756 France Madame Le

Prince de Beaumont
publishes her own
considerably shorter
version of Beauty and the
Beast. This version is the
1696-1698 France Mariebest well-known and most
Catherine DAulnoty the
used as the basis for later
foremost fairy tale author of interpretations of the tale. It
the French Salons, publishes is written for a young
four volumes of fairy tales.
audience, with didactic
They are translated into
messages and a simpler
English in 1699.
storyline. This is the first
example of a literary fairy
1697 France Charles
tale being written
Perrault's Histoires ou Contes specifically for children.
du temps passe, also known as
Mother Goose Tales, is
1812 & 1815 Germany
published in Paris. The tales Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
enjoy instant success. Some publish volumes one (1812)
of the tales included in this
and two (1815) of Kinder
collection are Cinderella, The und Hausmarchen (Childhood
Sleeping Beauty, Little Red
and Household Tales).
Riding Hood, Bluebeard,
Popular tales from the
and Puss in Boots.
collection include The Frog
King, Hansel and Gretel,
Rumpelstiltskin and Snow
White and the Seven
Dwarfs.
1823 Great Britain Editor
Edgar Taylor publishes the
first English translation by
his brother Edward Taylor
of the Grimms' tales in
German Popular Stories.

including The Wild Swans

and The Princess on the Pea.
1845 Norway Norwegian Folk
Tales, collected by Peter
Christen Asbjornsen and
Jorgen Moe is published in
1845. The collection becomes
exceptionally popular after
the second edition appears
in 1852. Two of the most
famous tales from this
collection are East of the Sun
and West of the Moon and The
Three Billy Goats Gruff.
1848 Great Britain The first
English translation by
Edward Taylor of
Giambattista Basile's Il
Pentamerone is published.
1866 Russia Aleksandr
Afanasyev collects and
publishes his first volume of
Russian fairy tales.
1889 England Andrew Lang
publishes the first of his
twelve fairy books, The Blue
Fairy Book. The twelfth and
final book, The Lilac Fairy
Book, will be published in
1910. The books remain
popular for gathering tales
from numerous sources,
essentially presenting
multicultural fairy tale
collections long before
multicultural becomes a
buzz word a hundred years
later.

1890 Russia Peter Ilyich

Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping
Beauty premieres in St.
Petersburg, Russia on
1729 Great Britain Robert
January 15, 1890. Some of
Samber translates into
Tchaikovsky's score will
1835 Denmark Hans
English and publishes
Perrault's Histories, or Tales of Christian Andersen's Fairy later appear in Walt Disney's
adaptation of the story.
Tales Told for Children is
Times Past. They are a hit
published. Many of the
and become some of the
tales are original stories, but 1893 Great Britain Marian
most popular fairy tales of
Roalfe Cox publishes her
a few are based on
all time.
book, Cinderella: Three
traditional folklore,

Fairytale Time Line continued

Hundred and Forty-five Variants
of Cinderella, Catskin, and Cap O'
Rushes. The book discusses
many tales which have not yet
appeared in English and
indirectly nominates Cinderella
as the most common fairy tale
theme around the world.
1937 United States Walt
Disney's first feature length
animated film is released, Snow
White and the Seven Dwarfs. The
film is a commercial success
and leads to the creation of
several more Disney fairy tale
adaptations. The seven dwarfs
now have names, thanks to
Walt Disney.
1950 United States Walt
Disney's Cinderella is released.
1959 United States Walt
Disney's Sleeping Beauty is
released.
1959-1964 United States Jay
Ward's "Rocky and His
Friends" premieres on
November 29, 1959 at 6:30 PM
on ABC. One of its popular
"shows within a show" is the
Fractured Fairy Tales segment.
The fairy tale segments are
replaced the second year but
return later after viewers write
to the network and request that
Fractured Fairy Tales return. In
1961, the show moves to NBC
and is renamed "The
Bullwinkle Show." A total of 91
four and a half minute fairy
tales are produced. Later
syndicated, the show has
remained a cult classic.
1975 United States Bruno
Bettelheim, originally from
Vienna, publishes The Uses of
Enchantment: The Meaning and
Importance of Fairy Tales, a

psychological analysis of the

relationship between children and
fairy tales. With its Freudian bias,
the book becomes a staple in fairy
tale studies while remaining very
controversial in its views and
methodology. In 1977, the book
wins the National Book Award and
the National Book Critics Circle
Award.

Disney formula, rewriting the

ending and adding cute
animal helpers. The movie's
success causes Disney to
return to its most successful
movie formula--the classic
musical adapted from wellknown literature--in its feature
length films several times over
the coming decade.

1978 United States Robin

McKinley's Beauty: A Retelling of the
Story of Beauty and the Beast is
published. McKinley becomes a
well-respected author of fairy tale
retellings with this book followed
by several short stories and novels,
including Deerskin.

1989 United States Ed Young's

picture book, Lon Po Po: A RedRiding Hood Story from China ,
is published and later wins the
Caldecott Medal (1990).

1979 United States Jack Zipes'

Breaking the Magic Spell: Radical
Theories of Folk and Fairy Tales is
published. It is one of the first of
many books written and/or edited
by Jack Zipes dealing with fairy tale
studies. It also marks the start of the
significant emphasis on the sociopolitical study of folklore that Zipes
has espoused in his career.
1982-87 United States Shelley
Duvall produces Shelley Duvall's
Faerie Tale Theatre for the Showtime
cable network. A total of 27episodes
are produced for the network,
featuring well-known actors and
actresses from the time period.
1989 United States Disney's The
Little Mermaid is released. Although
Walt Disney is no longer alive, the
Disney version of the Hans
Christian Andersen tale follows the

1991 United States Disney's

Beauty and the Beast is released.
It is the first feature length
animated film to be nominated
for an Academy Award.
1997
United States Gail Carson
Levine's Ella Enchanted, a
retelling of Cinderella, is
published. It wins a Newberry
Honor Medal (1998).
2004 United States The film
Shrek 2, the sequel to Shrek, is
one of the highest grossing
movies of the year. It revisits
fairy tale themes while
parodying popular culture.

-Time Line adapted from

www.surlalunefairytales.com
by Heidi Anne Heiner

Before the Performance

Discussion and Activities:
The Theatre
 Find out how many of your students have seen or been in a play. Discuss the ways
in which theatre is similar to and different from movies, television and other live
events such as concerts or sports events.


Please have your students consider the following questions regarding

theatre etiquette:
1. What behaviors are acceptable at a live theatre performance?
2. What behaviors are NOT acceptable?
3. How can audience behavior influence a performance in a positive
manner?
4. How can audience behavior affect a performance in a negative manner?
5. What other points/ observations would you consider in this discussion?

PLEASE NOTE: Into the Woods is 1 hour and 30 minutes long with no intermission.
Bathroom breaks should be taken before the show.



Have each student take the Who Puts a Show Together quiz on the next page.
Correct the quiz together and discuss each job.
1. Did they know how many people it takes to put a show together?
2. Do they know anyone who has one of these jobs, either professionally
or as a volunteer?
3. What job, besides Actor, would they want to have? Why?
4. What do they think the Set, Lights, and Costumes will look like for
Into the Woods? Why?
5. Have students design their own set and or costumes for the show. Save
them and have them compare their ideas with what they saw in the
actual performance.

The Story
 How many of these Fairytale Characters are the students familiar with?
Cinderella Rapunzel
Red Ridinghood
Jack and the Beanstalk


Write the names above on the board. Then write the following list of characters to
one side. See if the students can list the characters under the title of the story in
which they belong. Jacks Mother, Witch, Granny, Stepmother, Giant, Wolf, Prince,
Stepsister. (hint: the Prince belongs in two stories.)



Have the students summarize each story. They can either write it out or you could
have volunteers share them verbally with the class.
1. Are all the versions the same?
2. Has any one heard a different version?
3. Where did they first hear these stories? From a book? A movie?



Ask your students why they think the title of the show is Into the Woods? Have
them write down their answers and tell them you will ask them the same question
after you have seen the performance.

Milky White the cows costume is the original from the revival in 2002 starring Vanessa Williams.

Things to Look for...

Wood block print 1447

The look of the set is based on
medieval German woodblock
prints , The technique of stamping
from woodblocks was originally
used to print textiles before it was
This print is used in the show as texture in the woods
applied to paper. A relief process,
and on the characters houses. See if you can spot it
woodcuts are produced by inking
during the performance.
a raised surface against which a
piece of paper is pressed, either manually or by running it through a press, to create an
image on the paper. The rubber stamp and potato print are familiar forms of relief printing.
The design of a woodcut is produced by elimination, cutting away everything except the lines
or shapes to be printed.

*Keep an eye on the costume design. The designer has color coded the characters from the
different stories within the show. Can you identify them?
Each fairy tale is also represented by a different time period.
Jack and the Beanstalk
is inspired by the work of
painter Pieter Bruegel the
Elder. (ca. 1528 - 1569).
Who was well known for
his depictions of peasant
life.

Cinderella and her

family are based on
Dickensian style
circa 1830s in
England.

Baker and his

Wife German/
Bavarian traditional
garb.

A Peasant Wedding by Bruegel

Original costume sketches by the designer

Rapunzel is
represented by the
Medieval era
(1300-1400s)

Jack

Jacks Mother

Baker

Bakers Wife

Exploring Act Two

Into The Woods where just about everything ends happy ever after. The authors,
however, wanted to explore what happens after the fairytale what is life like after you
get your wish. Here is a synopsis:
As in the opening of Act I, we discover three structures. The first is the castle where Cinderella lives
with the Prince; the second is Jack's house which is filled with all the conveniences gold will buy; the
third is the home of the Baker and his Wife, which is cluttered with nursery items.
While the characters seem content, minor disturbances are quietly disrupting the joyous scene. The
Baker's Wife wants a bigger cottage and she is squabbling with her husband over the baby's care.
Suddenly a huge crash is heard and their home caves in.
The Baker goes off to tell the Royal Family. The Witch, who has lost her garden in the incident,
insists they will not be of any help. When the Baker stops at Jack's house he is refused help by Jack's
Mother who is still angry because no one cared when she had a giant in her backyard. The Baker is
granted an audience with Cinderella who seems unable to offer any concrete assistance. Despite his
mother's warnings, Jack goes out to investigate.
Little Red Ridinghood stops at the Baker's. She is on her way to move in with her Grandmother
because her own home was destroyed and her mother has disappeared. The Baker and his Wife offer
to escort her through the woods. The birds come to lead Cinderella through the woods, warning of
trouble at her mother's grave. The characters re-enter the woods
The royal brothers, Rapunzel's Prince and Cinderella's Prince, meet and again compare their
problems. Rapunzel's Prince complains his wife finds it impossible to be happy because of her painfilled upbringing. He has fallen for Snow White. Cinderella's Prince lusts after Sleeping Beauty
The Baker, his Wife and child and Little Red Ridinghood are lost in the now chaotic woods. They see
the Royal Family staggering down a path and learn the castle has been set upon by a giant. When
the Baker reminds the Steward he tried to warn them, the Steward replies "I don't make policy, I
just carry it out."
Suddenly the Giant appears and the group realizes it is the wife of the giant Jack killed. She has
come to exact revenge and demands Jack be handed over to her. Since she is near-sighted, the
group thinks they can substitute someone else. Everyone in the group has an idea who should be
sacrificed. First they sacrifice the Narrator. When the Giant realizes he isn't the boy she's after, she
destroys him and again demands Jack. Jack's Mother engages the Giant in a furious verbal battle;
the Steward bashes Jack's Mother over the head to stop her from endangering everyone else and
Jack's mother is fatally wounded. The Steward reveals that Jack is hiding in Rapunzel's tower. Then,
hysterical, Rapunzel runs toward the Giant and is crushed. The witch mourns that this is the world
she was trying to save Rapunzel from confronting.
The group disagrees about turning Jack over to the Giant. The Royal Family, without concern for
anyone else, run to another kingdom. The Baker and his Wife leave their child with Little Red
Ridinghood and go off to save Jack from the Witch, who is on her way to turn him over to the Giant.
The Baker's Wife encounters Cinderella's Prince in the woods and they have a romantic encounter in
a glade. The Prince is ready to forget his commitment to Cinderella, but The Baker's Wife is
ambivalent. The Baker meets Cinderella next to her mother's ruined grave and invites her to join his
group. The Baker's Wife realizes she has to let the moment go, but says she will never forget her
time with the Prince. She knows it is time for her to leave the woods, but she becomes lost, the giant
appears and she is crushed.
Jack is discovered by the others. He reports the Baker's Wife is dead. Everyone blames him, but he

Exploring Act Two cont.

blames the Baker for giving him the beans which set the scenario in motion. As the song evolves,
everyone blames every one else. The Witch stops their accusations, declaring it's the "Last Midnight."
She says everyone is looking for someone to blame, when they should look inward instead. She says
"You can tend the garden. Separate and alone." She disappears as they begin to see the connections
between their earlier individual actions and the current problem.
The Baker starts to leave the Woods, believing his child is better off with Cinderella than with him.
Suddenly, his father, the Mysterious Man, reappears. The Baker says, "I thought you were dead."
The Mysterious Man answers "Not completely. Are we ever?" The Baker cries out that the whole
situation was caused by the father's invasion of the Witch's garden years before. The Mysterious Man
accuses the Baker of running from his own guilt. As his father leaves, the Baker realizes he is just
like him. He decides to stay and fight alongside the others.
As the Baker, Jack, Little Red Ridinghood and Cinderella plan their attack, a flock of birds whispers to
Cinderella that her prince has been unfaithful. She says she doesn't care and enlists their help to kill
the Giant. As each prepares to execute the plan, the Prince reappears. Cinderella dismisses him
saying, "My father's house was a nightmare. Your house was a dream. Now I want something in
between."
Cinderella and the Baker try to reassure Little Red Ridinghood and Jack, who are now orphans trying
to make sense of right and wrong.
The Giant is killed and the dead in the community appear as ghosts, joining in a pronouncement of
the moral lessons learned from the experience in the woods. The Baker and Cinderella become the
responsible adults in a re-constituted family made up of the Baker's child, Little Red Ridinghood and
Jack. The ghost of the Baker's Wife encourages him to believe in his power to raise their child
without her. The Witch reappears to warn the Baker to be careful of the tales he tells his child.
The final reprise of "Into The Woods" reminds us there will be times when each of us must journey
into the woods but that we must mind the future and the past.
YOU
YOU
YOU
YOU

JUST CAN'T ACT

HAVE TO LISTEN
CAN'T JUST ACT
HAVE TO THINK.

The show ends as Cinderella says "I wish ... "

A video version of the original Broadway production of Into the Woods is available
in libraries, video stores, and online.
Here are some more questions to consider if you watch Act Two.
 What is the difference in style between the two acts?
 What does this fairy tale teach?
 What happens in the very last moments of the play? Certainly, the last few
minutes, but, more importantly, the last thirty seconds? In that time, what happens
or is said, and what does that say about what the play is about? In a nutshell,
how do the writers drive their point(s) home?

Stephen Sondheim and James

Lapines
Into The Woods

Study Guide

Sponsored in part by

Into The Woods

Welcome to Into The Woods. We hope that this study guide will help you further your
understanding and enjoyment of one of Stephen Sondheims most popular musicals. The
Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival has a strong belief in the relationship between the actor and
the audience because, without either one, there is no theater. We hope that this study guide will
help bring a better understanding of the plot, themes, and characters in this play so that you can
more fully enjoy the theatrical experience.

CONTENTS
Page 3
Page 5
Page 8
Page 12
Page 13

Meet the Characters

Plot Summary
Discussion Questions
Learning Plan
Production History

This guide was written to correspond to the following Sunshine State Standards

The Arts
Skills and Techniques - The student understands and applies arts techniques, media and
processes.
Creation and Communication - The student creates and communicates a range of subject
matter, symbols, and ideas using knowledge of structures and functions of the arts.
Cultural and Historical Connections - The student understands the arts in relation to history
and culture.
Aesthetic and Critical Analysis - The student analyzes, evaluates, and responds to
characteristics of works of art.

Language Arts
Writing - The student uses the writing process effectively.
Listening, Viewing, & Speaking - The student uses listening strategies effectively.
Language - The student understands the nature and power of language.

Meet The Characters

The Narrator Narrates parts of the story for the audience.
The Baker A Baker who cannot conceive a child with his wife due to the Witchs curse.
The Bakers Wife Confident and intelligent woman who wants a child with her husband, the
Baker, but cannot have one due to the Witchs curse.
The Witch Rapunzels guardian. She has many powers. She has cursed the Bakers family
with infertility.
Rapunzel Kept high in a tower by the Witch. She has long flowing hair, as yellow as corn,
which the Witch climbs to get to her in the tower.
Cinderella A poor young girl whose mother and father have died leaving her with a mean
step-mother and two mean step-sisters. She wishes to go to the Kings Festival.
Cinderellas Step-mother Very mean to Cinderella and always discounting her value in the
world. She loves her two other daughters, Lucinda and Florinda.
Lucinda Cinderellas beautiful, but evil, step-sister. She wants to marry a Prince.
Florinda Cinderellas other beautiful, but evil, step-sister. She also wants to marry a Prince.
Cinderellas Prince A very attractive and very vain Prince, who searches for Cinderella after
meeting her at the Festival. Brother to Rapunzels Prince.
Rapunzels Prince Brother to Cinderellas Prince, also very vain and very handsome. He
seeks Rapunzel after hearing her singing in her tower.
The Wolf A wolf who meets and tries to eat Little Red Ridinghood in the woods.
Jack A very ambitious boy who loves is cow, Milky White. Sells Milky White for magic
beans after his Mother tells him the cow needs to be sold for food money.
Jacks Mother Angry with Jack for being such a dreamer. Terribly worried about money.
Little Red Ridinghood A spoiled and nave girl. She meets the Wolf on her way to see her
Granny.
Granny Little Red Ridinghoods grandmother.
The Mysterious Man Father of the Baker who is thought to be dead.
The Princes Steward Serves Cinderellas Prince.

Plot Summary
Act I
The play opens on three cottages. The characters are revealed by the Narrator, each with
their own wishes. In one cottage is Jack with his cow Milky White, whom Jack wishes could
give milk. Jacks mother appears and tells him that he must sell Milky White so they can have
money to eat and live. In the second cottage is Cinderella. Cinderella wishes more than
anything to go to the Kings festival. She is mocked by her step-mother and step-sisters, who tell
her that she will never be good enough to go the Kings party. A Baker and his Wife are
revealed in the third cottage. They are selling bread to Little Red Ridinghood to take to her
Granny. They expose their wishes to have a child.
Soon after Little Red Ridinghoods departure, a Witch appears from next door. She tells
the Baker and his Wife that she has cursed the Bakers family with infertility. The Witch reveals
that the Bakers Father was caught stealing from the Witchs garden when his wife was pregnant.
For this offense, the Witch took their first-born child, who is later revealed to be Rapunzel, a
sister the Baker never knew he had. The Bakers Father was also caught by the Witch again, this
time stealing magic beans. For this, his lineage was cursed with infertility. The Witch tells the
Baker and his Wife that they have a chance to break the curse by collecting some items for her.
These items include a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn and a
slipper as pure as gold. As the Baker prepares to go out and find these items, he puts on his
Fathers old jacket and finds five beans in the pocket. With this, the Baker is off into the woods
to look for his list of treasures.
Cinderella goes off to visit her mothers grave. She cries and tells her mother about her
wishes to go to the Kings festival. She is given a dress and slippers to go to the festival when
she makes her wish unto a tree that she had planted at her mothers grave.
Little Red Ridinghood is found on her way to Grannys house in the woods. She is
stopped by a seemingly nice Wolf, who persuades her to take her time walking through the
woods and to take note of all the beauty, such as the flowers and birds. Little Red Ridinghood
bids the Wolf goodbye and continues on her way. The Wolf runs ahead to get to Grannys
before Red gets there.
Jack, traveling with Milky White, meets the Baker and his Wife in the woods. The Baker
and his Wife see Milky White and immediately recognize it as the cow as white as milk that they
need for the Witch. They persuade Jack to sell Milky White to them for a handful of beans by
telling him they are magic beans. At this point, the Baker tells his wife to go home for her safety
and to watch Milky White.
The Witch goes to visit Rapunzel in the tower, where she is kept. The Witch takes great
pleasure in the fact that her Rapunzel has not had any exposure to the outside world. A Prince
sees the Witch climb Rapunzels hair to reach the tower and decides to try it himself.
The Baker tries to steal Little Red Ridinghoods cape but is unsuccessful. Red goes to
her Grannys house, where the Wolf is waiting for her having eaten Granny. After he eats Red,
the Wolf decides to take a nap. The Baker wanders in and sees the cape as red as blood sticking
out of the Wolfs mouth. He decides to cut the Wolfs stomach open to retrieve the cape and in
doing so finds Little Red Ridinghood and her Granny. Red gives the cape to the Baker out of
gratitude.

Jack returns home with the magic beans. His mother is angry with him for believing in
magic beans and for not getting any money for Milky White. She throws the beans out the
window.
Cinderella, running from a Prince, bumps into the Bakers Wife, who is leading Milky
White back to her cottage. Cinderella tells the Bakers Wife that she is not sure she really likes
the Prince, but the Bakers Wife tells Cinderella that she is just being foolish. The Bakers Wife
then sees Cinderellas slippers and tries to steal one, but ends up having to chase after Milky
White instead.
The next morning everyone wakes up to realize that one midnight has passed and they
have not yet achieved their wishes. They also find that a large beanstalk has grown where Jacks
Mother had thrown out the beans.
Jack comes down from the beanstalk and tells tales of his visit to the Giants that live in
the sky at the top of the beanstalk. Jack has met a nice lady Giant who has taken care of him, but
had to run quickly when her husband came after him. It turns out that Jack grabbed a bag of the
mean Giants gold on his way out. Jack returns triumphantly to his mother with a big bag of
gold. Jacks Mother allows him to keep five of the gold pieces and he finds the Baker to buy
back Milky White. The Baker says he cannot sell the cow back because of the Witch, but Jack is
convinced that the Baker just wants more money. Jack sets off to find more money. The
Bakers Wife shows up and confesses that she has lost Milky White.
Cinderellas Prince and Rapunzels Prince meet up and exchange their struggles with
reaching their respective maidens. Cinderellas Prince is fed up because Cinderella keeps
running from him. Rapunzels Prince is troubled because he cant find a door to get Rapunzel
out of the tower. They decide that the challenge makes them want to get the women even more
and set off to win their future brides.
The Bakers Wife is searching for the hair they need to give to the Witch. She runs into
Jacks Mother, who is looking for him. The Mysterious Man finds the Baker and returns Milky
White. The Witch warns the Mysterious Man to stay out of her business.
The Bakers Wife stumbles upon Rapunzels hair sticking out of her tower and realizes it
is the hair as gold as corn that she needs. She grabs a hold of a strand and rips it out of
Rapunzels head. On her way home, the Bakers Wife runs into Cinderella again and tries,
unsuccessfully, to get her shoe again. She then runs into the Baker and they decide that it will
definitely take both of them to get the job done.
Jack appears with a hen that lays golden eggs, and offers it to the Baker. The Bakers
Wife realizes that the Baker has considered selling the cow and she is angry. Milky White then
drops dead and all hope seems lost for the Baker and his Wife. Two midnights have now passed.
The Baker runs off in search of another cow and his Wife runs off to find the golden slipper.
The Witch warns Rapunzel not to leave her tower and to stay guarded from the world.
Rapunzel says she wants to go out and explore. At this, the Witch becomes angry, cuts off all
Rapunzels hair, and sends her away. We then learn that while looking for Rapunzel, her Prince
has stumbled into a patch of thorns and blinded himself.
Jack runs into Little Red Ridinghood. He finds that she has become thirsty for blood
after killing the Wolf. Little Red has replaced her signature red cape with a cape made entirely
from the skins of Wolves that she has killed. Jack leaves Little Red Ridinghood and returns to
the land of the Giants to steal more gold.
The Bakers Wife runs into Cinderella, who is fleeing from the Princes castle again. She
is left with only one shoe; as the other is stuck on the steps of the palace in some glue the Prince

had laid down to trap her. She left that shoe for the Prince to use to find her, if he wishes. The
Bakers Wife trades her shoes for the remaining golden slipper. The Bakers Wife gets into a
struggle with the Princes Steward, who also wants the slipper. The Mysterious Man also
becomes entangled in the fight, which is stopped when a huge thud is heard. Jacks Mother
screams that a dead Giant has fallen from the sky. The third midnight is approaching.
The Baker and his Wife seek out the Witch. They bring her the four objects she has
requested, but she is angry when she figures out that the Baker and his Wife have covered a
regular cow with flour in Milky Whites absence. The Witch demands them to bring Milky
White to her and brings him back to life. She then asks them to feed the four objects to the cow.
After feeding Milky White, the Witch demands that they milk the cow to fill a sliver goblet.
Jack tries to milk his cow but nothing happens. The Bakers Wife explains that she pulled the
hair as yellow as corn from a maiden in a tower. The Witch gets angry at this and tells them that
she should not have touched any of the objects. The Mysterious man suggests that they feed
Milky White an ear of corn. The witch explains that the Mysterious Man is the Bakers Father.
After feeding Milky White, Jack milks him and fills the cup. The Witch drinks the milk and
transforms into a beautiful woman. The Bakers Father dies as the clock strikes the third
midnight.
The Narrator explains that the Witch had been cursed with ugliness when some magic
beans were stolen from her garden. Jack and Milky White are reunited.
Cinderellas Prince has his Steward out trying to find the girl who fits Cinderellas
slipper. Lucinda and Florinda, Cinderellas step-sisters, try to fit into the shoes by cutting off
parts of their feet. Once their tricks are discovered, the Steward moves on and Cinderella and
her Prince are united. At Cinderella and her Princes wedding, Lucinda and Florinda are blinded.
The Narrator states that Rapunzel, who has had twins, has been united with her blind
Prince. His blindness has been cured by Rapunzels tears. The Witch tries to reconcile with
Rapunzel, but Rapunzel refuses. The Witch tries to cast a spell on Rapunzel and her Prince, but
fails. She figures out that she has switched her beauty for her powers.
The Narrator tells everyone that all the wrongs in the kingdom have been righted. All
those who deserve happiness will receive it and there is no foreseeable turmoil anymore. As
everyone congratulates each other on a job well done, a giant beanstalk shoots up from the
ground, but no one notices.
Act II
At the opening of Act II, three dwellings are discovered. The first is the castle where
Cinderella and her Prince live. The second is Jacks house, where he and his Mother live with
everything gold can buy. The third is the house of the Baker and his Wife. The house is littered
with nursery items.
The characters all seem very happy, but minor troubles interrupt the cheery opening
number. The Bakers Wife reveals that she wants a bigger house and argues with the Baker over
their child care. A huge crash is heard. The roof above the Baker and his Wife crashes down.
The Baker goes out to talk to the royal family. The Witch comes out and warns the
Baker that they will be of no help, as she has also lost her garden. The Baker tries to stop by
Jacks house for help, but Jacks Mother is unwilling since no one would help her when there
was a Giant in her back yard. Jack has run off to investigate things on his own. When the Baker

reaches the royal family, he gets a meeting with Cinderella. She, however, cannot guarantee any
help.
The Baker and his Wife offer to escort Little Red Ridinghood to her Grandmothers
house, as her house has been destroyed and her mother has disappeared. The birds have come to
take Cinderella through the woods and warn her of trouble at her Mothers grave. Everyone is
on their way back into the woods.
Cinderellas Prince and Rapunzels Prince meet back up and discuss their troubles.
Rapunzels Prince complains that Rapunzel refuses to be happy because of her horrible
upbringing. Cinderellas Prince reveals that he has fallen in love with Sleeping Beauty.
Rapunzels Prince reveals that he has fallen in love with Snow White.
The Baker, his Wife, their child, and Little Red Ridinghood are all lost in the woods
together when they stumble upon the royal family. The castle has been crushed by a Giant. The
Baker contends that he tried to warn them, but no one will listen.
Suddenly a great Giant appears. This is the Lady Giant who Jack met in the sky. She has
come to get revenge for Jack killing her husband. The group tries to fool the Giant, as she is
near-sighted, by offering her the Narrator. She realizes right away that it is not Jack and quickly
kills him. She demands Jack again. Jacks Mother steps up and engages the Giant in a verbal
battle to protect Jack. However, the Steward hits Jacks Mother over the head with a shovel to
prevent her from putting them all in danger. The Steward then tells the Giant that Jack is hiding
in Rapunzels tower. Rapunzel madly runs toward the Giant and is crushed. Jacks Mother is
also dead from getting hit with the shovel. The Witch laments that this is the terrible world from
which she tried to shield Rapunzel.
The group is in shambles and disagrees over whether or not Jack should have been turned
over to the Giant. The royal family quickly heads off to another kingdom. The Baker and his
Wife leave their child in the care of Little Red Ridinghood. They run off to protect Jack from the
Witch, who is going to show the Giant where he is.
The Bakers Wife runs into Cinderellas Prince. They have a small romantic encounter
despite her protests that he has a Princess, whom he is ready to forget about. The Baker finds
Cinderella at her mothers grave and invites her to join the group. The Bakers Wife realizes that
her moment with the Prince has passed, but says she will never forget it. The Giant appears and
the Bakers Wife is crushed and killed.
Everyone arrives to find Jack, who reports that the Bakers Wife is dead. Immediately
accusations begin to fly and everyone is looking for someone to blame. They all find ways to
throw it back to one another, but the Witch states that they should all look inside themselves for
the blame. The group begins to examine their actions and discover their connections to all the
chaos.
The Baker decides to leave, as he thinks his child would be better off raised by
Cinderella. He is confronted by the Mysterious Man, who was crushed by the Giant. He tells
the man, his Father, that all of this began when he took the beans from the Witchs garden all
those years ago. The Mysterious Man accuses the Baker of running from his own guilt. The
Baker realizes he is turning out just like his Father. He immediately returns to fight with the
others.
The Baker regroups with Jack, Little Red Ridinghood, and Cinderella to plan their attack.
A group of birds shows up and tells Cinderella that her Prince has been unfaithful. Cinderella
tells the birds that she doesnt have time to worry about that and enlists their help. Cinderellas
Prince shows up and she tells him that she cannot be with him anymore. As the group prepares

to attack, the Baker and Cinderella try to get Jack and Little Red Ridinghood, both orphans now,
to sort out right from wrong.
The group successfully slays the Giant. As the Giant falls, the dead characters reappear
as ghosts and remind everyone about all the lessons they have leaned along their journey. The
Baker and Cinderella prepare to be responsible and start a new family including the Bakers
child, Jack, and Little Red Ridinghood. The Bakers Wifes ghost appears and encourages him
to rely on his strength and raise their child well. The Witch warns the Baker to watch the stories
he tells his child, as children will listen more than you think.
The final song of the show reminds us that there will be times of ups and downs in lifes
journey, but that we must never forget the past nor ignore the future.

Discussion Questions
1.)

Music
Stephen Sondheim is very well known for his use of intricate music. This is
something that is apparent with the music for Into The Woods. Listen to the
music at different points in the show. How is the music used to set the tone of the
story? Does the music ever contrast with what the characters are singing about?
and how is this a useful tool in the storytelling?

2.)

Blame
There is a song in the show, Your Fault, that deals with nothing but everyone
placing blame on others for all the terrible events that occur. The characters
eventually find that they are each at fault in their own way. How is this familiar
to any situation you have ever witnessed or experienced? What is familiar or
universal about this theme of blaming others? What does it do for a person to put
blame on someone else before looking at their own faults?

3.)

Musicals vs. Plays

Storytelling in a musical can be very different from storytelling in a traditional
play without music. The most obvious difference is that the characters are singing
songs to show their feelings and move the action of the play. How is the musical
method of storytelling more or less effective for you, as opposed to watching a
traditional play without music? What does the music do to the story for you as a
listener or audience member? How are songs similar to elements in traditional
plays (ex. Shakespearean monologues or soliloquies)?

Wishes and Desires

Questions and Discussion Prompts

What was the wish of each character in Into The Woods? Trace he history of each wish.
How was it accomplished? What resulted? Did these wishes actually obscure some other
needs felt by these characters?

Can you describe a situation in which you would consider it acceptable to take advantage
of someone else in order to accomplish your own wishes?

What is the meaning of the final line in Into The Woods when Cinderella says, I
wish?

How were the stakes involved in pursuing the wishes in Into The Woods influenced by
the pressure of deadlines?

Does marrying the Prince solve Cinderellas problems? Does having the baby deliver
happiness to the Baker and his Wife? Does the money stolen from the Giant satisfy Jack
and his Mother? Does the return of her beauty redefine the Witchs life in a positive way?

Are good wishes ever enough to effect real change in the life of an individual or a
community? Can you think of any change in your life or the life of your community that
has come without earning the change through effort, struggle, or pain?

What does Into The Woods suggest about the worth of seeking perfection?

Imagine one of the characters in Into The Woods had decided to sacrifice his or her wish
and had not pursued it. How would the tale have changed?

Some of the characters in Into The Woods are driven by uncontrolled desires. Which
characters fit this description? What kinds of desires drive them? What happens as a
result of their failure to control these desires?

Assignments: Research and Writing Prompts

Make a list of 25 things you wish were yours.

Write about the thing on your list you most want to have. What must happen in order for
that wish to come true? What would you be willing to do to make it come true? Where
would you draw the line? What would you not be willing to do to make your wish
come true?

Write about a situation were you or someone else has acted in a particular way in pursuit
of a desire or dream because of the timetable involved. How might your actions have
been different in the absence of time pressure?

Write about an ironic wish a wish that comes true in the opposite way than you, or a
fictional character you create, might expect.

Write bout the thrill and terror associated with having a fantasy come true.

Leadership and Community

Questions and Discussion Prompts

What is moral leadership?

Do the members of the Royal Family in Into The Woods assert moral leadership?

How does the Steward reply when the Baker reminds him he tried to warn the Royal
Family of the dangers in the woods?

The Witch says you cannot rely on the Royal Family to solve your problems. Do you
think this is true of all royal families? Take an issue involving government intervention
(i.e. social security, health care, disaster aid), debate its effectiveness and defend your
point of view.

How does the vacuum of leadership in the woods contribute to the destruction and decay?

Who ultimately becomes the leader in the woods?

Imagine a situation in which your community experiences a disaster. There are suddenly
no media to rely upon. Everyone has to figure out how to proceed based on the
information that is directly observed. What would change? Who would become the
leaders?

Quick Activity Prompts

Write three short essays, basing each one on one of the following lines from Into The
Woods.
or

Write the lines down on slips of paper. Fold the slips of paper. Have members of the
group each take one slip of paper and give a three minute impromptu speech based on
their line.

Even flowers have their dangers.

Scary is exciting.
Dont be scare just be prepared.
Isnt it nice to know a lot? And a little bit not.
Sometimes the things you wish for are not to be touched.

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The harder to get, the better to have.

The prettier the flower, the farther from the path.
The difference between a cow and a bean is a bean can begin an adventure.
We had to lose a lot to win.
I ventured out and saw within.
There are shouldnts and shoulds.

Nice is not the same as being good. Discuss.

What does the Baker mean when he asks: How do you ignore all the witches, all the
curses, all the wolves, all the lies, the false hopes, the good-byes, the reverses, all the
wondering what even worse is still in store?

Cinderella says: My fathers house was a nightmare. Your house is a dream. Now I want
something in between. Describe what in-between she may be talking about.

Director James Lapine has said the set for Into The Woods can be conceived in many
different ways. Design a new set concept for Into The Woods and new costumes that set it
in a different specific world.

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Complete Learning Plans

This LEARNING PLAN is designed for Grades 7-12
Objectives: Stephen Sondheim has created a whole world by combining different fairy tales
together to make one story. There is an element of challenge for an author when updating
someone elses story to make their own. They must make it new and exciting in their own way.
This exercise will challenge students to use their imaginations, as well as basic storytelling tools,
to create a new story of their own.
Standards and Benchmarks: LA.C.1.3, LA.C..2.3, LA.E.2.3, TH.D.1.3
Materials Needed: A notebook/piece of paper, a pencil, access to a library or collection of
stories/fairy tales

Suggested Lesson Plan:

1) Ask the students to sit quietly and think about stories or fairy tales they remember being told
when they were younger. Have them write down the stories that come to their mind first, as well
as the ones which they remember clearly.
2) Assign the students to pick two or three stories or fairy tales from their list that they would
like to use. Have the students look for as many versions of the story that are available to them
and note the differences between versions, so they can decide what elements from each version
they would like to use.
3) Next, have the students begin thinking of ways to combine their two or three stories into one
clear story. Have the students write a short story combining their chosen stories as their own
creation.
5) Have the students each read their short story aloud to the class. Try to get the class to find if
the author used the elements of storytelling (ex. Beginning, middle, end; inciting action; conflict;
resolution). Discuss each story as a class and have students point out where in the story all the
different elements are.
Assessment:
Students will gain a better understanding for storytelling and the elements that make up a story.
The exercise will challenge the students to find new ways to tell old stories, while retaining
elements of the old story. It will engage the students, listening to the stories, to point out
storytelling elements and discuss them amongst the class.

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The Road to Broadway and the Broadway Production

In contemporary American musical theatre, most new works follow a series of
developmental steps before arriving on Broadway. Into The Woods followed this pattern before
its successful Broadway opening in the fall of 1987. By presenting the show in a workshop
format and in a regional theatre production, the writing team and their artistic collaborators had a
series of valuable opportunities to learn about the ways in which the show was working for
themselves and for its audiences.
Into The Woods began as a workshop at Playwrights Horizons in the summer of 1986. It
was produced without costumes or sets. The performers wore baseball caps with signs on them
indicating their character names. When they changed roles, they changed caps. The cast was
grouped around a piano bench which became a variety of locations and props.
The next step in the development of Into The Woods was a fully staged production in
December 1986, at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. While it was far more elaborate than the
workshop had been, economic constraints still required a physical production that was less
ambitious than the Broadway version. For instance, panels of branches gathered by local Boy
Scouts were used to represent the woods in that production. The Witch had a punk rock look and
a Tina Turner wig.
An additional two-week workshop took place at 890 Studios in New York in August
1987, prior to rehearsals for the Broadway production. The Broadway production opened on
November 5,1987 and ran for 764 performances.
Into The Woods was Stephen Sondeims second musical with librettist-director James
Lapine, the first being Sunday in the Park with George, winner of the 1985 Pulitzer Prize for
Drama. It also involved some of Sundays original stars (Bernadtte Peters and Barbara Bryne),
set designer (Tony Straiges), lighting designer (Richard Nelson) and music director (Paul
Gemignani). Costumes for Into The Woods were conceived by Patricia Zipprodt and Ann HouldWard, who is credited with the costumes for the Broadway production. The choreography for the
Broadway production was contributed by the modern dance choreographer Lar Lubovitch.
Orchestrations were by Jonathan Tunick.
In addition to Bernadette Peters, the original cast included Joanna Gleason, Chip Zien,
Tom Aldredge, Robert Wesenberg, Kim Crosby, Danielle Ferland, Merle Louise, Ben Wright,
joy Franz, Edmund Lyndeck, Kay McClelland and Lauren Mitchell. During the Broadway run,
the Witch was also played by Phylicia Rashad, Betsy Joslyn, Nancy Dussault and Ellen Foley. In
the summer of 1988, Dick Cavett took over the part of the Narrator for several months.
Performers in the show who have been in previous Sondheim shows, in addition o Bernadette
Peters, were Robert Westenberg, Barbara Bryne, Danielle Ferland (Sunday in the Park with
George), Merle Louise (Sweeney Todd, Company and Gypsy), Joy Franz (A Little Night Music,
Company) and Edmund Lyndeck (Sweeney Todd). The road company, which toured for 10
months and featured Cleo Laine, Mary Gordon Murray and Charlotte Ray, opened in Fort
Lauderdale in November, 1988. A London production was mounted in the West End in 1991.
The original cast album was released by RCA Victor, as was the London cast album. The
show was also taped with the original cast for PBS Great Performances series.

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