Into the Woods

by Stephen Sondheim, James Lapine

"That joyous rarity, a work of sophisticated artistic ambition and deep political purpose that affords nonstop pleasure."--William A. Henry III, Time

Genres: Plays, Theatre, Drama, Fantasy, Fiction, Musicals, Classics

141 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1987

About the author

Stephen Joshua Sondheim was an American musical and film composer and lyricist, winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards (seven, more than any other composer), multiple Grammy Awards, and a Pulitzer Prize. He has been described as the Titan of the American Musical.

His most famous scores include (as composer/lyricist) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, and Assassins, as well as the lyrics for West Side Story and Gypsy. He was president of the Dramatists Guild from 1973 to 1981.

Reviews

[Mohammed Arabey · Rating 5 out of 5]

..يتمني الإنسان دائما الشئ البعيد صعب المنال، وحتي
خطيئة آدم الأولي، هو وحواء أكلا من تفاحة الشجرة الوحيدة المحرمة عليهما بالجنة

وحتي تمنت السندريللا ان تتزوج الأمير..لأنه أمير، وتمناها الأمير لإنها الفتاة الوحيدة التي فرت منه
وحتي جاك تمني الذهب الذي لدي العملاق..فعاد ليسرق قيثارته الذهبية أيضا

وفي تلك المسرحية توليفة من قصص الجنيات الخيالية، كالتي قدمها الأخوين جريم، ممتزجة بشكل سوداوي واقعي عن البشر والأمنيات وإلي أي مدي يمكن ان يذهب لتحقيقها، وعن خطيئة الإنسان الأولي وإلقاء اللوم دائما ًعلي الغير

في إطار لا يخلو من الأمل ومشاعر إنسانية إيجابية حقيقية رغم كل شئ...مليء بالسحر والعبر والجمال كأنها حكاية خيالية لم يتغير بها شئ...الفرق أن الحكاية هذه المرة ليست مقدمة للأطفال...وإنما لذويهم

Careful the things you say, احذر مما تقوله
Children will listen. فالاطفال سيستمعون
Careful the things you do, احذر مما تفعله
Children will see. فالاطفال سيرون
And learn. ويتعلمون

Guide them along the way, ارشدهم طوال الطريق
Children will listen. فالاطفال سيستمعون

Children may not obey, الاطفال قد لا يطيعون
But children will listen. لكن الاطفال سيستمعون
Children will look to you الاطفال سينظرون إليك
For which way to turn, لاي طريق يتوجهون
To learn what to be. ليتعلموا كيف سيكونون

Careful before you say, احذر قبل ان تقول
"Listen to me." “اسمعني”
Children will listen. فالاطفال سيستمعون

معذور جاك فهو لم يكن ليسرق ذهب العملاق حتي ضحك عليه قبلها أحدهم وابتاع منه بقرته مقابل 5 حبات فاصوليا فحسب بحجة انها سحرية
وحتي الأمير احب تلك الفتاة النائمة لأن من الصعب إيقاظها...أو الأخري حبيسة البرج العالي لايصل لها إلا بتسلق شعورها
فكر معي هل كل كا نحكيه لأطفالنا مناسب للحياة؟ الحياة المتشابكة، المعقدة كالغابة؟ فلندخل الغابة ونر

Though it's fearful, بالرغم من انها مخيفة
Though it's deep, though it's dark, بالرغم من انها عميقة، بالرغم من انها مظلمة
And though you may lose your path, بالرغم من أنك قد تفقد طريقك
Though you may encounter wolves, بالرغم من انك قد يعترضك الذئاب

** الأحــــداث **
---------

المسرحية من فصلين، كتبها جيمس لابين وكتب كلمات اغانيها والحانها ستيفين سونديم في 1987، وبدأ عرضها بأمريكا بنفس العام ولتحقق نجاحا ويتم انتاجها أكثر من مرة وعرضت في كثير من دول العالم كبريطانيا، أستراليا، إسبانيا واليابان
الرواية /الكتاب به المسرحية مكتوبة بنفس طريقة قراءة المسرحية، بشكل المشاهد/خشبة المسرح واسماء الابطال وكلمات الأغاني، فالمسرحية غنائية من المقام الأول

الفصل الأول
~~~~~~

-سندريللا تتمني ان تذهب للحفل الذي يقيمه الأمير لثلاث أيام...ولكن زوجة أبيها لها بالمرصاد
-جاك يتمني ان تحلب بقرته العجفاء التي يعتبرها صديقه...وأمه تتمني لو كانوا افضل حالا..ولو كان جاك اكثر ذكاءا
-ذات الرداء الأحمر تتمني ان تحصل علي مايكفي من الخبز والحلوي لتزور جدتها وتهديها لها
-اما الخباز وزوجته يتمنيان انجاب طفل، لا يعلما لم تأخر الانجاب
قصة الخباز وزوجته هي القصة الوحيدة الاصلية بهذه المسرحية، بينما الباقي تنويعات علي نفس قصص الاخوين جريم ومن الفلكلور مع تغييرات بسيطة في الفصل الاول
الساحرة تذهب للخباز وزوجته وتخبر الخباز انها قامت بلعنة عليهما بسبب أبيه الذي سرق منذ سنين من حديقتها خضروات كانت أمه "تتوحم" عليها عند حملها بأخت الخباز الصغري والتي خطفتها منذ صغرها ولا يعلم عنها شيئا

وليفك اللعنة وليتمكن من الإنجاب، عليه ان يذهب للغابة ليجلب لها 4 أشياء
وعلي ذات الرداء الاحمر الذهاب للغابة لزيارة جدتها
وعلي سندريلا الذهاب للغابة لتزور قبر أمها لتحضر الحفل
وعلي جاك ان يذهب عبر الغابة ليبيع صديقه الوحيد، البقرة

وتتشابك المصائر...تتشابك الأمنيات وتتعقد بداخل الغابة..الغابة التي هي قد تكون صورة للعالم الذي يعيشه البشر

بالرغم من انك تعرف جيدا كيف ستسير قصة السندريلا، جاك وحبات الفاصوليا، ذات الرداء الأحمر وحتي رابونزل -كيف وجدت نفسها في القصة؟ لن احرق لك الأحداث عذرا- فإنك ستفاجا بأن التشابك هذا مثيرا جدا وممتعا

الحوار يمزج بين السجع -في الانجليزية بالطبع- وخفة الدم والذكاء وايضا المباشرة في العظات بشكل مقبول جدا وغير منفر
لا أنكر انني امقت المباشرة ولكنها هنا كانت ممتازة وتليق باسلوب قصة خيالية جديدة وعبقرية
فميزة المسرحية هي بالرغم من وضوح الرموز والمباشرة في توضيح المغزي والعبر "المورال" من خلال كلمات الاغاني وحوارات الشخصيات وحتي الراوي الا انها ظلت ممتعة جدا بالنسبة لي

ولم يخلو الأمر أيضاً من بعض الرموز الخفية الغير مباشرة ، فمثلا في قصة ذات الرداء الأحمر ستجد أن الذئب قد يغوي ويثير الفتاة بالغرم من خطورته...في إشارة لكثير من الذئاب الحقيقية بغابتنا والتي بالفعل تنجح في اغواء الفتيات بإسم الحب...الحرية..العشق او حتي المحن ثم تتركهن

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.

بل وحتي هذا الجزء في الاغنية تشعر إنه إشارة إلي أن الذئاب لن تفرق بين ما تلبسينه -او ربما إشارة الي رجال الدين- مايهم فعلا هو أتخاذ الحذر والانتباه

وينتهي الفصل الاول بطريقة ستجعلك تظن أن القصة قد تنتهي الي هذا الحد كما اعتدنا في الحكايات الخرافية الشهيرة...نهاية سعيدة...نقطة

الفصل الثاني
~~~~~~

يبدأ بنفس شخصيات الفصل الأول بعد النهاية السعيدة.. مازالوا يتمنون امنيات اخري رغم نهاية الفصل الاول، فهنا الامر مختلف تماما عن الحكايات التي نحفظها من الاخوين جريم وافلام ديزني القديمة...هنا بهذا الفصل ماذا يحدث بعد نهايات قصص الجنيات الخرافية؟
ماذا بعد ان تزوجت سندريلا الامير؟ ماذا إن لم تجد ذات الرداء الاحمر جدتها بعد ذلك؟
ماذا بعد ان سرق جاك الذهب من العملاق؟ ماذا بعد أن صار للخباز ولدا؟

كل البنات تتمني الزواج من الوسيم الثري، وكل الولاد يتمنين ذات الشعور الناعمة الحسناء التي ترقص له… وكلما كانت صعبة المنال كلما حسنت اكثر واكثر...ولكن ماذا بعد ان صارت له؟
وحتي في افلامنا المصرية سألنا نفسنا سؤالا..هل علي بابا حرامي؟ في فيلم شهير "محاكمة علي بابا" في 1987...حيث كان اغلب رجال الاعمال في مصر يتحولون لعلي بابا انفسهم
هل نجحت بعض القصص الخيالية في تنميط فكرنا عن الصح والخطأ؟

تستمر الأحداث بالمسرحية...تتحول لفوضي احيانا بسقوط الحائط الرابع -ظهور الراوي بالاحداث ومقابلته للابطال- وان لم يعجبني ذلك الجزء الخاص بالراوي الا ان الفوضي كانت معبرة جدا عن الغابة
سيضطر الجميع لدخول الغابة مرة أخري...سيضطر الجميع لأعادة التجربة
وما الحياة إلا تجارب
ويجب أن تعلم أنك ايضا لست وحدك...مهما حدث

Sometimes people leave you أحيانا يتركك البعض
Halfway through the wood. في منتصف طريق الغابة
Don't Let it grieve you لا تدع هذا يحزنك
No one leaves for good. لا أحد يتركك تماما
You are not alone أنت لست وحدك
No one is alone. لا احد منا وحده

ومع كل هذه العبر والمواعظ يأتي الأقوي بالنسبة لي منطق الساحرة في جزئية ألقاء اللوم...والتي بها الكثير من الاسقاطات بالأخص علي خطئية الأنسان الأولي

No, of course, what really matters is the blame. لا بالطبع،المهم إلقاء اللوم
Somebody to blame. شخص ما لألقاء اللوم عليه
Fine, if that's the thing you enjoy, placing the blame, حسنا, أذا كان هذا مايعجبكم, ألقاء اللوم
If that's the aim, give me the blame. أذا كان هذا هدفكم, ألقوا عليّ أنا اللوم
Just give me the boy.
No?
You're so nice. أنتم لطفاء حقا
You're not good, you're not bad, لستم طيبون, ولستم أشرار
You're just nice. انتم فحسب لطفاء
I'm not good, I'm not nice, انا لست طيية، لست لطيفة
I'm just right. أنا فقط علي حق
I'm the witch. أنـا السـاحرة
You're the world. أنتم العـالم
I'm the hitch, I'm what no one believes. أنا العقبة, أنا من لايصدقها أحد
I'm the witch. أنـا السـاحرة
You're all liars and thieves, أنتم جميعا كاذبون وسارقون
Like his father! مثل أبيه
Like his son will be too! كمثل الأبن سيكون
Oh, why bother?
You'll just do what you do!
It's the last midnight,
So goodbye, all.

تأتي هذه الرسالة في وقت هام...نحن دائما بالفعل نلقي اللوم
ربما وقت مشاهدتي للفيلم كان الحال السياسي سئ جدا ...نلقي سبب خراب البلد باللوم أنه بسبب الملكية قديما، لا عبد الناصر، لا انه حكم العسكر، الاخوان، العسكر، الثوار، الالتراس، الحكومة، الشعب نفسه مش كويس، الماسون، دي مؤامرة، امريكا، داعش...الشـيـطـان

الساحرة هنا شخصية معقدة..صعب ان تراها الشيطان 100%، إستحالة ان تلقي اللوم عليها فحسب...فهي قد تكون علي حق
بها شيئاً من الشيطان..فهي قد تكون من أحلت اللعنة في المقام الأول، قد تكون تنصلت من كل شئ في النهاية..ولكن من خلالها ظهر جزء من مورال المسرحية بالأخص من علاقتها بأحد الشخصيات

وهنا يأتي الحديث اخيرا عن آخر من قدم الساحرة بتلك الحكاية..الرائعة ميريل ستريب في اداء مذهل لفيلم مبني علي المسرحية أنتجته ساحرة اخري

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** الفــيلـم وديـــزنـي **
-------------

ديزني قدمت الفيلم في 2014 برغم الهجوم علي فكرة رسائلها الماسونية في أفلامها الأخيرة بالأخص مع فيلم مالفيست "المؤذية" لانجيلينا جولي والتي بها اعادة لفكرة الأميرة النائمة من وجهة نظر الساحرة الشريرة

وكان الفيلم أمين للغاية مع المسرحية من حوار واغاني وفكرة، لم يتم حذف سوي بعض الاجزاء التي لا تصلح كفيلم كما علي المسرح، كما قام ��تصوير الأجزاء الشديدة القسوة بشكل أخف كموت احد الشخصيات ، ولكن يظل الفيلم قاتما، كما يظهر منذ بداية شعار "لوجو" شركة ديزني الذي ستجده مظلما علي غير عادة
كما قام بدمج نهاية الفصل الاول مع بداية الفصل الثاني، وماترتب عليه من حذف لمشاهد بسيطة بشكل جيد ليتلائم مع طبيعة الفيلم، وكان موفقا من وجهة نظري جدا

وبالرغم من الفكرة الصادمة ..لم تسيء القصة للبشر وإنما لتصرفات الخاطئة التي نقوم بها لتحقيق ما نتمناه وهي التيمة التي ركزت عليها ديزني
احترس مما تتمناه، احذر من عواقب أفعالك، انتبه مما تحكيه لاطفالك..والأهم ليس كل ما تفعله خطأ سببه الساحرة
الشيطان
الماسون
ديزني

Careful the spell you cast,
Not just on children.
Sometimes the spell may last
past what you can see
and turn against you...

Witch: Careful the tale you tell
That's the spell
Children will listen..

وبعكس رواية عربية أنحط أسلوب مؤلفها لدرجة يظهر الشيطان يتطاول علي خلق الله سبحانه وتعالي، وتم تقديمها علي نطاق واسع بل وتحويلها فيلما ايضا
تأتي تلك المسرحية و الفيلم برمزية مثيرة لفكرة الشيطان ووسوسته دون المساس بالدين...تقديم بعض عيوب البشر..كلنا يخطئ وغالبا مانلقي اللوم فحسب مما يزيد من عدم معرفتنا بالخطأ..وهذا دائما ما تكون عواقبه سلبية..وكارثية أحيانا

لاحظ أيضا ان ديزني حاولت بشكل ما تغيير منطق الافلام الكلاسيكية بأعادة عرضها كفيلم غير افلام رسوم المتحركة مثل فيلم سندريللا الجديد في 2015 تم تعديل الحكاية وإضافة أبعاد واقعية بشكل ممتاز

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** النــهايـة **
-------

Hold him to the light now,
Let him see the glow.
Things will be alright now.
Tell him what you know...

Careful What you Wish
حاذر..احترس..راعي..دقق..تمعن فيما تتمناه...لغتنا العربية قد تجد لها مرادفات عديدة ولكنك بنهاية الحكاية ستحتار أيا تختار لترجمة هذه الكلمة...امنياتنا قد يناسبها كل تلك المفردات من مناسبة لاخري سواء خلال احداث الحكاية
او احداث الحياة
الأحداث بالغابة

You go into the woods,
Where nothing's clear,
Where witches, ghosts
And wolves appear.
Into the woods
And through the fear,
You have to take the journey.

Into the woods
And down the dell,
In vain, perhaps,
But who can tell?

لا تقف مكانك..ادخل الغابة وحاول
ادخل تجربتك وحاول تحقيق امانيك ..ولكن بعد أن تكون دققت فيها..حاذرت توابعها


وينتهي كلا من الفيلم والمسرحية وهذا الكتاب بطريقة ممتازة...بها امل..بها نصيحة … بها طبيعة البشر التي ستظل حتي النهاية تتمني شيئا ما
اعجبتني تلك الحكاية بشكل رهيب واتمني ان اقرأ رواية مثلها..بل وعلي نهايتها شعرت أنني اتمني ان اقدم رواية علي غرارها

! انا اتمني I wish !


محمد العربي
من 9 ابريل 2016
الي 12 ابريل 2016

الريفيو النهائي في 19 ابريل 2016
الريفيو المبدئي -الفيلم - في 2 يناير 2014

[N · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I really loved about reading this musical, then seeing any production of Into the Woods is how Sondheim and Lapine fused together the stories of several of Grimm’s fairy tale characters, and explored how the desire to live happily ever after might come to a cost.

Centered around the Baker and his Wife, they set off to go into the woods to undo the Witch’s curse of being barren from having kids.

Along the way, we see that Cinderella realizes she doesn’t really want to be a princess, the Baker’s Wife fantasizes about having relationships with other men; Jack and Little Red Riding Hood are kids coming of age in the midst of violence and sexual abuse albeit, awakening (a dead wolf and a dead giant are at play) and of course their stories are told by a wacky Narrator, and a bizarre Witch with secrets of their own. Happily ever after is a lot darker than we bargained for.

Songs like Into the Woods, It Takes Two, No one is Alone, Stay with me, Hello Little Girl, Children will Listen, Moments in the Woods and Last Midnight are all standards that are often fun to listen to. And who can ever get tired of fairy tales?!

Seeing Stephen Sondheim’s "Passion" was the first time I saw a live Broadway show. But "Into the Woods" had been the first time I was exposed to the master’s work. Except as a little kid, when I saw it on PBS, it was the character of the Witch from Rapunzel, played by Bernadette Peters that hooked me.

In 2002, I saw the first Broadway revival of Sondheim’s most popular show. Led by Vanessa Williams, Laura Benanti and John McMartin, and directed by original book writer James Lapine, I loved how they revised certain parts of the book and score to expand the role of the Witch, and added a comically hilarious dancing cow played by Chad Kimball rather than using a cut out like they did for the original production.

I feel so lucky to have seen ITW three more times: a 2014 off Broadway revival, a 2022 City Center production starring Heather Headley, (the Witch), Sara Barilles (The Baker’s Wife) and Neil Patrick Harris (The Baker), and a 2022 Broadway revival that was just as magical and even funnier than the first time I saw it, starring Montego Glover (The Witch), Gavin Creel (The Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince), Brian D’Arcy James (The Baker) and Stephanie J Block (The Baker’s Wife).

I know and have talked to Sondheim fans out there that they believe that Ms Peters and Joanna Gleason’s Tony Winning performance as the Baker’s Wife are definitive, that Vanessa Williams, and Meryl Streep who played the Witch in the Disney film pale in comparison- but I think whenever someone sees this show live for the first time is how one defines their opinion of it.

I still love the 2002 production most- since both Vanessa Williams and Laura Benanti are two of my favorite Sondheim interpreters.

I thought Ms. Williams put her own stamp on the role in making the Witch more campy and haughty, then switching to cold and pragmatic. I was not happy and baffled by all the Vanessa Williams bashing that so many fans of the show gave her. I still consider that performance one of the most definitive I’ve seen in my theater going life.

I am comforted that Sondheim himself loved and respected her talent, and he went on to see her cast in Sondheim on Sondheim, a musical revue that allowed her to sing some of his most iconic songs, with both James Lapine and Sondheim himself involved in the production. Somehow I always feel that she gets the last laugh, every time.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to remember that I'm reviewing the book, and not the film adaptation, but frankly, this is my least favourite musical up-to-date, and I only read the first half.

Because what is the nonsense of the second half? No traditional happily-ever-after? An unfaithful prince? A more "real-life", completely un-magical ending? Excuse me what?

No no no no no, no thank you.





When I enter a fairytale, I expect a fairytale ending. End of story.

The script was fun to read for the songs, but having seen the movie first, I couldn't make myself read part two, not when I knew how it ended.

And speaking of the movie, it was frankly really boring. I just couldn't get into it, and then frankly disliked it after the second half. Sorry Meryl Streep.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely one of my favorite musicals. That being said, it's safe for me to admit I read this just to help me memorize the lines to the songs. Lame, I know. I strongly recommend watching the live taping of the musical (I've only found it on Netflix) before reading in order to grasp the comedy and shifting moods in the work.

"Into the Woods" is a combination of various fractured fairy tales (Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Little Red Ridinghood just to name a few) woven together into one tale. The first act is humorous as it plays upon the absurdity and gruesome nature of the true Grimm's fairy tales and gives them a slightly more adult tone. The second act is more somber, giving us a look at the characters as real people and the logical repercussions of their actions. In real life there is no "happily ever after", but people can learn from their mistakes and grow.

[sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love you stephen sondheim, i love you james lapine, i hate you the original broadway cast costume of the wolf with full cock and balls

[Greg Kerestan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Into the Woods" is probably the only Sondheim show other than "West Side Story" to risk being overexposed. More mainstream than even "Sweeney Todd," with a much more popular movie adaptation, it sometimes seems like you can't throw a rock without hitting a production of "Into the Woods." Luckily, it's a very good musical- think Disney by way of Angela Carter. The characters have hidden depths, and the way classic fairy tale plots are reinterpreted and reinvented range from hilarious to heartbreaking.

[Arezoo Alipanah · Rating 5 out of 5]

And I know things now
Many valuable things
That I hadn't 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: Don't be scared
Granny is right, Just be prepared
Isn't it nice to know a lot!
And a little bit not


P.S: I adored jonny depp'wolfish character in into the wiods movie😂

[Christy Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for twisted fairy tales (not a fan of twisted twists of fairy tales).

Into the Woods is a favorite musical, a favorite twist on the classic tales. This play has it all - a mash-up of several different fairy tales (Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Baker and his wife, etc), twists on the original morals, and modern humor interlaced in the fairy tale trappings.

We watch as our main characters tell us their wishes and what they would do to have their wishes granted. Cinderella wants to go to a festival and have some fun. The prince and his attention scare her. The baker and his wife want a child so badly that they make a bargain with a witch, often doing things against their own consciences just to get what the witch wants for her spell. Jack and his mother battle poverty and the need to have more, to feel that they aren’t just scraping by in life.

How much would you give up to get what you want? Would you be happy if you got everything you wanted? What happens if you get what you wished for and find out that you still aren’t happy? The first half of the play focuses on the characters sharing their deepest wishes and fighting to make them happen. By the end of the first act, they have everything they wanted. To an audience expecting a normal fairy tale, this would be the end, not intermission. The second act focuses on the effects of wishes. The characters deal with the issues (interpersonal relationships, guilt, responsibility, etc) that result from getting what they want. They aren’t truly happy and need to find a way to be happy in their world, even when life doesn’t work out the way they expected it to.

Into the Woods is fun and funny. It’s poignant and holds a mirror up to our own wishes of the heart. We can see modern society reflected in each character’s choices. It’s highly entertaining and insightful. While it is weird to read a play, I’ve seen this at the Starlight Bowl in San Diego (where it first premiered) and the movie version, so I was able to picture it in my head and sing the songs. If you’ve seen any version, reading the play will be a good journey into the woods.

[Anna Rós · Rating 5 out of 5]

<3

[Cassandra Carico · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up a lovely copy of this with brilliant illustrations. I was very much looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately, I was quite disappointed. The treatment of women in this book was disgusting. All of the women die or are hags. I know that is not uncommon of fairy tales, but this was a new treatment of such. I believe it could have been done better.

[Jenny Gottlieb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much like the movie, but different enough that I really enjoyed reading it.

[Faith-Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written musical that explores the darker side of fairy tales. What happens after the happily ever after? This is one of my favorites of Sondheim's. I recommend getting a copy of the original cast CD to listen while reading the script. The music really adds to it.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

"No One Is Alone"gets me every time, in print or performance. I miss Sondheim.

[Elena Arana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am SO excited to be a part of this production. The more I read and listen, the deeper my understanding of these characters and the more sincere my love for them grows.

[Leslie Truax]

Into the Woods is a musical written by Stephen Sondheim, exploring several intricate storylines revolving around classic fairytales. The two main storylines revolve around the baker and his wife, who greatly desire to have a child, and Cinderella, who wants nothing more than to go to the festival with her stepmother and stepsisters. Through magical tomfoolery and other various shenanigans, stories such as Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel all are woven into the plot of the play. Each character has their own conflict and story, and events get exceedingly complicated as the story wears on.

Into the Woods is a fantastic text to use with the concept of conflict/struggle. The story has multiple conflicts, among them including Man vs. Self, Man vs. Man, Man vs. Nature, and Man vs. Supernatural/Fate. Keeping track of all of the conflicts and struggles that each character has can be tricky, though I have an idea as to how I would keep students on track. One effective strategy that can be used with Into the Woods is "Somebody Wanted But So" from Beers, Chapter 8. For having a musical script with multiple characters and multiple storylines, having SWBS will help students keep track of their characters, their motivations, and what happens with each storyline. I plan on breaking students up into groups, and having them fill out a SWBS sheet based on different characters per group. I will also ask them to write down which type of conflict each character/storyline is experiencing. They will work together to fill out the sheet, and then will send an ambassador around to each group so that everyone can have a SWBS sheet for each main character/storyline. (This will get students moving, but will also encourage them to think critically about the text.) By the end, students should be able to identify who is experiencing which kind of conflict, and why.

[Caffeinated Fae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger Warnings: Cheating, murder, dark humor & inaccurate use of the word rape

I've owned the play transcription of Into The Woods for about five years now, but I never seemed to find the time to read it. This was one of the three picks I pulled out of my TBR jar for the Clearing The Hoard Bookwyrm Challenge I created. I couldn't pick what book, but this book was mentioned in David Levithan's newest book, 19 Love Songs, so my choice was easy to make.

I first picked this book up right before the movie adaption was released. I was planning on reading it after I saw the movie, but then it sat on my shelf gathering dust. I finally picked up the play script, and I'm glad that I did. I will say, I'm so happy that I saw the movie before I read the script because that meant I was able to see the humor that was present.

This play is not your typical disneyfied fairytale. It's dark, outrageous, and will make you do a double-take at times. I'm glad that I went back and read this script because it brought back the joy and amusement I felt when watching the play.

This play is not going to be for everyone, but if you enjoy the social commentary and dark humor, it might be the perfect fit for you. All in all, I enjoyed it, and I need to make sure to listen to the soundtrack for the thousandth time.

[Julia Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was much better than I thought it would be, and I really hope that I can be in it soon! The characters were great and quirky and I loved loved loved Little Red Riding Hood. Also the second act took on a darker twist, and it really made the whole thing something worth the time it took to read it. It's a lot of singing lines, and those are harder to read than just regular dialogue. But it was a great show, and like I said, I hope that I can see it or be in it sometime soon!

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the biggest fan of the book. I like the movie better which is saying a lot because in general the books are 95% always better than the movies. I'd say skip this and just watch the movie.

[Tanu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This musical book 'Into The Woods' written by Stephen Sondheim is a collection of Grimm's fairy tales (Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack And The Beanstalk and Little Red Riding Hood) which are woven together as one tale in melodic way. The musical written shows these fairy tales where all the characters are having their purpose which is lead by one path and that is into the woods. The story though known to everybody but is still beautiful to be read in a tuneful way. I am glad that these fairy tales were shown as mentioned in Grimm's book, in a real dark and tragic way. Definitely meant for adults not for children listening them as bedtime stories.

Both the Act's were written wonderfully. Recommended to whoever loves reading fairy tales.

[Terry McIntire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Because of my hearing impairment, I read this because I am going to see the musical. Reading a script ahead of time helps me understand the dialog and follow the story much better. A fun story that probably loses something in print, but looking forward to watching the musical.

[erin :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Antonio Filipe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Careful the things you say,
Children will listen.
Careful the things you do,
Children will see.
And learn.

[...]

Careful before you say,
"Listen to me."
Children will listen.

[Layla Erickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

iNtO tHe WoOdS tO GrAnDmOTheRs hOuSe

[Hufflepuff Book Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoiler alert!

A uniquely dark, funny, and sometimes touching exploration of what occurs after the “happily ever after” at the close of a fairy tale, Into the Woods is my all-time favorite play. It is one of exceptionally few stories that I could watch/read again and again and again without ever losing any of my enthusiasm. There are so many things that I love about it—from the soundtrack to the characters—but I think that perhaps my favorite four aspects of the play would be the interconnectedness, the dark tones, the themes, and the forging of a family through shared loss.

--The interconnectedness: Into the Woods seamlessly blends the stories of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Bean Stalk, and Little Red Riding Hood—along with yet another story arc about the baker and his wife. The baker arguably serves as the primary protagonist of the play—and it is his story arc that ties together all the others, as a wicked witch orders him to attain four items in order to have a curse that she put on his family revoked: the cow as white as Milk (Jack’s cow), the cape as red as blood (Riding Hood’s cape), the slipper as pure as Gold (Cinderella’s slipper), and the hair as yellow as corn (Rapunzel’s hair).

--The dark tones: While the first act of Into the Woods might seem like a fairly straightforward fairy tale, things get gritty in the second act. About a third of the characters die. The baker’s wife even has a fling with Cinderella’s prince. There proves to be something morbidly satisfying about seeing these iconic fairy tales taking such a somber turn. Yet this play is not simply dark for the purpose of being dark. Through the darkness, the play makes some intelligent points (as I allude to in the next paragraph), and it allows for a touching conclusion (as I will discuss two paragraphs down). I would highly discourage anyone from watching the Disney adaptation, because it very much waters down the darkness (thereby watering down the themes, as well).

--The themes: There is no end of palpable themes in this story, but my favorite is simply how it deconstructs the concept of “the happily ever after.” The play makes clear that there is really no such thing as “happily ever after.” Obstacles and hardships will continue to come our way, and it is up to decide what we are going to make of them. I also love how the characters’ lives don’t start falling apart until they sacrifice the narrator to the giant. The narrator warns them that without him around to tell their stories and keep them safe, it will be up to them to figure things out on their own. But they sacrifice him, anyway—and the narrator’s death ends up becoming the first of many. *stink eye to The Disney version for taking this out.*

—The forging of a family through shared loss: It was not until just now, listening to this play for the umpteenth time, that I realized that every death serves a distinct purpose. Each of our “main characters” has lost the most important person in their lives by the end of the play. The Baker has lost his wife; Jack has lost his mother; Little Red Riding Hood has lost both her mother and grandmother; while Cinderella’s Prince does not die, Cinderella has indeed lost her husband’s love and devotion. Even the witch, the group’s nemeses, has lost Rapunzel, her beloved adopted daughter. But each of these individuals (excluding the witch, of course) end up banding together, relying on one another—and ultimately agreeing to move in together and become a family. While the play leaves this open to interpretation, I have always imagined Cinderella and the Baker getting married, while Jack and Red Riding Hood become like an adopted brother and sister.

I feel like I have hardly scratched the surface of all the reasons I love Into the Woods. Trust me when I say that it would be a mistake to settle with the Disnified version or just watch “Into the Woods Junior.” Every lover of fairy tales needs to make a point of seeing the real thing.

[Svetlana Kovalkova-McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, masterfull illustrations of the highest quality. I gave it to my children after we all enjoyed watching the musical "Into the Woods". Both are a must have!Also, the CD track of the musical is a hit in our house, children dress up and perform to it all the time.
I copied some info about it from Amazon below for the ones who never heard about it.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
This picture book-adaptation of the Broadway musical brings together many favorite characters in one tale, including the childless baker and his wife, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood and Jack with his beanstalk. Talbott's adaptation retains the flavor of Sondheim's lyrics, and those who know the score will find themselves singing along. All ages.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

The Tony Award-winning musical,
now adapted into a lavishly illustrated book

Into the Woods is the imaginative account of what happens when the lives of new and old fairy-tale characters dramatically and humorously come together. Cinderella, Jack (of bean-stalk fame), Little Red Ridinghood, and the Baker and his Wife set out for the forest on a quest to find "happily ever after." Along the way they meet Rapunzel, a Wicked Witch, a lascivious Wolf, vengeful Giants, a couple of charming Princes, and their own destiny. With wit and wisdom, the authors have given us a parable about the loss of innocence, the joys and sorrows of adulthood, and the price paid for getting the things you really want.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading the complete book and lyrics for “Into the Woods” gives one an appreciation for the structure of the musical that the script provides. It also allows the reader to wallow in the intricate lyrics of Stephen Sondheim, which are a joy and an education all in itself. Especially well done is the “love” scene and duet between the Baker’s Wife and Cinderella’s Prince. That scene and the following duet “Moments in the Woods” are astoundingly good and reading and contemplating the song’s lyrics in this text has cemented its brilliance for me.
Readers familiar with the original Broadway production which was preserved on DVD for PBS will hear some of the iconic line readings from that production as you read. That is okay, but take a moment to consider other interpretations as you read. It will enhance the experience.
Sometimes the brilliance of Sondheim’s lyrics are lost in performance because you can’t hear their nuance. Reading this text will neutralize that problem. The lyrics to the “Finale” bring all the symbols and ideas of the show together in a subtle and powerful manner.
There is a lot to Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics, so they are worth the read. You will stop and mull on them now and again as you read. And you will chuckle, and you will pause, and you will be moved.

[LeAnna · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Lapine's libretto for the infamous Sondheim musical is presented here as it's own iteration of the well-known Grimm fairytales, together interwoven to create a new story you've never heard (complete with satire, witty wordplay, and a lot of death). The book version presents the entire musical top to bottom with little left out (the most notable examples is the "monologue" songs of Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and Jack). As a fan of the original Broadway production, a lot of the humor and charm is in the delivery of the actors, so without that, a lot *feels* left out to me as a fan.

If you are interested in the concept of intersecting fairytales, I will always prefer and recommend the original Broadway cast from the late 80's (PBS sponsored and filmed a live performance and that version is still top-shelf quality over the more recent Disney film adaptation starring Meryl Streep). This version is a bit like the Cliff Notes version, although the illustrations are lovely and hint at the dark underbelly hiding in plain sight of these classic fairytales.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This musical is so beautiful in that it is deceivingly light-hearted and yet viscerally a deeply existential work. The message of the work is transmitted in such a nuanced fashion, leaving readers unexpectedly transformed and in deep pontification by its conclusion. It so delicately subverts thé meaning of what a fairy tale is by actually humanizing the characters in Act 2 — albeit, this can feel alarming at first; yet, by doing so, the work opens up the way for us to reimagine what a fairy tale truly means in a real life context. Though we may not be able to lead perfect lives by any means, we all have the capacity to evolve and develop our character and selfhood over time. The text and songs resonate so deeply in my soul. I loved reading the libretto and will forever cherish this work.

[Jesse Parks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magic

Lapine and Sondheim created a magical world with such dynamic characters. As a huge fan of the stage production it was great reading the script right after seeing the movie to compare it back to back.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing play! I loved being in it!