Into the Woods

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"Into the Woods" is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The story combines various fairy tales and follows a childless baker and his wife as they attempt to lift a curse placed on their family by a vengeful witch. In order to break the curse, they must venture into the woods to collect four magical items for the witch, encountering other fairy tale characters along the way.

The first act introduces the various characters and their desires, including Cinderella who longs to go to the King's Festival, Jack who wants his cow to give milk, Little Red Riding Hood who wants to visit her grandmother, and Rapunzel who longs to leave her tower. The characters' paths intersect and they help each other in their quests, but complications arise when they discover that the items they seek are already in the possession of others.

The second act explores the consequences of the characters' actions in the first act, as they deal with the fallout of their wishes coming true. The Baker and his wife face challenges in raising their newfound child, Little Red Riding Hood deals with trauma after encountering the Big Bad Wolf, Cinderella struggles with the reality of her marriage to the Prince, and the other characters face their own trials.

"Into the Woods" explores themes of wishes, consequences, morality, and the impact of our actions on others. The musical features memorable songs such as "No One Is Alone," "Children Will Listen," and "Agony," and has been a popular choice for community and school productions.