Into the Woods is an enchanting blend of the world's most well-known and beloved fairy tales. Set to the brilliant and memorable music of Stephen Sondheim, Into the Woods forces us to reexamine the morality of the stories we grew up with as children and the stories we relay to others along our own journeys.
Throughout the show, we see the importance of which paths we take, what choices we make, and the consequences of our actions. The intricately woven plot and iconic music have made it one of the most popular, most produced, and most beloved shows in theatre history.
As I formed my thoughts around Into the Woods at the very beginning of this process, I discovered a quotation by Sondheim himself from his book Finishing the Hat, and I knew what the show needed to be. If The Baker and his Wife are a "contemporary urban American couple who find themselves living among witches and princes and eventually giants," then a queer couple facing the hardships of having a baby couldn't be more relevant and true to these characters' struggles. The Baker's hard-held need for validation from his absentee father and the climatic formation of his chosen family align so well with this narrative that I knew it could work. What I didn't know is whether or not the right group of diverse storytellers would present themselves . . . but sometimes we get our wish, and I am beyond excited to share our unique take on this classic tale.
When Into the Woods was first produced in the 1980s, the tensions with Russia and the AIDS crisis were the overarching umbrella that covered the deep themes of this story, and now we have the sharp division in ideology that has come with political upheaval and the COVID pandemic.
As the Witch says, “Careful the things you say, children will listen; careful the things you do, children will see. And learn.” I hope that no matter what the future holds, young (and all) people will always have an open heart, an open mind (that is willing to change), and the tangible understanding that we are definitely not alone. Our wishes may not always come true—and that is a good thing. We need each other now more than ever, and we need to realize that being grateful for what we already have is the first step in achieving a real happily ever after.
Enjoy your journey Into the Woods!
—Corey Cadigan, Director
