PROLOGUE: INTO THE WOODS
NARRATOR
Once upon a time
CINDERELLA
I wish…
NARRATOR
in a far-off kingdom
CINDERELLA
More than anything…
NARRATOR
lived a fair maiden,
CINDERELLA
More than jewels…
NARRATOR
a sad young lad
JACK
I wish…
NARRATOR
and a childless baker
JACK
More than life…
CINDERELLA & BAKER
I wish…
NARRATOR
with his wife.
JACK
More than anything…
CINDERELLA, BAKER & JACK
More than the moon…
BAKER’S WIFE
I wish…
CINDERELLA
The King is giving a Festival.
BAKER & WIFE
More than life…
JACK
I wish…
CINDERELLA
I wish to go to the Festival.
BAKER & WIFE
More than riches…
JACK
I wish my cow would
give us some milk.
CINDERELLA
And the Ball…
BAKER’S WIFE
More than anything…
JACK
Please, pal-
BAKER
I wish we had a child.
BAKER’S WIFE
I want a child…
JACK
Squeeze, pal…
CINDERELLA
I wish to go to the Festival.
JACK
I wish you’d give us some
milk or even cheese…
BAKER & WIFE
I wish we might have a child.
CINDERELLA, JACK, BAKER & WIFE
I wish…
STEPMOTHER
You wish to go to the Festival?
NARRATOR
The poor girl’s mother had died,
STEPMOTHER
You, Cinderella, the Festival?
You wish to go to the Festival?
FLORINDA
What, you, Cinderella, the Festival?
The Festival?!
LUCINDA
What, you wish to go to the Festival?
ALL THREE
The Festival?
The King’s Festival?
NARRATOR
And her father had taken for his new wife
STEPMOTHER
The Festival…
NARRATOR
a woman with two daughters of her own.
FLORINDA
Look at your nails!
LUCINDA
Look at your dress!
STEPMOTHER
People would laugh at you-
CINDERELLA
Nevertheless,
I still want to go to the Festival
And dance before the Prince.
STEPMOTHER & STEPSISTERS
She still wants to go to the Festival
And dance before the Prince?!
NARRATOR
All three were beautiful of face, but vile and black of heart.
Jack, on the other hand, had no father, and his mother-
JACK’S MOTHER
I wish…
NARRATOR
Well, she was not quite beautiful-
JACK’S MOTHER
I wish my son were not a fool.
I wish my house was not a mess.
I wish the cow was full of milk.
I wish the house was full of gold-
I wish a lot of things…
BAKER’S WIFE
Why, come in, little girl.
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
I wish…
It’s not for me,
It’s for my Granny in the woods.
A loaf of bread, please-
To bring my poor old hungry
Granny in the woods…
Just a loaf of bread, please…
NARRATOR
Cinderella’s Stepmother had a surprise for her.
STEPMOTHER
I have emptied a pot of lentils into the ashes for you.
If you have picked them out again in two hours’ time,
you shall go to the ball with us.
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
And perhaps a sticky bun?…
Or four?…
CINDERELLA
Birds in the sky,
Birds in the eaves,
I the leaves,
In the fields,
In the castles and ponds…
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
And a few of those pies… please…
CINDERELLA
Come, little birds,
Down from the eaves
And the leaves,
Over fields,
Out of castles and ponds…
JACK
No, squeeze, pal…
CINDERELLA
Ahhh…
Quick, little birds,
Flick through the ashes.
Pick and peck, but swiftly,
Sift through the ashes,
Into the pot…
JACK’S MOTHER
Listen well, son. Milky-White must be taken to market.
JACK
But, mother, no- she’s the best cow-
JACK’S MOTHER
Look at her.
There are bugs on her dugs.
There are flies in her eyes.
There’s a lump on her rump
Big enough to be a hump-
JACK
But-
JACK’S MOTHER
Son,
We’ve no time to sit and dither,
While her wither’s wither with her-
And no one keeps a cow for a friend!
Sometimes I fear you’re touched.
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
Into the woods,
It’s time to go,
I hate to leave,
I have to, though.
Into the woods-
It’s time, and so
I must begin my journey.
Into the woods
And through the trees
To where I am
Expected ma’am,
Into the woods
To Grandmother’s house-
Into the woods
To Grandmother’s house-
BAKER’S WIFE
You’re certain of your way?
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
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.
I sort of hate to ask it,
But do you have a basket?
Into the woods
And down the dell,
The path is straight,
I know it well.
Into the woods,
And who can tell
What’s waiting on the journey?
Into the woods
To bring some bread
To Granny who
Is sick in bed.
Never can tell
What lies ahead.
For all that I know,
She’s already dead.
But into the woods,
Into the woods,
Into the woods
To Grandmother’s house
And home before dark.
CINDERELLA
Fly, birds,
Back to the sky,
Back to the eaves
And the leaves
And the fields
And the-
FLORINDA
Hurry up and do my hair, Cinderella!
Are you really wearing that?
LUCINDA
Here, I found a little tear, Cinderella.
Can’t you hide it with a hat?
CINDERELLA
You look beautiful.
FLORINDA
I know.
LUCINDA
She means me.
FLORINDA
Put it in a twist.
LUCINDA
Who will be there?…
CINDERELLA
Mother said be good,
Father said be nice,
That was always their advice.
So be nice, Cinderella,
Good, Cinderella,
Nice good good nice-
FLORINDA
Tighter!
CINDERELLA
What’s the good of being good
If everyone is blind
And you’re always left behind?
Never mind, Cinderella,
Kind Cinderella-
Nice good nice kind good nice-
FLORINDA
Not that tight!
CINDERELLA
Sorry.
FLORINDA
Clod.
BAKER’S WIFE
Who might that be?
BAKER
It’s the witch from next door.
NARRATOR
The old enchantress told the couple she had
placed a spell on their house.
BAKER
What spell?
WITCH
In the past, when your mother was with child, she developed
an unusual appetite. She took one look at my beautiful garden
and told your father that what she wanted more than
anything in the world was
Greens, greens and nothing but greens:
Parsley, peppers, cabbages and celery,
Asparagus and watercress and
Fiddleferns and lettuce-!
He said, “All right,”
But it wasn’t, quite,
‘Cause I caught him in the autumn
In my garden one night!
He was robbing me,
Raping me,
Rooting through my rutabaga,
Raiding my arugula and
Ripping up my rampion
(My champion! My favorite!)-
I should have laid a spell on him
Right there,
Could have changed him into stone
Or a dog or a chair…
But I let him have the rampion-
I’d lots to spare.
In return, however,
I said, “Fair is fair:
You can let me have the baby
That your wife will bear.
And we’ll call it square.”
BAKER
I had a brother?
WITCH
No. But you had a sister.
NARRATOR
But the witch refused to tell him anymore of his sister.
Not even that her name was Rapunzel.
WITCH
I thought I had been more than reasonable.
But how was I to know what your father
had also hidden in his pocket?!
BAKER
What?
WITCH
Beans.
BAKER & WIFE
Beans?
WITCH
The special beans.
I let him go,
I didn’t know
He’d stolen my beans!
I was watching him crawl,
Back over the wall-!
Then bang! Crash!
And the lightning flash!
And- well, that’s another story,
Never mind-
Anyway, at last
The big day came,
And I made my claim.
“Oh, don’t take away the baby,”
They shrieked and screeched,
But I did,
And I hid her
Where she’ll never be reached.
And your father cried,
And your mother died
When for extra measure-
I admit it was a pleasure-
I said, “Sorry,
I’m still not mollified.”
And I laid little spell on them
You, too, son-
That your family tree
Would always be a barren one…
So there’s no more fuss
And there’s no more scenes
And my garden thrives-
You should see my nectarines!
But I’m telling you the same
I tell kings and queens:
Don’t ever never ever
Mess around with my greens!
Especially the beans.
JACK’S MOTHER
Now closely to me, Jack. Lead Milky-White to market and
fetch the best price you can. Are you listening to me?
Jack Jack Jack,
Head in a sack,
The house is getting colder,
This is not the time for dreaming.
Chimney stack
Starting to crack,
The mice are getting bolder,
The floor’s gone slack,
Your mother’s getting older,
Your father’s not back,
And you can’t just sit here dreaming pretty dreams.
To wish and wait
From day to day
Will never keep
The wolves away.
So into the woods
The time is now.
We have to live,
I don’t care how.
Into the woods
To sell the cow,
You must begin the journey.
Straight to the woods
and don’t delay-
You have to face
The marketplace.
Into the woods to journey’s end-
JACK
Into the woods to sell a friend-
NARRATOR
Meanwhile, the Witch, for purposes of her own,
explained how the Baker might lift the spell;
WITCH
You wish to have
The curse reversed?
I’ll need a certain
Potion first.
Go to the woods and bring me back
One: 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.
Bring me these
Before the chime
Of midnight,
In three day’s time,
And you shall have,
I guarantee,
A child as perfect
As child can be.
Go to the wood!
STEPMOTHER
Ladies.
Our carriage waits.
CINDERELLA
Now may I go to the Festival?
STEPMOTHER
The Festival-!
Darling, those nails!
Darling, those clothes!
Lentils are one thing but
Darling, with those,
You’d make us the fools of the Festival
And mortify the Prince!
CINDERELLA’S FATHER
Our carriage is waiting.
STEPMOTHER
We must be gone.
CINDERELLA
Good night, Father.
I wish…
BAKER
Look what I found in father’s hunting jacket.
BAKER’S WIFE
Six beans. We’ll take them with us.
BAKER
No!
The spell is on my house.
Only I can lift the spell,
The spell is on my house.
BAKER’S WIFE
No, no, the spell is on our house.
We must lift the spell.
BAKER
No. You are not to come and that is final.
Now what am I to return with?
BAKER’S WIFE
You don’t remember?
The cow as white as milk,
The cape as red as blood,
The hair as yellow as corn,
The slipper as pure as gold-
BAKER
The cow as white as milk,
The cape as red as blood,
The hair as yellow as corn,
The slipper as pure as gold…
NARRATOR
And so the Baker, reluctantly, set off to meet the
enchantress’ demands.
As for Cinderella:
CINDERELLA
I still wish to go to the Festival,
But how am I ever to get to the Festival?
BAKER
The cow as white as milk,
The cape as red as blood,
The hair as yellow as corn-
CINDERELLA
I know!
I’ll visit Mother’s grave,
The grave at the hazel tree,
And tell her I just want to
Go to the King’s Festival…
BAKER
The slipper as pure as gold…
The cow, the cape,
The slipper as pure as gold-
BAKER’S WIFE
The hair-!
CINDERELLA & BAKER
Into the woods,
It’s time to go,
It may be all
In vain, you/I know.
Into the woods-
But even so,
I have to take the journey.
CINDERELLA, BAKER & WIFE
Into the woods,
The path is straight,
You know it well,
But who can tell-
BAKER & WIFE
Into the woods to lift the spell-
CINDERELLA
Into the woods to visit Mother-
BAKER’S WIFE
Into the woods to fetch the things-
BAKER
To make the potion-
CINDERELLA
To go to the Festival-
CINDERELLA, JACK, JACK’S MOTHER, BAKER, WIFE
Into the woods
Without regret,
The choice is made,
The task is set.
Into the woods,
But not forgeting
Why I’m on the journey.
(Little Red Riding hood joins)
Into the woods
to get my wish,
I don’t care how,
The time is now.
JACK’S MOTHER
Into the woods to sell the cow-
JACK
Into the woods to get the money-
BAKER’S WIFE
Into the woods to lift the spell-
BAKER
To make the potion-
CINDERELLA
To go to the Festival-
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
Into the woods to Grandmother’s house…
Into the woods to Grandmother’s house…
ALL
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-
CINDERELLA & BAKER
There’s something in the glade there…
ALL
Into the woods,
Without delay,
But careful no
To lose the way.
Into the woods,
Who knows what may
Be lurking on the journey?
Into the woods
To get the thing
That makes it worth
The journeying.
Into the woods-
STEMOTHER & STEPSISTERS
To see the King-
JACK & MOTHER
To sell the cow-
BAKER & WIFE
To make the potion-
ALL
To see-
To sell-
To get-
To bring-
To make-
To lift-
To go to the Festival-!
Into the woods!
Into the woods!
Into the woods,
Then out of the woods,
And home before dark!
CINDERELLA AT THE GRAVE
NARRATOR
Cinderella had planted a branch at the grave of her Mother,
and her many tears had watered it until it had become
a handsome tree.
CINDERELLA
I’ve been good and I’ve been kind, Mother,
Doing only what I learned from you.
Why then am I left behind, Mother,
Is there something more that I should do?
What is wrong with me, Mother?
Something must be wrong.
I wish-
CINDERELLA’S MOTHER
Do you know what you wish?
Are you certain what you wish
Is what you want?
if you know what you want,
Then make a wish.
Ask the tree,
And you shall have your wish.
CINDERELLA
Shiver and quiver, little tree,
Silver and gold throw down on me.
I’m off to get my wish…
HELLO LITTLE GIRL
WOLF
Good day, young lady.
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
Good day, Mr. Wolf.
WOLF
Mmmh…
Unhh…
Look at that flesh,
Pink and plump.
Hello, little girl…
Tender and fresh,
Not one lump.
Hello, little girl…
This one’s especially lush,
Delicious…
Mmmh…
Hello, little girl,
What’s your rush?
You’re missing all the flowers.
The sun won’t set for hours,
Take your time.
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
Mother said,
“Straight ahead,”
Not to delay or be misled.
WOLF
But slow, little girl,
Hark and hush-
The birds are singing sweetly.
You’ll miss the birds completely,
You’re traveling so fleetly.
Grandmother first,
Then Miss Plump…
What a delectable couple:
Utter perfection-
One brittle, one supple-
One moment, my dear-!
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
Mother said,
“Come what may,
Follow the path
And never stray.”
WOLF
Just so, little girl-
Any path.
So many worth exploring.
Just one would be so boring.
And look what you’re ignoring…
Think of those crisp,
Aging bones,
Then something fresh on the palate,
Think of that scrumptious carnality
Twice in one day-!
There’s no possible way
To describe what you feel
When you’re talking to your meal.
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
Mother said
Not to stray.
Still I suppose,
A small delay…
Granny might like
A fresh bouquet…
Goodbye, Mr. Wolf.
WOLF
Goodbye, little girl.
And hello…
I GUESS THIS IS GOODBYE
NARRATOR
And the Baker gave Jack five beans in exchange for his cow,
keeping one for himself.
JACK
I guess this is goodbye, old pal,
You’ve been a perfect friend.
I hate to have to part, old pal,
Some day I’ll buy you back.
I’ll see you soon again.
I hope that when I do,
It won’t be on a plate.
MAYBE THEY’RE MAGIC
BAKER
Magic beans!
BAKER’S WIFE
No one would have given him more for this creature.
BAKER
Are we to dispel this curse through deceit?
BAKER’S WIFE
If you know
What you want,
Then you go
And you find it
And you get it-
BAKER
Home.
BAKER’S WIFE
Do we want a child or not?
And you give
And you take
And you bid
And you bargain
Or you live
To regret it.
BAKER
Will you please go home?
BAKER’S WIFE
There are rights and wrongs
And in-betweens-
No one waits
When fortune intervenes.
Amd maybe they’re really magic,
Who knows?
Why you do
What you do,
That’s the point:
All the rest of it
Is chatter.
BAKER
Look at her. She’s crying.
BAKER’S WIFE
If the thing you do
Is pure in intent,
If it’s meant,
And it’s just a little bent,
Does it matter?
BAKER
Yes.
BAKER’S WIFE
No, what matters is that
Everyone tells tiny lies.
What’s important, really is, the size.
Only three more tries and we’ll have our prize.
When the end’s in sight,
You’ll realize:
If the end is right,
It justifies
The beans!
I KNOW THINGS NOW
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
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 hadn’t 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 we’re brought into the light,
And we’re back at the start.
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…
A VERY NICE PRINCE
CINDERELLA
He’s a very nice Prince.
BAKER’S WIFE
And-?
CINDERELLA
And-
It’s a very nice ball.
BAKER’S WIFE
And-?
CINDERELLA
And-
When I entered they trumpeted.
BAKER’S WIFE
And-?
The Prince-?
CINDERELLA
Oh, the Prince…
BAKER’S WIFE
Yes, the Prince!
CINDERELLA
Well, he’s tall.
BAKER’S WIFE
Is that all?
Did you dance?
Is he charming?
They say that he’s charming.
CINDERELLA
We did nothing but dance.
BAKER’S WIFE
Yes-? And-?
CINDERELLA
And it made a nice change.
BAKER’S WIFE
No, the Prince!
CINDERELLA
Oh, the Prince…
BAKER’S WIFE
Yes, the Prince.
CINDERELLA
He has charm for a Prince, I guess…
BAKER’S WIFE
Guess?
CINDERELLA
I don’t mean to wide range.
BAKER’S WIFE
Did he bow?
Was he cold and polite?
CINDERELLA
And it’s all very strange.
BAKER’S WIFE
Did he speak? Did he flirt?
Could you tell right away he was royalty?
Is he sensitive,
Clever,
Well-mannered,
Considerate,
Passionate,
Charming,
As kind as he’s handsome,
As wise as he’s rich,
Is he everything you’ve ever wanted?
CINDERELLA
Would I know?
BAKER’S WIFE
Well, I know.
CINDERELLA
But how can you know what you want
Till you get what you want
And you see if you like it?
BAKER’S WIFE
Would I know?
CINDERELLA
All I know is-
BAKER’S WIFE
I never wish-
CINDERELLA
What I want most of all-
BAKER’S WIFE
Just within reason.
CINDERELLA
Is to know what I want.
BAKER’S WIFE
When you know you can’t have what you want,
Where’s the profit in wishing?
BOTH
He’s a very nice Prince…
BAKER’S WIFE
What I wouldn’t give to be in your shoes.
CINDERELLA
Will you look over there, an enormous beanstalk
growing next to that little cottage.
BAKER’S WIFE
Are those slippers as pure as gold?
CINDERELLA
I must get home.
BAKER’S WIFE
I need your shoes!
Wait!
FIRST MIDNIGHT
BAKER
One midnight gone…
MYSTERIOUS MAN
No knot unties itself…
WITCH
Sometimes the things you most wish for are not
to be touched…
PRINCES
The harder to get, the better to have…
FLORINDA
Never wear mauve at a ball…
LUCINDA
Or pink…
STEPMOTHER
Or open your mouth…
JACK
The difference between a cow and a bean
Is a bean can begin an adventure…
JACK’S MOTHER
Slotted spoons don’t hold much soup…
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
The prettier the flower, the farther from the path…
CINDERELLA’S FATHER
The closer to the family, the closer to the wine…
RAPUNZEL
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah…
WITCH
One midnight gone!…
GRANNY
The mouth of a wolf’s not the end of the world…
STEWARD
A servant is not just a dog, to a Prince…
CINDERELLA
Opportunity is not a lengthy visitor…
BAKER’S WIFE
You may know what you need,
But to get what you want,
Better see that you keep what you have.
BAKER
One midnight gone…
WITCH
Sometimes the things you most wish for are not
to be touched…
PRINCES
The harder to get,
The better to have…
Agreed.
BAKER
One midnight gone… one midnight gone…
FLORINDA
Never wear mauve at a ball…
LUCINDA
Or pink…
JACK’S MOTHER
Slotted spoons don’t hold much soup…
BAKER’S WIFE
To get what you want,
Better keep what you…
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
The prettier the flower…
ALL
One midnight gone…
Into the woods,
Into the woods,
Into the woods, then out of the woods
And home before-
GIANTS IN THE SKY
JACK
There are Giants in the sky!
There are big tall terrible Giants
in the sky!
When you’re way up high
And you look below
At the world you left
And the things you know,
Little more than a glance
Is enough to show
You just how small you are.
When you’re way up high
And you’re own your own
In a world like none
That you’ve ever known,
Where the sky is lead
And the earth is stone,
You’re free, to do
Whatever pleases you,
Exploring things you’d never dare
‘Cause you don’t care,
When suddenly there’s
A big tall terrible Giant at the door,
A big tall terrible lady Giant
sweeping the floor.
And she gives you food
And she gives you rest
And she draws you close
To her Giant breast,
And you know things now
that you never knew before,
Not till the sky.
Only just when you’ve made
A friend and all,
And you know she’s big
But you don’t feel small,
Someone bigger than her
Comes along the hall
To swallow you for lunch.
And your heart is lead
And your stomach stone
And you’re really scared
Being all alone…
And it’s then that you miss
All the things you’ve known
And the world you’ve left
And the little you own-
The fun is done.
You steal what you can and run.
And you scramble down
And you look below,
And the world you know
Begins to grow:
The roof, the house, and your Mother at the door.
The roof, the house and the world you never thought to explore.
And you think of all of the things you’ve seen,
And you wish that you could live in between,
And you’re back again,
Only different than before,
After the sky.
There are Giants in the sky!
There are big tall terrible awesome scary wonderful
Giants in the sky!
AGONY
CINDERELLA’S PRINCE
Did I abuse her
Or show her disdain?
Why does she run from me?
If I should lose her,
How shall I regain
The heart she has won from me?
Agony!
Beyond power of speech,
When the one thing you want
Is the only thing out of your reach.
RAPUNZEL’S PRINCE
High in her tower,
She sits by the hour,
Maintaining her hair.
Blithe and becoming and frequently humming
A lighthearted air:
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-
Agony!
Far more painful than yours,
When you know she would go with you
If there only were doors.
BOTH
Agony!
Oh, the torture they teach!
RAPUNZEL’S PRINCE
What’s as intriguing-
CINDERELLA’S PRINCE
Or half so fatiguing-
BOTH
As what’s out of reach?
CINDERELLA’S PRINCE
Am I not sensitive,
Clever,
Well-mannered,
Considerate,
Passionate,
Charming,
As kind as I’m handsome
And heir to a throne?
RAPUNZEL’S PRINCE
You are everything maidens could wish for!
CINDERELLA’S PRINCE
Then why no-?
RAPUNZEL’S PRINCE
Do I know?
CINDERELLA’S PRINCE
The girl must be mad!
RAPUNZEL’S PRINCE
You know nothing of madness
Till you’re climbing her hair
And you see her up there
AS you’re nearing her,
All the while hearing her:
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-
BOTH
Agony!
CINDERELLA’S PRINCE
Misery!
RAPUNZEL’S PRINCE
Woe!
BOTH
Though it’s different for each.
CINDERELLA’S PRINCE
Always ten steps behind-
RAPUNZEL’S PRINCE
Always ten feet below-
BOTH
And she’s just out of reach.
Agony
That can cut like a knife!
I must have her to wife.
IT TAKES TWO
BAKER’S WIFE
You’ve changed.
You’re daring.
You’re different in the woods.
More sure.
More sharing.
You’re getting us through the woods.
If you could see-
You’re not the man who started,
And much more openhearted
Than I knew
You to be.
BAKER
It takes two.
I thought one was enough,
It’s not true:
It takes two of us
You came through
When the journey was rough.
It took you.
It took two of us.
It takes care.
It takes patience and fear and despair
To change.
Though you swear
To change,
Who can tell if you do?
It takes two.
BAKER’S WIFE
You’ve changed.
You’re thriving.
There’s something about the woods.
Not just
Surviving.
You’re blossoming in the woods.
At home I’d fear
We’d stay the same forever.
And then out here-
You’re passionate
Charming,
Considerate,
Clever-
BAKER
It takes one
To begin, but then once
You’ve begun,
It takes two of you.
It’s no fun,
But what needs to be done
You can do
When there’s two of you.
If I dare,
It’s because I’m becoming
Aware of us
As a pair of us,
Each accepting a share
Of what’s there.
BOTH
We’ve changed.
We’re strangers.
I’m meeting you in the woods.
Who minds
What dangers?
I know we’ll get past the woods.
And once we’re past,
Lets’ hope the changes last
Beyond woods,
Beyond witches and slippers and hoods,
Just the two of us-
Beyond lies,
Safe at home with out beautiful prize,
Just the few of us.
It takes trust.
It takes just
A bit more
And we’re done.
We want four,
We had none.
We’ve got three.
We need one.
It takes two.
STAY WITH ME
WITCH
What did I clearly say?
Children must listen.
RAPUNZEL
No, no, please!
WITCH
What were you not to do?
Children must see-
RAPUNZEL
No!
WITCH
And learn.
Why could you not obey?
Children should listen.
What have I been to you?
What would you have me be?
Handsome like a Prince?
Ah, but I am old.
I am ugly.
I embarrass you.
RAPUNZEL
No!
WITCH
You are ashamed of me.
RAPUNZEL
No!
WITCH
You are ashamed.
You don’t understand.
RAPUNZEL
It was lonely atop that tower.
WITCH
I was not company enough?
RAPUNZEL
I am no longer a child. I wish to see the world.
WITCH
Don’t you know what’s out there in the world?
Someone has to shield you from the world.
Stay with me.
Princes wait there in the world, it’s true.
Princes, yes, but wolves and humans, too.
Stay at home.
I am home.
Who out there could love you more than I?
What out there that I cannot supply?
Stay with me.
Stay with me,
The world is dark and wild.
Stay a child while you can be a child.
With me.
CINDERELLA
He’s a very smart Prince,
He’s a Prince who prepares.
Knowing this time I’d run from him,
He spread pitch on the stairs.
I was caught unawares.
And I thought: well, he cares-
This is more than just malice.
Better stop and take stock
While you’re standing here stuck
On the steps of the palace.
You think, what do you want?
You think, make a decision.
Why not stay and be caught?
You think, well, it’s a thought,
What would be his response?
But then what if he knew
Who you were when you know
That you’re not what he thinks
That he wants?
And then what if you are?
What a Prince would envision?
Although how can you know
Who you are till you know
What you want, which you don’t?
So then which do you pick:
Where you’re safe, out of sight,
And yourself, but where everything’s wrong?
Or where everything’s right
And you know that you’ll never belong?
And whichever you pick,
Do it quick,
‘Cause you’re starting to stick
To the steps of the palace.
It’s your first big decision,
The choice isn’t easy to make.
To arrive at a ball
Is exciting and all-
Once you’re there, though, it’s scary.
And it’s fun to deceive
When you know you can leave,
But you have to be wary.
There’s a lot that’s at stake,
But you’ve stalled long enough,
‘Cause you’re still standing stuck
In the stuff on the steps…
Better run along home
And avoid the collision.
Even though they don’t care,
You’ll be better of there
Where there’s nothing to choose,
So there’s nothing to lose.
So you pry up your shoes.
Then from out of the blue,
And without any guide,
You know what your decision is,
Which is not to decide.
You’ll leave him a clue:
For example, a shoe.
And then see what he’ll do.
Now it’s he and not you
Who is stuck with a shoe,
In a stew,
in the goo,
And you’ve learned something, too,
Something you never knew,
On the steps of the palace.
EVER AFTER
NARRATOR
And it came to pass, all that seemed wrong
was now right, and those who deserved to
were certain to live a long and happy life.
Ever after…
COMPANY
Ever after!
NARRATOR
Journey over, all is mended,
And it’s not just for today,
But tomorrow, and extended
Ever after!
COMPANY
Ever after!
NARRATOR
All the curses have been ended,
The reverses wiped away.
All is tenderness and laughter
For forever after!
COMPANY
Happy now and happy hence
And happy ever after!
NARRATOR
There were dangers-
COMPANY
We were frightened-
NARRATOR
And confusions-
COMPANY
But we hid it-
NARRATOR
And the paths would often swerve.
COMPANY
We did not.
NARRATOR
There were constant-
COMPANY
It’s amazing-
NARRATOR
Disillusions-
COMPANY
That we did it.
NARRATOR
But they never lost they’re nerve.
COMPANY
Not a lot.
NARRATOR AND COMPANY
And they/we reached the right conclusions
And they/we got what they/we deserved!
ALL
Not a sigh and not a sorrow,
Tenderness and laughter.
Joy today and bliss tomorrow,
And forever after!
FLORINDA
I was greedy.
LUCINDA
I was vain.
FLORINDA
I was haughty.
LUCINDA
I was smug.
BOTH
We were happy.
LUCINDA
It was fun.
FLORINDA
But we were blind.
BOTH
Then we went into the woods
To get our wish,
And now we’re really blind.
WITCH
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 I’m ordinary.
Lost my power and my flower.
FLORINDA AND LUCINDA
We’re unworthy.
FLORINDA, LUCINDA, WITCH
We’re/I’m unhappy now, unhappy hence,
As well as ever after.
Had we used our common sense,
Been worthy of our discontents,
We’d be happy.
ALL
To be happy, and forever,
You must see your wish come true.
Don’t be careful, don’t be clever.
When you see your wish, pursue.
It’s a dangerous endeavor,
But the only thing to do-
Though it’s fearful,
Though it’s deep, though it’s dark,
And though you may lose your path,
Though you may encounter wolves,
You mustn’t stop,
You mustn’t swerve,
You mustn’t ponder,
You have to act!
When you know your wish,
If you want your wish,
You can have your wish,-
No, to get your wish
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?
Into the woods to lift the spell,
Into the woods to lose the longing,
Into the woods to have the child,
To wed the Prince,
To get the money,
to save the house,
To kill the Wolf,
To find the father,
To conquer the kingdom,
To have, to wed,
To get, to save,
To kill, to keep,
To go to the festival!
Into the woods,
Into the woods,
Into the woods,
Then out of the woods
And happy ever after!