I Wish… – Into the Woods

Act One

We discover three dwellings in a large forest. In one, we see

Cinderella cleaning; in the second, we see Jack trying to milk

his pathetic-looking cow, Milky-White; and in the third, we see

the Baker and the Baker’s Wife preparing tomorrow’s bread.

The Narrator leads the company through The Prologue” as we

learn about a series of wishes that are more important than

anything – even life itself – to these characters. Cinderella

wants to go to the King’s Festival; Jack wishes his cow could

give milk; and the Baker (who believes his parents were killed

in a baking accident) wishes he and his Wife could have a child.

As these characters express their wishes, we meet Cinderella’s

Stepmother and stepsisters who laugh at the idea of her going to

a ball; Jack’s aging mother who wishes for a lot of gold and a

less foolish son; and Little Red Ridinghood, who comes to buy

bread, sticky buns and pies from the Baker and his Wife before

starting her journey into the woods to see her sick Grandmother.

We learn Jack’s cow (whom Jacks foolishly persists in referring

to as “he”) is no longer giving milk. Jack’s Mother

says he must sell the cow so they can survive. He is crushed

because he thinks the cow is his best friend, but sets off to

the market to sell it. Leaving Cinderella in tears, her family

rides off to the ball without her.

The Baker and his Wife learn the Witch next door, a humpbacked

crone with long gnarled fingers, has placed a curse on them to

prevent their having a child. She explains the Baker’s father

had stolen various vegetables from her garden many years ago to

satisfy his wife’s insatiable desire for greens. He also stole

the Witch’s magic beans. To punish him for the theft, she

demanded and had been given the Baker’s sister, a sibling the

Baker never knew existed. She claims she still has the Baker’s

sister hidden away and that he can break the spell that makes

him childless only by bringing her a cow as white as milk, a

cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn and a slipper as

pure as gold.

The Baker puts on his father’s old jacket as he prepares to

journey into the woods. He finds six beans in the pockets and

wonders if they are the Witch’s magic beans. He forbids his Wife

to join him on this dangerous quest as he tries to memorize the

list of things the Witch says he must deliver. As “Trhe

Prologue” ends, Cinderella decides to visit her mother’s

grave.

At this point, the show takes on a rapid pace.

Cinderella tells her mother her wish and is given a fancy dress

and slippers to wear to the ball. While walking through the

Woods to market, Jack encounters a Mysterious Man who tells Jack

his cow is only worth a sack of beans. Little Red Ridinghood

meets a Wolf who targets her and her grandmother as his next

meal (“Hello, Little Girl”). The Baker appears and is

concerned harm will come to Little Red Ridinghood. The Witch

warns him not to worry about the child’s welfare; his task is

simply to steal her cape. We hear the sound of a woman singing

in the distance; it is the voice of the Baker’s lost sister,

Rapunzel.

As the Baker struggles to remember the four objects on his list,

his Wife appears, with another offer to help him. They argue

about her presence as they encounter Jack and his cow, a beast

like the one the Witch has demanded. The Baker’s Wife persuades

Jack to sell the cow for five of their beans (which leaves them

with one remaining bean). After Jack sings a sad farewell to the

cow (“I Guess This Is Goodbye”), the Baker is upset

they used deceit to acquire the animal. The Baker’s Wife insists

they did Jack a favor. (“Maybe They’re Magic”). She

says you have to go after what you want and not hesitate. The

Baker sends his wife home with the cow and continues on his way,

as Rapunzel sings again.

The Witch visits Rapunzel at the tower where she is kept

prisoner. A handsome prince sees the Witch climb Rapunzel’s hair

and decides to try it himself the following day.

The Baker makes an unsuccessful try at stealing Little Red

Ridinghood’s cape – thievery does not come naturally to him.

Little Red Ridinghood enters her Grandmother’s house to find the

Wolf, in bed, pretending to be the old woman (whom he has

eaten). After the Wolf eats Little Red Ridinghood, he takes a

nap. The Baker sees a corner of the red cloak hanging out of the

Wolf’s mouth and hoping to get the whole thing cuts his stomach

open, releasing Little Red Ridinghood and her Grandmother. After

the ordeal, Little Red Ridinghood realizes that “I Know

Things Now.” Grateful to the Baker for saving her life,

Little Red Ridinghood gives him her cloak.

Jack’s Mother is furious with him for selling their cow for five

seemingly worthless beans and she throws them away. The Baker’s

Wife, leading Milky-White through the forest, encounters

Cinderella, who is running from the Prince (the brother,

coincidentally, of the prince who is smitten with Rapunzel) and

his Steward. When Cinderella reveals she isn’t sure she wants

the Prince, the Baker’s Wife thinks she is being very foolish

(“A Very Nice Prince.”) The Baker’s Wife tries to take

one of Cinderella’s gold shoes, but is forced to chase after the

runaway cow instead.

The next morning the characters realize one midnight has gone

and they have not realized their wishes. Jack discovers a

beanstalk has grown up overnight.

As the Baker sleeps beneath a tree, Jack appears with an

oversized money sack. He sings about “Giants In The

Sky” and relates his adventure. He describes the sensation

of being high in the sky and meeting a lady giant who drew him

close. The appearance of her husband, an even bigger giant who

intended to harm him, sent him scrambling back to earth with one

of the giant’s sacks of gold. Jack’s Mother, delighted by his

acquistion, has let him keep five gold pieces which he wants to

use to buy back Milky-White. He finds the Baker and demands his

cow. The Baker cannot sell the cow because the Witch wants it.

Jack, thinking the Baker is holding out for more money, goes off

in search of additional funds, leaving the gold with the Baker.

The Baker’s Wife appears, confessing she has lost the cow.

Rapunzel’s Prince and Cinderella’s Prince exchange tales of woe

(“Agony”), each insisting his romantic problem is more

serious than his brother’s.

The Baker’s Wife, who is searching for the hair as yellow as

corn, encounters Jack’s Mother, who is looking for Jack. The

Mysterious Man returns the cow to the Baker. The Witch warns the

Mysterious Man to stay out of her business. The Baker’s Wife,

recognizing Rapunzel’s hair as the perfect shade to satisfy the

Witch’s hair demand, grabs one of the girl’s substantial

tresses, rips it out, and runs into Cinderella, who is on her

way home from another night at the Festival. The Baker’s Wife

tries, without success, to take Cinderella’s shoe. The Baker and

his Wife run into each other and he finally agrees it will take

both of them to accomplish their goal (“It Takes

Two”).

Jack appears with the hen that lays golden eggs. The Baker’s

Wife realizes the Baker has considered selling the cow for

money. The cow drops dead and all seems lost for the Baker and

his Wife. Two midnights are gone.

The Baker goes in search of another cow. The Baker’s Wife goes

off to try again to grab a golden slipper. The Witch warns

Rapunzel to obey her (“Stay With Me”) and to remain

shielded from the world. Rapunzel says she is no longer a child

and wants to see the world. Enfuriated, the Witch cuts off most

of Rapunzel’s hair and exiles her. The Narrator reveals, while

pursuing Rapunzel, Rapunzel’s Prince has fallen into a patch of

thorns and blinded himself.

Little Red Ridinghood has turned bloodthirsty, replacing her red

cloak with one made from the skins of the Wolf. Jack, questing

after more money for his mother, has returned to the giant’s

domain to steal more gold.

Leaving her third visit to the royal ball with only one slipper,

Cinderella reflects on her indecision about leaving her

miserable home for the unknown aspects of life with the Prince

(“On The Steps of the Palace”). She decides not to

decide. She has left a shoe for the Prince to find and it will

be his decision.

The Baker’s Wife gives Cinderella her own shoes in exchange for

the remaining gold slipper. She then has a struggle with the

Prince’s Steward who also wants the second gold slipper. The

Mysterious Man becomes involved in the struggle. The Prince

decides they only need one shoe. There is a horrible thud.

Jack’s Mother screams that a dead giant has fallen from the sky.

No one seems to care. The third midnight is near.

The Baker and his Wife report to the Witch with their four

objects, but she rejects the new cow which they have covered

with flour to look like the dead Milky-White. The Witch demands

they bring the dead Milky-White to her and she’ll bring it back

to life. Jack appears with a golden harp. The Witch restores

Milky-White to life and commands the Baker to feed the cow the

other objects. A clock chime begins to strike. The Witch insists

the cow be milked to fill a silver goblet. Jack tries, but no

milk flows. When the Baker’s Wife says she pulled the hair as

yellow as corn from a maiden in the tower, the Witch explains

she, the Witch, cannot have touched any of the objects needed to

break the spell. The Mysterious Man says to feed the cow an ear

of corn. The Witch reveals the Mysterious Man is the Baker’s

father. The cow eats the corn, the milk flows into the goblet

and the Witch drinks it. She is transformed into a beautiful

woman and the Baker’s father dies as the third midnight strikes.

The Narrator explains the Witch had been cursed with ugliness

after her beans were stolen, but is now beautiful once again.

Milky-White is reunited with Jack. The Prince searches for

Cinderella with the golden slipper. Lucinda and Florinda try to

fit into the slipper by cutting off parts of their feet, but

their tricks are discovered and the Prince finally finds

Cinderella.

The Narrator states Rapunzel, who has had twins, has been

reunited with her blind husband and Rapunzel’s tears restored

his vision. The Witch attempts a reconciliation with her adopted

daughter, but Rapunzel refuses. When the Witch tries to enchant

Rapunzel and her prince, she realizes that in exchange for her

own youth and beauty, she has lost her magical power over

others.

At Cinderella’s wedding, her stepsisters are blinded. The

Baker’s Wife appears, very pregnant.

The Narrator observes that everything which seemed wrong is now

right. The kingdoms are filled with joy and those who deserve

happiness to are certain to live long and satisfying lives. Only

tenderness and laughter are foreseen forever after. As everyone

congratulates themselves on their unswerving determination to

get their wishes, a giant beanstalk emerges from the ground and

stretches to heaven. No one notices it.

Act Two

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 (“Prologue: So

Happy”), 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 “To flee the winds – To find

a future – To shield – To slay – To flee – To find – To fix – To

hide – To move – To battle – To see what the trouble is.”

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 pain-filled upbringing. He has fallen for Snow White.

Cinderella’s Prince lusts after Sleeping Beauty (Reprise:

“Agony”).

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 (“Lament”).

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 (“Any Moment”). 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

(“Moments In The Woods”). 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 blames the Baker for giving

him the beans which set the scenario in motion (“Your

Fault”). 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 (“No More”). 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 perepares 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 (“No One Is Alone”).

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

(“Children Will Listen”).

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.

The show ends as Cinderella says “I wish … ”

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