Mounting a production of Into the Woods is no easy feat. As a celebrated musical, it is one of the “giants” of theatre, encompassing a score that moves like a train to symbolize the ticking clock above the characters’ heads.
The show depicts the crossover of beloved fairy tale characters, with their desire for wish fulfillment and “a happy ever after” serving as the launching pad for their venture into the woods. Within the toil of each character’s journey is the unfurling of the accessible moralistic themes that have allowed these familiar tales to withstand the test of time. Presented together through the genius of Lapine’s book alongside the pulsating composition of Sondheim’s score, audiences witness the telling of a larger story that very much becomes an allegory for humankind’s navigation of life itself.
The characters are highly relatable, and audience members may find themselves feeling compassion for any one of them depending upon their own life experiences. Cinderella, for instance, grapples with indecision, while the princes remain so in love with the idea of love that they are led astray from genuine relationships. The witch, plagued by her own history with strife, inadvertently causes harm to her child in an attempt to shield her daughter from pain. Then there is the baker and his wife, both of whom struggle to reconcile individual wants while maintaining harmony in their partnership.
Though the nuances of their circumstances may differ, ultimately uniting these characters is the desire to explore and understand their individual place in the world around them—a universal truth of human experience. Like these characters, in the real world, some in their bravery, pride, or naïveté strive to forge their own paths, while others continually climb proverbial beanstalks, never satisfied. Then there are those who turn a blind eye to the afflictions of their fellow humans in order to maintain what they presently have. This show is not about fairy tale characters, but rather it upholds the very purpose behind fairy tales’ creation: to offer a mirror and teach a lesson.
Yes, there are wishes, spells, and magic beans. But the heart of the story is what unfolds in the woods and what "the woods" as a collective whole represents. At our deepest human level, humans must leave their comfort zones in order to embark on personal odysseys. Through the journey and aftermath of these characters' affairs, Sondheim and Lapine force us to recognize within our own lives the consequences of both action and inaction. But also, in a more Freudian vein, reconsider the influences of the id and superego in shaping our condition and attempts at self-actualization: What is driven by impulse and what is informed by social standards? What is guided by pleasure, or enacted due to a sense of moral obligation or fear of punishment?
With all these layers, Into the Woods stands as a poignant testament to the impact of storytelling and the enduring relevance of theatre. It explores struggle, the weight of personal decisions, and the journey towards self-discovery, all while celebrating humanity and what it means to be a human participant in the surrounding world. Do we allow personal ambition to compromise perspective? Do we punish people for their flaws or mistakes? Do we outcast those who are different from us and turn our backs on those in need? Or do we walk each other home?
Perhaps the message of Into the Woods resonates more deeply now than ever before, urging us to navigate the complexities of our lives and our world with grace, empathy, and above all an unwavering commitment to our shared humanity.
We are all wandering in the woods. Let us together, as an example for the next generation, find our way home. (Since, after all, children will listen.)
