Into the Woods has long been one of my favorite musicals. What has always thrilled me about this work is the brilliance of its written elements: script, score, and lyrics. All three mesh together so seamlessly that it seems as though the entire piece must have come into being spontaneously in one Big Bang-like moment. Sondheim and Lapine take us on a journey through the whole range of human emotions in a fairy tale setting that somehow feels more genuine than real life. "How can that be?" you ask. "This is 2013 and I've never set foot in a forest...or broken a magic spell...or slain a giant." Or haven't you?
What we are connecting with is the universality of the moments unfolding before us. The folk tales that the Brothers Grimm collected over two hundred years ago were already older than anyone could remember even then. Archetypal characters engaged in cautionary tales about nothing less than life itself - how to navigate its pitfalls and survive its trials. It's about what the woods represent: the unknown. Dangers lurk in the shadows and just around the bend in the path. You have no idea what awaits you but, as the show tells us, "You have to take the journey." Because no matter what it is you wish for in life, you have to go out there to get it. The journey itself is the whole point. Whether you succeed or fail, however you might define such things, you emerge changed on the other side. Maybe you're a little worse for wear, but you are in some way different than before. A little wiser. And though some innocence may be forfeited, the self-knowledge and self-respect gained are ample reward that will be better appreciated with time. You did it. You faced your fears and did what had to be done. Because, after all, the unknowns of that deep, dark forest also include opportunity and adventure.
And lastly, the show reminds us that throughout our journey, whether we are aware or not, we are not alone. We are being watched...looked to...even if those observing us swear to complete indifference. Our words may not be heeded, but our actions will be noted.
Into the Woods shows us ourselves at every point along the road of our journey. Wherever you might happen to be on that path at this moment, you will see yourself on our stage tonight.
