Show guide
Into the Woods
"Into the Woods" tangles together several beloved fairy tales, then asks what happens after everyone supposedly lives happily ever after.
- Broadway premiere
- 1987
- Music by
- Stephen Sondheim
- Genre
- Comedy
- Setting
- Timeless
Into the Woods: quick answers
What is Into the Woods about?
- A childless baker and his wife set out to break a witch's curse, crossing paths with Cinderella, Jack, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel, and the second act shows what happens after everyone gets their wish.
When did Into the Woods open on Broadway?
- Into the Woods opened on Broadway on November 5, 1987, at the Martin Beck Theatre and ran for 765 performances, closing on September 3, 1989. A 2022 revival played the St. James Theatre.
What kind of musical is Into the Woods?
- Into the Woods is a Sondheim book musical with an original score and spoken dialogue that weaves Grimm fairy tales into one story. It won Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Book.
Where and when is Into the Woods set?
- Into the Woods is set in a timeless fairy-tale kingdom and the woods beyond it.
Has Into the Woods played in London's West End?
- Into the Woods premiered in the West End at the Phoenix Theatre in 1990. A 2010 revival played Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.
Is there a Into the Woods movie?
- Disney's 2014 film, directed by Rob Marshall, starred Meryl Streep as the Witch, with James Corden, Emily Blunt, and Anna Kendrick. The original Broadway cast was also filmed for PBS's American Playhouse in 1991.
The story of Into the Woods
Set in a timeless, storybook version of a forest and its surrounding kingdom, the musical interlaces the journeys of Cinderella, Jack (of beanstalk fame), Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel with an original story about a childless baker and his wife. Each character enters the woods chasing a wish, and their paths cross and collide in surprising ways.
The first act plays out like a fairy tale mashup with a satisfying, wish-fulfilling ending. The second act upends that comfort, following the characters into the messier consequences of getting what they wanted, and asking harder questions about parenthood, community, and moral responsibility.
The music and the makers
Stephen Sondheim wrote the music and lyrics, applying his trademark intricacy to material drawn from classic fairy tale sources. The score is famous for its interlocking musical motifs, rapid-fire wordplay, and songs that shift tone from playful to unsettling within the same number.
Rather than a straightforward comedy, the show uses its fairy tale framework to explore genuinely complicated ideas about wishes, consequences, and family, all wrapped in Sondheim's characteristically dense and rewarding musical language.
Into the Woods on Broadway
The show opened in 1987 and quickly became one of Sondheim's most beloved and frequently revived works, admired for the way it balances fairy tale whimsy with genuine emotional depth. Its cleverness rewards repeat viewing, and its themes about parents, children, and community resonate well beyond its storybook setting.
Its blend of accessible fairy tale characters with sophisticated musical storytelling has made it a favorite for both first-time musical theater audiences and longtime Sondheim devotees, and it remains one of the most produced titles in his catalog.
Into the Woods: frequently asked questions
When did Into the Woods open on Broadway?
Into the Woods opened on Broadway in 1987.
Who wrote Into the Woods?
Stephen Sondheim composed the music and lyrics.
What is Into the Woods about?
It weaves together several classic fairy tales with an original story about a baker and his wife, following what happens after everyone gets their wish.
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