Going Into The Woods
Several days after Christmas, I convinced my husband to accompany me to see Disney’s version of the Stephen Sondheim musical, Into the Woods. Please understand that this took a bit of convincing, as my husband prefers action films and comedies to anything remotely related to musicals.
I was a musical theatre actor in high school. I feel comfortable with calling myself a “geek,” especially because of the fact that I spent every waking moment of my life singing songs from shows I was in at a decibel level that would make one’s ears bleed. After graduation, I worked full-time, and attended SUNY Farmingdale at night for my nursing degree. This grueling schedule left little time for me to sing show tunes, much less attend rehearsals for a production. Rotating schedules at a local hospital, marriage and motherhood soon became the main spotlight in my life, but I always remembered my love for singing, especially for Broadway musicals.
Several years ago, I returned to the stage, which was thrilling and frightening all at once. I’ll never forget when I auditioned for a role in the HUMC Off Broadway production of Into The Woods. I hadn’t had a voice lesson in roughly a year, and was wondering if I had taken leave of my senses.
I ended up with the role of Cinderella’s stepmother, which was downright deliciously mean. And I loved every single moment of it. The music, the costumes, the scenery, the people—all of it leaves behind a wonderfully memorable experience that I was hoping to relive when I went to see the movie.
Disney’s version of Into the Woods was visually appealing and beautiful beyond words. While there were numbers that had been cut, most likely for time constraints as well as to further the story along, it was still well done. I found myself singing along in my reclined seat at the Broadway Mall theater, and when I wasn’t humming, I was still picturing the words in my head, as well as those moments on the stage. I loved it.
Because I am familiar with the lyrics, as well as the darkness of the show itself, I wasn’t surprised that the producers had “Disney’ed down” certain scenes that might have been deemed inappropriate for the younger crowd. One of my favorite scenes, which is the “blame game” scene between Cinderella, the Baker, Jack, and Little Red, was done so well, that I wondered whether future productions might want to slow down the tempo a bit, because it gave the song a more eerie quality. I truly enjoyed the “stop action” moment, where Cinderella finds herself in a bit of a dilemma “On The Steps of The Palace”. It was visually stunning, charming, and comical at once.
If you’re looking for a film that will keep you and your children highly entertained, “I Wish” that you would go Into the Woods before “The Last Midnight” of its theater premiere. Don’t wait for the DVD, as the company hasn’t given a release date yet. Until then, I’ll be in “Agony”!
