Original Broadway Cast - Into the Woods [Original Broadway Cast]

With Into the Woods, songwriter Stephen Sondheim and librettist/director James Lapine retold a group of children's stories in an intricate, moving way that worked on many levels. In the show, which opened on Broadway on November 5, 1987, and ran 764 performances before closing on September 3, 1989 (making it Sondheim's most popular work in 25 years), Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and other familiar fairy tale characters, joined by a few newly invented ones, engage in interrelated adventures. Sondheim and Lapine's interpretation is informed by child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim's book -The Uses of Enchantment, and they not only retain some of the gorier aspects of the original tales, but also add adult complexities. Sondheim's score for Into the Woods is one of his most tuneful, and slyly acknowledges the melodic simplicity of the Disney movie versions of some of these fairy tales, but his lyrics are typically witty and, not infrequently, employ tongue twisters. Song highlights include Cinderella's "On the Steps of the Palace"; the two versions of "Agony," sung by two princes; and "Hello, Little Girl," sung to Little Red Riding Hood by the Wolf. An ensemble cast led by Bernadette Peters (as a witch) navigates those words well. Particularly impressive are Danielle Ferland as Little Red Riding Hood; Robert Westenberg, who plays both the Wolf and Cinderella's Prince; and Tony winner Joanna Gleason. Into the Woods succeeded in enchanting children (some of whom, it must be admitted, probably could have left after the deceptive "happy ending" that closed the first act) along with adults who understood the grown-up references. Recorded at a time when the advent of CDs was expanding the previous length limitations of albums, the original Broadway cast recording used its 69-minute running time to give a good sense of the show as a whole rather than being just a collection of musical highlights. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

Name Credits Adrienne Wilcox Percussion Ann Hould-Ward Sketches Anthony Salvatore Engineer Barbara Bryne Performer Benjamin Wright Performer Bernadette Peters Performer Bill Allen Engineer Chip Zien Performer Chuck Wagner Performer Danielle Ferland Performer Edmund Lyndeck Performer Eileen Folson Cello Evan Morris Music Preparation Supervisor Frank Rodriguez Engineer Gloria Agostini Harp Heidi Landesman Cover Design J.J. Stelmach Art Direction Jane T. Brier Literary Supervision, Editorial Supervision Jay David Saks Producer Jean Ingraham Violin Jean Kelly Performer Joanna Gleason Performer John Beal Bass John Campo Bassoon John Moses Clarinet Jonathan Tunick Orchestration Joy Franz Performer Karl Bargen Viola Kay McClelland Performer Kim Crosby Performer Laura Corcos Violin Lauren Mitchell Performer Les Scott Flute, Piccolo Lowell Hershey Trumpet Marilyn Reynolds Violin, Concert Master Martha Swope Photography Mathilde Pincus Music Preparation Supervisor Maxine Roach Viola Merle Louise Performer Nancy Lee Swift Literary Supervision, Editorial Supervision Pamela Winslow Performer Paul Ford Keyboards Paul Gemignani Musical Director Paul Goodman Engineer Richard Hagen Horn Robert Ayers Percussion Robert Westenberg Performer Ron Sell Horn, Contractor Scott Frankel Keyboards Sheryl Flatow Liner Notes Tom Aldredge Performer Wilmer Wise Trumpet