From September to November of 2024, members of Great Lakes Theater performed the classic Stephen Sondheim musical “Into the Woods” at Playhouse Square. Though the show has been beloved since its debut in 1986, the very nature of live theater allows stories to be told again and again across years, sometimes taking on entirely new meanings as time goes by. With this in mind, the Great Lakes performance, as well as the musical itself, should be given a modern critique.
Great Lakes Theater did a spectacular job bringing the show to life with its own twists. Though the script remains unchanged, the costume and set designs bring a unique atmosphere to the show that is not present in other versions. Rather than dressing in general medieval peasant clothing, the characters don more modern attire such as t-shirts, hoodies and even a Supreme bag. The change is small but makes this production distinct from any other.
The set of the Great Lakes production also helps to make for a memorable experience. Ladders and raised platforms decorate the stage for actors to climb and walk across throughout the show, in a setting similar to a jungle gym. This choice in set design creates tree-like obstacles for characters to traverse and two distinct planes in which they act, accentuating key scenes very effectively.
“Into the Woods” tells the intersecting tales of various travelers who may be familiar to audiences: a boy named Jack who sells his family’s cow for a couple of beans, a young woman named Cinderella who would rather dance at the ball than sweep her step-mother’s floors and a long-haired girl named Rapunzel, just to name a few. Fairy tale retellings are nothing new, but the way this show revitalizes them is something else entirely.
The first act follows the characters on their own journeys into the titular woods as they adventure, learn lessons and watch their greatest wishes come true. It all culminates in a victorious number in which the heroes live happily ever after and the villains get the punishments they deserve. Very charming, very entertaining. But nowhere near the whole story.
What “Into the Woods” does to set itself apart from nearly every retelling, twist or satire of popular fairy tales is show the aftermath of happily ever after. Cinderella marries the prince, but now what? Jack has fought a giant, but what are the consequences of trespassing upon their land? These characters, who have had their tales told to countless children worldwide, are forced to do something they never have before: make decisions.
There is a brilliant lyric from the show in which the baker’s wife reflects on small isolated moments of magic that she wishes could happen more often. However, she comes to realize that “if life were only moments / then you’d never know you had one.” That is how the musical recontextualizes these classic tales: not by adding realism to these ridiculous stories, but by applying consequences.
If a person’s life was defined exclusively by one magical life-changing day, that would make for a great story but a dull life afterward. This conceit is made by many stories, but not by “Into the Woods.” Unlike so many other stories, it embraces the existence of life after the curtain falls. Instead of allowing the characters to rest as soon as they achieve their goals, the show makes their lives go on. Just like real lives do. That’s something the characters have to deal with, just like everybody else.
Great Lakes Theater took a brilliant show, added a new touch and created a wonderful final product. Even though its performance was temporary, it was a great spectacle demonstrating the staying power of a timeless story.
