It was staged completely different. It opened with three larges books on stage - CINDERELLA, JACK AND THE BEANSTALK, and THE BAKER AND HIS WIFE - which the Narrator opened up to reveal the actors and the following scenes that played out.
At the end of the show, all the actors lined up and danced into a giant book called INTO THE WOODS that was brought out. They disappeared into it one by one.
In addition,
- the Witch had the impression of being a snake. At the end, her hair would fall off (she pulls off her beautiful hair revealing a nearly bald head), and her arm also sheds. Earlier in the show, her witch's hair would rise up and rattle like snakes.
- Milky White was an actor, not a plastic prop, which worked oh so much better.
- Three Little Pigs were an unneseccary addition. Didn't mind two wolves, but you need the pigs to have the other wolf.
- It was much more darker. More enhanced special effects. The Giant was a projected animation (voiced by Judi Dench). As was Cinderella's mother in the tree. I believe Cinderella's birds were also projected.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
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