Into the Woods vs. Into the Woods, Jr.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 5:01pm

My hometown little theatre is putting on INTO THE WOODS, JR next week and I was wondering what the diffrence is between the normal version and the Jr. version? Should I even bother to see it?

[BWayBoy88]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 5:05pm

ITW jr is basically just the first act. They cut out the second act because of the adult themes.

[BroadwayBound06]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 5:06pm

And cut out half of all the songs.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 5:07pm

well, that sucks. The second act is what makes this musical so great. I wonder why Sondheim would give rights to this? But, do you think I should still go see it?

[AnothaPartofMe]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 5:19pm

I directed and choreographed ITW Jr. for a middle school last year. This show is a part of the Broadway Jr. Collection that MTI put together with the intention for kids to be able to put on a show. I do, however, believe that ITW Jr. is the best out of the collection.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 5:20pm

Awesome. I might go see them then. Thanks.

[CurtainUp]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 6:19pm

It's cut so much, but why not see it? If given the choice to see and not see a show, I see it!

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 6:54pm

I played Rapunzel's Prince in a production of ITW Jr., and it was very fun. Most of the kids had never heard of the show, and they all had a blast. It is only the first act, and they cut parts of songs or a few lines from songs.

[MusicPos2]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 8:53pm

I worked on Into the Woods, Jr. with some middle schoolers and it is really awful. It was the worst production that I've seen from Imagination Stage. The music stunk, and the plot made no sense. I haven't seen the real show, so take this post for what it's worth. I don't usually like Sondheim (you can all shoot me now), but this was some of the worst I've heard from him. It was really bad.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 8:55pm

Well, I like the original version of ITW, that is why I was asking if it was worth me going

[BroadwayBound06]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 8:59pm

I've also played Rapunzal's Prince in ITW Jr.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 9:01pm

I hate the Jr. version. It's stupid and I don't like it. Instead of taking out a few songs, shortening the dialogue and making it easier and more charming for a youth cast like they did with the others, they just cut act two! I hate it. Have a nice day.

[Jon]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 9:05pm

To clarify to the original poster, the "Junior" versions of shows licensed by MTI may only be performed by children and teens 16 and younger, so obviously your "hometown little theatre" is doing it as a special project for teens - unless it is a theatre group with no adults!

[MusicPos2]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 9:16pm

I was just interviewing for a job teaching Middle School today, and I told them something that I really believe strongly: no one should ever use any of the junior versions that I've seen. Take the full show and adapt it yourself. A lot of times, the Junior versions cut out parts of the plot or more scenes than necessary. As a director, you should decide what to use and what not to. You'll really have a better production. Oh, and what's with the recordings that they send with them: they are really awful!

[wildparty20]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 10:02pm

Well MusicPos... the whole reason MTI's Jr. series is there is so that you can do a "dumbed down" version LEGALLY. For a director to change a script/score in ANY way is illegal (not to mention disrespectful to the librettist/composers creation), and your production can get shut down and fined. I've known two shows that got shut down (one by MTI and one by Samuel French) because they changed the show a little bit. You never know who's going to be in your audiences!

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 10:07pm

MTI, RandH, and Sam French are NOTORIOUS for shutting down shows because of that

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 10:59pm

So how come, then, that proffesional companies like McCoy-Rigby can totally revamp their productions of PETER PAN, but regional still has to use the old scripts??? Updated On: 7/8/04 at 10:59 PM

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 11:02pm

regionals go through just the liscensing house. A Broadway staging goes through the authors, who can authorize such changes. If a small theatre iwshes to make changes, they can send a request to the liscensing house, who will forwad it on to teh authors, if they are alive, for approval or such

[BWayBoy88]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 11:13pm

I heard Sondheim was very willing about giving the rights to ITW for a JR production. He also is willing to make any of his shows into JR version. However most of his shows have adult themes that cant be cut out. Can you imagine 6th graders as people who killed presidents?
Some one said earlier that you have to be 16 or younger to do a JR show. I thought it was 18 and under

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 11:20pm

I think some of the shows that they pick for Jr. versions are odd choices. Like Fiddler for example. I can't imagine two 12 year olds singing "Do You Love Me" so those part would have to go to older kids in the range of 16 or 17, but by that age they can perform the show as is, so they don't need the Jr. Version. Same with Guys and Dolls. The leads should go to 17-18 year olds who are perfectly capable of performing the original version. Why bother?

And Les Miz scares me. You need some REALLY talented 12 year olds to pull that off. Updated On: 7/8/04 at 11:20 PM

[brdwaybaby17]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 11:24pm

MusicPos... do you like anything?

[BWayBoy88]

Posted: 7/8/04 at 11:25pm

They change the key of some of the songs so they are in the range of younger kids.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 7/9/04 at 1:43am

ITW, Jr. is pathetic and ruins a superb show. They change all kinds of lyrics and lines to make them more 'suitable' but the result is horrendous.

[Plum]

Posted: 7/9/04 at 9:05am

Well, out of all of Sondheim's shows, Into the Woods seems the best-suited to a kiddie production, what with the fairy-tale elements and all...but geez, Sondheim is just an adult author. There's no way of getting around it. In the past 2 years my sister's high school has put on productions of Follies and Company, and while the technical aspects of the show were brilliant for a high school show, and the pit, singers and dancers were talented, the acting just wasn't all the way there. It's weird seeing an 18-year-old belt out "Ladies Who Lunch." Updated On: 7/9/04 at 09:05 AM

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 7/9/04 at 5:35pm

Can you get fined for changing a sentence around, or one word, if they are so strict...is there a minimum?