What is it with middle schools and Into the Woods?

Because it's an AWESOME show...in fact, the BEST! lol umm I haven't heard of many jr. high shows doing it. Last year our rival high school did it and it was absolutely fabulous. If the director feels the students can handle it than so be it, although a lot of directors are just crappy english teachers :-/

Isn't there a "Junior" edition of the show for middle schools and doesn't it simplify the score a bit?

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I agree with SticktoPriest. The regular version, which the high school did, is a lot better than the junior version.

Junior versions should not be made. They can completely destroy a show. Example: A middle school was doing Grease (why do middle and even elementary schools think they can do Grease?!) The pregnancy was changed to the girl getting her first period, all of the sexual references were taken out, (the song, Sandra Dee was cut, and the lyrics to greased lightning were changed.) The changes completely took away the meaning of the show. And that's just one example. Tons of other musicals suffer the same fate. (Fiddler on the roof, Guys and Dolls, and worst of all, Les Miserables.)

Sorry, just felt the urge to rant, and this thread was the most opportune place.

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Wow. When I saw it, they had exactly enough cast members, with Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. I never thought that people could act so badly while saying two words but guess what? It happened.

Actually, Priest, the Jr. version

BUTCHERS, MUTILATES, and "HARASSES" the original score

if you kno the revised rap you kno what i'm talking about lol

In an interview with the Toronto Star, Sondheim gave his thoughts on why INTO THE WOODS is his most-performed show (it's a large ensemble piece), and also expressed his disapproval for the Junior edition. The Junior edition cuts out the second act which, to Sondheim, is the point of the musical: you must deal with the consequences of your actions. (I agree wholeheartedly; I love the fun and frolic of ITW's first act, but it is the second act that gives the show weight and lifts it to the level of moving allegory, making INTO THE WOODS a Great Musical.)

My biggest issue with middle and high schools doing INTO THE WOODS is that often they misrepresent it, making the musical much lighter and jovial than it really is. What I find special about INTO THE WOODS is the dark, sombre and elegiac tone of the second act. A friend of mine was involved in a high school production and when we were talking about the show, he remarked how funny the succession of deaths were; I was shocked, because I found (in the original production, anyway) that the deaths were very serious and moving, thus leading to the beautifully sad final three numbers of the show. The narrator's death is funny, but each killing that follows it grows more and more serious in tone. I find schools don't show the emotion of this well.

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Updated On: 1/17/05 at 01:19 AM

Why whenever something like this is brought up does someone have to say that WICKED is a kids show but wouldn't want to see a high school attempt it? Like what's currently on Broadway is really any better? The material if perfect for high school or jr. high. It was practically written by writters of that intelligence level. There isn't really anything in it that would be challanging for a seasoned theatre vet.

Updated On: 1/17/05 at 02:04 AM

"Why whenever something like this is brought up does someone have to say that WICKED is a kids show but wouldn't want to see a high school attempt it? Like what's currently on Broadway is really any better? The material if perfect for high school or jr. high. It was practically written by writters of that intelligence level. There isn't really anything in it that would be challanging for a seasoned theatre vet."

Cats,
I said that wicked the book, as in novel, is based on a story for kids (the wizard of oz), but that I wouldn't recommend the novel to kids. i wasn't talking about the musical...I know that the wizard of oz itself is very allegorical, but the movie is kid appropriate.

oh, and I really like what you have all said about ITW. I had the (unfortunate) pleasure of seeing ITW twice in one weekend by two different teenage groups. The first was a middle school that did the junior version, and the second was the full version by a youth theater group. both sucked a lot. and now one of the middle schools i work at is giving it a shot. oh the joys of being a teacher...

why are "the broadway powers that be" allowed to take a great sondheim show and cut it down to a junior version? did he (sondheim) actually give it the ok, or does someone else get to decide those kinds of things?

Can't help it. I'm never gonna waver in my belief that given the source material, it could have been so much better. The book especially. It's pathetic. And if Mr. Shwartz really wanted to be proud of the work he should have had the balls to higher an assistant lyricist. It's such an utter shame. We're all allowed to have an opinion. They made choices. and it's my opinion that they made the wrong ones.

Updated On: 1/17/05 at 02:52 AM

CATS - it's one thing to think that the product is somewhat lacking - it's something else entirely to question the intelligence of the creators.

I think the perfect response to your question can be viewed in the recent PBS documentary "Children Will Listen." It's about an inner-city middle school that puts on a performance of INTO THE WOODS, at the national Sondheim festival, no less.

The kids are not particularly good. But man, it brought tears to my eyes, watching Sondheim watch these young kids performing his material.

Why shouldn't kids do Sondheim? For me, seeing a younger generation discover the brilliance of his words and music more than outweighed the fact that the performance itself wasn't top-notch.

Updated On: 1/17/05 at 03:28 AM